Chico State Athletics

2020–21
Named to the CCAA Fall Academic Honor Roll.

2019–20
Earned All-CCAA, All-West Region and All-America cross country honors in 2019…Opened the XC season with a second place finish (8k time of 25:05.3) September 13, 2019 at the Stump Invitational…Recorded a 24:17.0 on the way to a seventh place finish September 28, 2019 at the Capital Cross Challenge…Ran the 10k in 32:00.1 and placed fifth October 12, 2019 at the Western Washington Classic…Finished 14th (8k time of 25:18.9) October 26, 2019 at the CCAA Cross Country Championships, helping the Wildcats win the program’s 18th consecutive conference title…Delivered a 10k PR time of 30:02.4 and finished fifth November 9, 2019 at the NCAA West Regional, as the ’Cats claimed their fourth straight regional crown…Wrapped up the season with a 26th place finish (10k time of 30:24.7) November 23 at the NCAA XC Championships in Sacramento…Did not compete during the abbreviated 2020 track & field season…Earned two CCAA All-Academic awards…Named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team  and received Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors…Included on the USTFCCCA All-Academic Cross Country Team…Received Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award.
 
2018–19
Placed 19th (24:46) at the Capital Cross Challenge to open the 2019 cross country season…Ran to a huge PR for 8k XC at the Santa Clara Bronco Invitational (24:05) while placing ninth overall…Recorded his first collegiate XC victory at the UC San Diego Triton Invitational, leading the ‘Cats to a 1-8 sweep…Earned his second All-CCAA award by placing 6th at the conference championships…Was the ‘Cats No. 3 runner and placed 8th at the West Region Championships…Capped off a breakthrough season with a 39th place finish and All-America honors at the NCAA Championships…Had a late start to the track season due to a winter hip injury...Opened with a personal best time of 14:33 in the 5k at the Mike Fanelli Track Classic…Recorded a PR in the 1,500m with a 4:01 run at the Chico Distance Carnival…Lopped over 40 seconds off his 10k PR with a 30:08 run at the Mt. SAC Relays, posting an NCAA provisional mark…Concluded the 2019 track season with a pair of podium finishes at the CCAA Championships in the 10k and 5k runs, recording times of 30:32 and 14:48 respectively…Earned three CCAA All-Academic awards as well as CoSIDA/Google Cloud Academic All-District and All-America honors…Named to both the USTFCCCA All-Academic Cross Country and Track & Field Teams.
 
2017–18
Began the cross country season with a 21st place run at the Riverside Invitational…Placed 32nd at the Capital Cross Challenge… Was the ’Cats sixth finisher at the Western Washington Invitational, recording a swift 31:44 over the 10k layout…Earned All-CCAA honors by placing 11th at the CCAA Championships…Finished the season as the Wildcats’ alternate for the NCAA squad…Began the track season with a 14:41 for the 5k at Sacramento State’s Hornet Invitational…Despite being sidelined several weeks due to injury, he would bounce back with a 31:09 10k PR at the San Francisco Distance Carnival off limited training…Focusing on training beyond San Francisco, Baxter returned to racing at the CCAA 10k final where he would win his first conference championship with a 30:54 PR…The following afternoon would be a part of the ’Cats’ 1-5 sweep in the 5k while finishing 4th overall at 14:50…Concluded the season with a 14:43 heat win at the Portland Last Chance Invitational…Received CCAA All-Academic and Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement awards.
 
2016–17
Redshirted both seasons during his first year at Chico State…Placed 15th at the Humboldt Invitational with a 25:13 8k debut…Placed 60th at the Capital Cross Challenge with a 25:06 8k mark...Recorded a 24:45 PR while taking second at the Doc Adams Invitational…Ran to a 14:58 5k PR in the team’s postseason time trial…Concluded the season with a 28th place run at the Pacific Association USA Track & Field Cross Country Championships in San Francisco, where he ran a 32:59 for the 6-mile course…On the track, opened with a 1,500 at the Wildcat Invitational and 4:03 PR…Placed fifth at the Hornet Invitational with a 14:51 5k PR…Qualified for the USATF Junior 10k Championships with a 31:32 10k at the San Francisco Distance Carnival…Recorded a 4:02 1500-meter PR at the Chico Twilight Invitational…Barely missed his 5k PR by one second with a 14:52 run at the Bryan Clay Invitational…Placed fifth overall at the West Coast Last Chance Invitational in the 5,000 meters, earning a 14:42 PR.
 
Pre-Chico Days
Running for Simi Valley High School, won his heat at the Mt SAC Invitational with a PR time of 15:10 PR on the famed course…Won the Coastal Canyon League Cross Country title as a senior…Earned All-State honors at the state championships while placing ninth overall in a PR 15:24…On the track specialized in the 3200m event, in which he ran six races at 9:22 or faster…Earned Coastal Canyon 3200m Champion honors as a senior…Concluded the season by recording a PR (9:16) at the CIF Division II Championships.
 
Personal
Born October 31, 1998, in Simi Valley…Son of Kevin and April…Has one older sister, Sarah…The person he most admires in the sports world is Billy Mills (“He was the first American to win an Olympic Gold medal in the 10,000m”)…Favorite instructors at Chico State are Katie Sylvia (“I’ve taken many courses with her”) and Matt Thomas (“He always pushed me to do better/more”)…Chose to attend Chico State “because of the area, the trails, and coach Gary Towne. His coaching style and wisdom has made me what I am today”…The most interesting thing he’s ever done is “staying in a cabin in Wyoming by myself for the better part of three months”…The most impressive thing he’s ever accomplished is earning two XC All-America awards and two All-America academic honors…Has learned by running cross country that “you have to suffer to succeed”…Enjoys playing video games and watch sports with his teammates when he has some free time…Says that “I hurt myself so bad as a freshman in high school I was nearly not able to run again”…At the top of his bucket list: “Go to Tokyo (preferably in the Olympics)”…Best advice ever received came from Wildcats head coach Gary Towne: “Stay composed”…Majoring in public administration…Plans a career in law enforcement while competing in marathon/ultra running.
 
Personal Best Marks
8k XC: 24:05
10k XC: 30:02
1,500m: 4:01
5,000m: 14:33
10,000m: 30:08