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The streak goes on! Eight student-athletes from Chico State finished in the top 12 as the Wildcats claimed their 19th straight CCAA Men's Cross Country Championship. (Oct. 23)
 
Chico State posted a score of just 25 points en route to extending their winning streak in conference championships which dates back to 2002. Brayden McLaughlin led the way, finishing four seconds ahead of the rest of the field with a time of 24:43.0 on the 8k Championship Course. It also earned him 2021 CCAA Runner of the Year honors. Chico State student-athletes have now won 12 of the last 13 CCAA Runner of the Year awards.
 
McLaughlin and the rest of the Chico State fans did not have to wait long to realize they were going to add to the streak as the next four Wildcats cross the finish line within the next 15 seconds. Jack Emanuel placed fourth (24.50.3) and Dylan White took fifth (24:52.3). They were followed by Rory Abberton and Cameron Duquette, who finished seventh and eighth, respectively. Three more runners placed in the top 15 and all eight earned All-CCAA honors.
 
"It is always a challenge and we try to take things one year at the time," explained head coach Gary Towne. "We try to focus on what we have in front of us and not worry about (the streak). They made it look easy today but we understand that we have a big target on our heads from years of winning. We are sort of the Yankees of the CCAA; you either love them or you hate them."
 
While the Wildcats secured first place early, the battles on the course did not stop as the runners fought for every position, especially second place. In a heated battle the second spot, Cal Poly Pomona edged out the host school, Cal State San Marcos, 83-88. The Broncos' Vincent Sarino took second and the Cougars' Shea Vavra placed third to give each team a runner near the top. Cal State San Marcos' runners then finished 13th, 15th, 27th, and 30th, while Cal Poly Pomona's student-athletes placed 17th, 19th, 22nd, and 23rd. It all came down to the final scoring runner that made the difference for both teams and allowed Cal Poly Pomona to edge out CSUSM for place second by five points. Click here for complete results
 
In addition to earning Runner of the Year honors, McLaughlin also earned Newcomer of the Year honors. He was joined on the awards podium by Freshman of the Year, Daniel Echeveste from Cal Poly Pomona, and 2021 CCAA Elite 13 Award winner, Trevor Boaz from Cal State San Marcos.
 
Echeveste placed 21st in the 79-person field with a time of 25:33.0. He secured a critical 19 points to help the Broncos finish second and was the first true freshman to cross the finish line.
 
Boaz is a redshirt sophomore that is majoring in Communications. He earned the newly instituted Elite 13 Award that honors the individual who has reached the conference championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the final CCAA championship site in each conference-sponsored sport. This was previously called the championship scholar award.
 
This is the 15th time during the winning streak that the Wildcats have scored 25 points or less at the conference meet. Five runners of Chico State's 10 runners today were born after the streak began.
 
"That is pretty remarkable," said coach Towne. "It is so rewarding for the student-athletes that helped start that momentum and everybody that was there in between to look at what we are doing now and for them to know they are part of something that has become pretty special. For today's generation to add to that legacy is very rewarding." 
 
Many teams from the CCAA will now prepare to compete in the NCAA West Regional in Monmouth, Ore., on Nov. 6. From there the teams that qualify will advance to the NCAA Division II Championships in Tampa, Fla., on Nov. 20.