Chico State Athletics

After red-shirting for both cross country and track for her freshman year, Alia enjoyed an amazing first season of college action.   During the ’08 cross country season Gray helped the team to CCAA and West Region titles with her 6th and 12th place runs. Although she didn’t finish the season as an All American, Alia did finish 69th overall at the NCAA championships which helped the ‘Cats to a 7th place team finish.  Picking up where she’d left off during cross country Gray’s track season was an assault on the all-time top 10 lists in the 5k and 10k events.  Her 17:25 clocking for the 12.5 lapper was an NCAA provisional mark but her true calling appears to be the 10k.  At the Mt. Sac Invitational Alia ran her first 10k ever and tallied what was at the time the school’s third fastest mark ever for the 25 lap distance.  Given that 2009 was the fastest year in Division II history for the women’s distances, Alia only barely qualified for the NCAA meet with this mark.  Entering the NCAA meet ranked 14th out of 16 competitors Gray made the absolute most of her opportunity, finishing 6th overall and earning her first All-American certificate. Now with a year of top-level running behind her Alia stands as an important part of the ‘Cats attack in the coming years. 

Track Best Marks:

5,000m: 17:25
10,000m: 36:05