Cross Country Championships page
SAN MARCOS - A total of 20 men's and women's cross country teams, representing 11 universities from throughout the state, will be toeing the starting line this Saturday at the 2021 CCAA Cross Country Championships. This year the championships will be hosted by Cal State San Marcos on its new Championship Course. The women's 6,000-meter race is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m., followed by the men's 8,000-meter race at 10 a.m. The awards ceremony will take place shortly after at approximately 11:15 a.m.
Cal State San Marcos will be hosting the conference championships for the first since joining the CCAA in 2015. The races will be held on campus with the start and finish at Mangrum Track. This will be just the second event ever held at the newly reconfigured Championship Course.
The CCAA Cross Country Championships took a one-year hiatus in 2020 due to COVID-19, but when the teams return this year, every team in the league, on both the men's and women's side, will be trying to knock off the Wildcats from Chico State.
The streak of consecutive CCAA Championships for the Chico State men's team dates back before some of the runners in their starting box were even born. The run of 18 straight conference championships began in 2002 but it is expected to be tested this year by a competitive field, including Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State East Bay, Cal State San Marcos, and Stanislaus State which have each been regionally ranked at points throughout the season.
The Chico State women's team has won 12 straight league championships, dating back to 2008, and that streak will be on the line this Saturday as the CCAA features four teams in the top 10 of the latest NCAA West Regional rankings. The Wildcats are the highest-ranked CCAA team in the region at No. 2, just one spot ahead of Stanislaus State. Cal State San Marcos (No. 5) and Cal State East Bay (No. 10) are also regionally ranked.
2019 individual champions, Joshua Litwiller of Cal State San Marcos and Destiny Everett of Chico State, did not return to defend their titles, meaning we will have new champions on both the men's and women's sides. The top returners from those championships are Gracie Dupuis (third place) and Matthew Herrera (fifth), both from Chico State.
On the men's side, a student-athlete from Chico State had won the individual title for 12 consecutive years before Litwiller broke that streak in 2019. Chico State still has a streak going on the women's side where the Wildcats have won three straight individual championships.
The Championship Course begins on the infield of the Mangrum Track & Field Complex before weaving through and around several different Cougar athletic facilities. The course will consist of 2k loops with varied terrain with approximately 75 percent on dirt trails, 25 percent on grass, and 40 meters of pavement per loop. It also has a number of small rolling hills and inclines.
Teams ran the Championship Course on Sept. 25 at the Cougar Challenge. Teams throughout the region came to compete, including five CCAA teams on the men's side and eight on the women's side. CCAA teams finished in the top three spots in the women's race. Chico won the team title but Stanislaus State's Kaela Dishion won the individual title. Cal State San Marcos' Shea Vavra won the men's race and Chico State took second place to finish as the CCAA's top men's team.
Spectators are allowed for this outdoor event on the campus of Cal State San Marcos. However, all fans are required to wear face coverings and stay within designated areas and refrain from interacting with the student-athletes. Participants should wear face coverings when not competing.
The 2021 Cross Country Championships are free and open to the public. Parking is available in Lot Z, located off Twin Oaks Valley Road. Parking is complimentary in Lot Z on game days. Parking anywhere else on campus will require a parking pass.
CCAA merchandise and championship gear will be available for purchase near the entrance of Mangrum Track.
For fans unable to attend the meet, follow along with the race for free on the CCAA Network at
CCAAnetwork.com. Live results will also be available
here.
Cal Poly Pomona – four CCAA individual champions: Matt Blaty (‘83), Steve Perez (’85), Mark Batres (’02), Daniel Rojas (’04); four CCAA team championships: (Men) 1985, ’94, ’96, ’97
Cal State East Bay – no team or individual champions
Cal State LA – nine CCAA individual champions: Sylvia Mosqueda (’86), Benito Cruz (’87), Jesus Gutierrez (’88), Marisa Avendano (’94),Martha Pinto (’96), Sawako Nakamura (’97), Annmarie Housen (’02), Sarah Bouchard (’03), Karla Alburez (’07); three CCAA team championships: (Men) 1987, (Women) 1994, ’07
Cal State Monterey Bay – no team or individual champions
Cal State San Bernardino (women only) – one CCAA individual champion: Laura Aceves (’16)
Cal State San Marcos – one CCAA individual champion: Joshua Litwiller ('19)
Chico State – 23 CCAA individual champions: 14 men’s winners (last - Eddie King, ’19), 9 women’s winners (last - Destiny Everett ’19); 34 CCAA team championships: (Men) 2002, ’03, ’04, ’05, ’06, ’07, ’08, ’09, ’10, ’11, ’12, ’13, ’14, ’15, ’16, ‘17, '18, '19 (Women) 2002, ’03, ’04, '06, ’08, ’09, ’10, ’11, ’12, ’13, ’14, ’15, ’16, ‘17, '18, '19
Humboldt State – two CCAA individual champions: Bridget Berg (’12), Kori Gilley (’14)
San Francisco State – no team or individual champions
Sonoma State (women only) – no team or individual champions
Stanislaus State – one CCAA individual champion: Vicente Moreno (’07)
UC San Diego – four CCAA individual champions: Gavin Klinger (’97), James Nielsen (’98), James Nielsen (’99), Mimi Hodgins (’05); two CCAA team championships: (Women) 1997, ’05
In the final national polls before championship weekend, announced by USTFCCCA on Oct. 13, three teams were listed in the poll. Chico State is the lone team represented in the men's poll. The Wildcats sit at No. 7. Chico State is also the top nationally ranked team in the women's poll. Chico came in at No. 15 in the latest poll, followed closely by Stanislaus State at No. 17.
West Region Rankings (Oct. 12)
| Rank |
School - MEN |
Conference |
|
School - WOMEN |
Conference |
| 1 |
Chico State |
CCAA |
|
Simon Fraser |
CCAA |
| 2 |
Western Washington |
GNAC |
|
Chico State |
CCAA |
| 3 |
Simon Fraser |
GNAC |
|
Stanislaus State |
CCAA |
| 4 |
Fresno Pacific |
PacWest |
|
Biola |
PacWest |
| 5 |
Biola |
PacWest |
|
Cal State San Marcos |
CCAA |
| 6 |
Stanislaus State |
CCAA |
|
Academy of Art |
PacWest |
| 7 |
Azusa Pacific |
PacWest |
|
Western Washington |
|
| 8 |
Cal State San Marcos |
CCAA |
|
Alaska |
GNAC |
| 9 |
Cal Poly Pomona |
CCAA |
|
Concordia |
PacWest |
| 10 |
Western Oregon |
GNAC |
|
Cal State East Bay |
CCAA |
Men’s regional championship history – 2019: Chico State, 2018: Chico State, 2017: Chico State, 2016: Chico State, 2015: Alaska Anchorage: 2014: Chico State, 2013: Chico State, 2012: Chico State
Women’s regional championship history – 2019: Chico State, 2018: Alaska Anchorage, 2017: Cal Baptist, 2016: Chico State, 2015: Chico State, 2014: Simon Fraser, 2013: Alaska Anchorage, 2012: Chico State
The 2021 NCAA West Region Championships will be held at the Ash Creek Preserve in Monmouth, Ore., on Saturday, Nov. 6. The women's 6k race will start at 10 a.m., followed by the men at 11:15 a.m.
Qualifying teams who advance to the 2021 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships will travel to Tampa, Fla. The final race of the year will take place at The Abbey Course on Saturday, Nov. 20. Saint Leo University will be the host of the national championship races.