Chico State Athletics

Without a doubt the most decorated track and cross country athlete in Chico State history. Scott Bauhs has single handedly re-written the Wildcat record books over the course of his three years of competition for the Wildcats.  After finishing the 2006 cross country season with a 3rd overall finish at the NCAA championships Bauhs elevated his game to another level. 

During the 2007 track season Bauhs broke Chico State records for both 5k and 10k running 13:40 and 28:54 respectively.  Saving his best for last, Bauhs pulled off what might be considered one of the biggest upsets in NCAA championship history in beating previously undefeated Nicodemus Naimadu of Abilene Christian to win the 10k title. Bauhs ran his final 1600m in 4:14, while tracking down the Abilene standout. 

Never one to rest on past results, Bauhs made even bigger improvements during the ’07-’08 school year.  While redshirting the fall cross country season, Bauhs won the Stanford Invite, recording a blazing 23:07 mark for the 8k layout.  Several weeks later he broke the American Record for 21 year olds for the half-marathon distance.  His 1:03.04 at the San Jose Rock and Roll half marathon qualified him for the US Ekiden Relay team in Japan, where he led the US team with a 28:30 10k leg. 

In February Bauhs qualified for another U.S. team while placing tenth overall at the USATF XC Championships in San Diego.  Bauhs ran the best cross country race of his life at the IAAF XC championships in Scotland while placing 52nd overall and finishing as the fourth American. 

Two weeks later and in front of 2,000 screaming Chico fans in University Stadium, Bauhs became the 308th American to break the 4-minute barrier for the mile distance. 

Running at the Mt Sac Invitational several weeks later, Bauhs ran the fastest 5k ever by an American DII athlete (13:31). 

The best performance of Bauhs’ young career would come only a day after winning his third-straight CCAA title for the 1,500m distance.  Running in a loaded International field Bauhs averaged 66 second per lap for 25 laps while becoming the ninth fastest collegiate athlete in NCAA history for the 10,000m distance.  His finish time of 27:48 was an Olympic A standard, and was the fastest time by an American to that point in the season.  His new school record also made him the only D-II athlete to have ever cracked the 28-minute barrier. 

Three weeks later Bauhs won his second NCAA national title, this time over the 5,000m distance.  Having qualified for the Olympic Trials later in the summer, Bauhs toed the line with the best from the United States,  but a long season of racing would take its toll on the young runner.  Bauhs’ eventual 16th-place finish at the Olympic Trials served as his first experience at the Olympic level and gave him a great perspective on what adjustments will need to be made in the future to enjoy success on this stage. 

Bauhs returns to Chico for his final year of cross country and track eying bigger and better marks and achievements, which could of course result in more adjusting of Chico State and NCAA records…if all goes according to plan. 

Track Best Marks:

Mile: 3:59.81
5,000: 13:31
10,000m: 27:48