The Chico State track and field team just notched another California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship on both the men’s and women’s side of the sport.
The men’s team, with their latest CCAA title, have now taken home 13 out of the last 14 conference championships. The women’s team, with their latest, have now won eight conference championships in a row.
Wildcat Track and Field continues to produce star performers on both teams. The men’s squad is under the direction of Oliver Hanf, seven-time CCAA coach of the year, and they brought back 10 individual titles at the CCAA championships.
The Wildcats have claim to the Field Athlete of the Meet, shot-put champ Nolan Nagle, and the Track Athlete of the Meet, Kyle Medina, who won the 1,500 meters and took second in the 5,000 meters behind his teammate Will Reyes. Reyes won the 5,000 meters with a time quick enough to set a new CCAA Meet Record.
Reyes wasn’t the only one setting meet records though. Decathlete Lane Andrews also had a historic day setting the new point record for the Decathlon. As a team the ‘Cats had five decathletes finish in the top eight, maintaining a reputation for being a “decathlete factory.” They also snatched first-place finishing in the javelin, long jump.
Under the guidance of fourth-year head coach, Robert Nooney, the women brought home six individual titles at this year’s CCAA championships. Setting the tone early were standouts in the 3,000 meter steeplechase; Alex Burkhart and McCall Habermehl.
Burkhart won a footrace down the stretch to edge out Habermehl by less than half a second. Both times were fast enough to better the CCAA Meet Record previously owned by Burkhart. Brooke Whitburn, reigning CCAA Athlete of the Year had a good weekend finishing first in the long jump and snagging second-place finishes in the 100-meter hurdles and triple jump.
The 10,000 meter runners had a great showing at this year’s meet, taking places one through four.The lady ‘Cats also grabbed first-place finishes in the Javelin, Pole Vault and 5,000 meters.
The team totals for the men and women were enough to win the CCAA Championship Meet with plenty of room to spare. The men tallied 242.5 team points which was almost 50 points more the runner-up UC San Diego. The women’s team tallied 198.5 team points finishing more than 45 points ahead of runner-up San Francisco State.
Tracking results of the CCAA Championship Meet back to 2010, Chico State has impressive numbers in team totals and with individual titles.
The men’s Track and Field team for the Wildcats have racked up 50 individual titles since 2010. Their strongest events being the eight titles that came in the 5,000 meters, six in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, five in the 1,500 meters and four in the decathlon, high jump, 110-meter hurdles and 10,000 meters.
The women’s Track and Field team is close behind the men’s team racking up 43 individual titles since 2010. Their strongest events being the seven titles in the 5,000 meter, six in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, five in the pole vault and three in the 1,500 meter, 10,000 meter and long jump.
Chico State’s eligible track-letes will compete in the NCAA Division II Championships May 25-27 in Bradenton, Florida to seal their fate in college sports history.
Full Scope of CCAA Championship Meet stats for men and women:
Women/Men
100 meter- 1/0
women only)100 meter hurdles-1
(men only) 110 meter hurdles- 4
200 meter-2/0
400 meter-0/1
400 meter hurdles-2/1
800 meter-1/2
1,500 meter- 3/5
3,000 meter steeplechase- 6/6
5,000 meter-7/8
10,000 meter-3/4
Pole vault-5/1
High jump-2/4
Long jump-3/2
Triple jump-
Hammer-0/1
Javelin-1/0
Discus-0/2
Shot put-1/1
(Men only) Decathlon-4
(Women only) Heptathlon-2
Christopher Hendrickson can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_sports on Twitter.
