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Notable Cross Country Awards
• All-West Region (2022, 2023, 2024)
• All-CCAA (2022, 2023, 2024)
• CCAA Runner of the Week (Sept. 25, 2023; Oct. 6, 2023)
Notable Track & Field Awards
• All-CCAA - 5,000m, 3,000m Steeplechase (2023)
As a Senior - XC (2024)
- Appeared in six meets
- Finished 47th overall at the NCAA Championships in 30:37.9 (10K)
- Earned NCAA All-West Region by finishing 15th in 31:07.3
- Made the All-CCAA team by finishing ninth at the conference championships in 24:32.5
- Ran a season-best 23:55.6 (8K) at the season-opening Kim Duyst Twilight
- Finished 11th out of 336 runners in 24:04.7 at the Alabama Huntsville Charger Invitational
- Placed 10th overall at the Western Washington Bill Roe Classic
As a Junior - T&F (2024)
- Appeared in seven meets
- Finished in third at the CCAA Championships in the 10,000m, clocking a time of 31.04.83
- Recorded a personal best in the 10,000m at the Mike Fanelli Track Classic with a time of 30.03.04
As a Junior - XC (2023)
- Finished 51st in 30:31.8 (10K) at the NCAA Championships
- Made NCAA All-West Region after finishing seventh in 30:54.7 (10K)
- Earned All-CCAA after taking third place at the conference championship in 24:47.9 (8K)
- Won the San Francisco State Invitational in 24:42.0 (8K)
- Took first place in 24:27.4 (8K) at the Cal State San Marcos Cougar Challenge
- Finished second in 6K debut at the season-opening Ash Creek Collegiate Invite, running in 17:39.8
As a Sophomore - T&F (2023)
- Ran in six different meets
- Earned All-CCAA status in the 5,000m and the 3,000m steeplechase after finishing second in both events at the conference meet
- Set a personal-best in the 3,000m steeplechase at the CCAA Championships, clocking in at 9:15.32
- Ran a season-best 3:56.08 in the 1,500m at the Bryan Clay Invitational
- Achieved a personal time of 14:41.21 in the 5,000m at the Mike Fanelli Track Classic
As a Sophomore - XC (2022)
- Appeared in six meets
- Member of the CCAA Championship team
- Earned a spot on the All-CCAA team after finishing ninth at the conference meet
- Ran a personal-best 30:39.4 in the 10K at the NCAA West Regionals, placing 17th and earning All-West Region
- Placed 100th at the NCAA Championships
- Turned in a personal-best time of 24:05.3 in the 8K at the Santa Clara Bronco Invitational
2021–22
- Debuted in the Wildcats jersey with a ninth place finish (8k time of 25:06) September 10, 2021 at the San Francisco Invitational
- Followed up with a 15th place and a personal best 8k time of 25:05.4 September 25, 2021 at the Cougar Challenge
- Enjoyed his best race of the season October 9, 2021 at the Western Washington Bill Roe Classic, placing eighth with a 10k time of 31:51.6
- Sustained a season ending injury in the days following the race, thus ending his cross country season pre-maturely
- On the track, made his Chico State debut by scoring a personal best 3k time of 8:30.04 March 12, 2022 at the Aggie Invitational
- Produced a pair of PR marks (3:56.9 in the 1,500m run and 14:43.8 in the 5k) April 14–15, 2022 at the Bryan Clay Invitational
- Running in the 3,000m steeplechase for the first time, took top honors with a time of 9:37.19 April 23, 2022 at the Chico Invitational
- Posted a PR time of 9:25.5 in the steeple and earning a fourth place finish May 7, 2022 at the CCAA Track & Field Championships.
2020–21
Did not compete due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pre-Chico Days
- Standout runner in both cross country and track at Vacaville High School
- Led the Bulldogs to four Monticello Empire League cross country titles, runner-up in the Section championships, and an appearance in the 2019 XC State Championships
- Four-time All-MEL in cross country, competing in the State Championships three times
- Three-time cross country team MVP
- On the track, led Vacaville High to four MEL track & field championships
- Earned four All-MEL selections
- Named team track & field MVP three times
- Also lettered in soccer.
Personal
- Born December 29 in Fullerton
- Son of Ann Hernandez
- Has one older sister, Gabriela
- His mother is his hero (“She is very strong and resilient. She has taught me to be brave and to care for others”)
- The person he most admires in the sports world is long distance runner Luis Grijalva (“Not only he is an immigrant in the U.S. and ran against me in my high school league, but he is also a Dreamer. A Dreamer who worked his way to the professional level of running with limited rights. Luis is inspiring other Dreamers in the world that anything is possible”)
- Favorite course at Chico State is Team Sports, taught by Traci Ciapponi
- Why he chose to attend Chico State: “The comradery on the team along with the work ethic being built upon, showing everyone that D-II is just as good as D-I”
- His greatest sports moment was in 2019, when he won and posted the second-fastest time in the three-mile run (15:22) in the 19-year history of the Lagoon Valley Classic
- The most interesting thing he’s ever done is swim with sharks in Belize
- The most impressive thing he’s ever accomplished is eating a tub of cookie dough in one sitting
- Has learned by competing in distance running that “success isn’t just given; it is to be worked towards”
- Says his top non-sports talent is being able to wiggle his ears
- At the top of his bucket list: “Skydiving”
- Best advice ever received came from his high school cross country and distance coach Dave Monk: “With a positive mindset come positive outcomes”
- Majoring in Kinesiology
