Trenton Hernandez

Men's Track and Field

Chico State claims CCAA Championship after epic finish in the men's 4x400m relay

[Meet results]

TURLOCK, Calif. – The 2025 CCAA Men's Track & Field Championship presented by Pollo Campero became a meet that will be discussed for years to come thanks to an epic finish to decide the team championship.
 
Only a half-point separated Chico State and Cal Poly Pomona going into the men's 4x400 meter relay. Whichever team finished first would take home the trophy. The first three legs of the race saw five different lead changes as Chico State's Trey Suffredini, Brody Staley, and Quincy Patton jockeyed back and forth with Cal Poly Pomona's Alessio Sommacal, Leroy Crook, and Joshua Morinaga for first place.
 
The final baton was passed to the Wildcats' Vincent Rinaldi and the Broncos' Camden Patterson with CPP down two steps. Rinaldi had the early lead until Patterson cut in front and took the lead. He held the top position until the final 80 meters. That is when Rinaldi found another gear and passed Patterson with 30 meters to go. He held the baton high as he crossed the finish line and gave Chico State the 234.5 to 233 point victory.

The 1.5-point final margin of victory for Chico State is the closest in the CCAA Championship history. Only twice in conference championship history has the title been decided by even 10 points, with the nearest being three points between Chico and UC San Diego in 2015. The conference title is Chico State's first since 2019, and their 17th overall. It also snaps a streak of three straight titles for Cal Poly Pomona.
 
Cal State San Marcos placed third with 109 points, and Stanislaus State was fourth with 100 points. Click here to see the complete final standings.
 
Chance Hefter helped power Chico State to the championship as he claimed CCAA Field Athlete of the Meet and the High Point Award. The senior claimed the hammer and discus throw titles and placed second in the shot put. He posted NCAA Provisional Marks in the discus (168-1/51.24m) and the shot put (54-10.25/16.72m). He was the first Wildcat to claim either individual award since 2016.
 
Damian Garcia delivered two individual championships and 20 team points for the Wildcats to win Track Athlete of the Meet honors. The sophomore running in his hometown of Turlock, posted NCAA Provisional Marks to win the 800m (1:50.15) and the 1500m (3:47.53).
 
CCAA Freshman of the Year honors went to Stanislaus State's sprinter Jaevin Sawyer. He won the men's 200m with a time of 21.07, and placed third in the 100m (10.33). Both were season-best times and NCAA Provisional Standards. He also helped both relay teams place in the top 3 to collect 14 points for the Warriors. The 4x100m relay team placed second with a Provisional Standard time of 40.65, and the 4x400m relay team finished third (3:16.23). He is the fourth Stanislaus State student-athlete to win CCAA Freshman of the Year since the award began in 2013.
 
Cal State LA's Drew Hill claimed CCAA Newcomer of the Year. The junior transfer from Mt. SAC won the men's 100m with a Provisional Standard time of 10.33. He also claimed third place in the 200m (21.31) and helped both Cal State LA relay teams earn five points with fourth-place finishes.
 
Brayden McLaughlin and Brody Staley also won events for the Wildcats. McLaughlin extended Chico State's winning streak in the 5000m to 22 consecutive years with a time of 14.25.72. Staley won the 400m with a season-best time of 46.73. Chico State had the top 3 runners in the 400m, and all three earned NCAA Provisional Standards.
 
Cal Poly Pomona had two individuals and a relay team claim the top spot on the podium on Saturday. Nnamdi Onwaeze won the men's 110m hurdles with an NCAA Provisional time of 14.11. CPP had the top 3 finishers in the 110m hurdles as Alessio Sommacal took second (14.22 - NCAA Provisional) and Christian Baker (14.55) claimed third. Kailen Smith won the high jump after clearing an NCAA Provisional height of 6-11.5 (2.12m). It is his second career CCAA high jump championship after claiming the title as a freshman in 2022. The relay team of Sommacal, Onwaeze, Colin Quinn, and Lorenzo Boyd won the 4x100m by just .09 seconds over Stanislaus State with a Provisional Standard time of 40.56. The 4x400m relay team earned an NCAA Provisional Standard time of 3:12.26 in that epic race.
 
Other event winners on Saturday included Cal Poly Humboldt's Michael Payan in the pole vault (16-2.75/4.95m), Stanislaus State's Trent Lauderdale in the 400m hurdles (51.06), and Cal State LA's Matthew Bender in the javelin (199-2/60.71m). All three marks are NCAA Provisional Standards. 

Men's Track & Field
High Point Award - Chance Hefter, Chico State
Track Athlete of the Meet - Damian Garcia, Chico State
Field Athlete of the Meet - Chance Hefter, Chico State
Freshman of the Meet - Jaevin Sawyer, Stanislaus State
Newcomer of the Meet - Drew Hill, Cal State LA
Coach of the Year - Oliver Hanf, Chico State
 
 2025 CCAA Champions
Event Men Mark Women Mark
100m Drew Hill, CSLA 10.33 Hailey Hunt, CSUSB 11.30
200m Jaevin Sawyer, STAN 21.07 Amari Weatherford, CSUSB 23.24
400m Brody Staley. CHICO 46.73 Rasha Badrani, CSUSM 53.25
800m Damian Garcia, CHICO 1:50.15 Jenna Rodriguez, CSUEB 2:11.32
1,500m Damian Garcia, CHICO  3:47.53 Annie Wild, STAN 4:21.42
5,000m Brayden McLaughlin, CHICO 14:25.72 Iresh Molina, CHICO 17:16.53
10,000m Thomas McDonnell, CPP 31:20.13 Iresh Molina, CHICO 37:07.37
100/110 H Nnamdi Onwaeze, CPP 14.11 Neshara Smith, CPP 13.84
400H Trent Lauderdale, STAN 51.06 Rasha Badrani, CSUSM 59.61
3,000 SC Hunter Dougherty, CHICO 9:08.03 Olivia Beschorner, CHICO 11:03.47
4x100 Cal Poly Pomona 40.56 Cal State San Bernardino 44.83
4x400 Chico State 3:12.00 Cal State San Bernardino 3:40.52
High Jump Kailen Smith, CPP 6-11.5 (2.12m) Amber Walker, SSU 5-6.5 (1.69m)
Pole Vault Michael Payan, HUM 16-2.75 (4.95m) Janey Rubio, CHICO 12-9.5 (3.90m)
Long Jump Benjamin Chang, CSUEB 23-9 (7.24m) Jonon Young, CSLA 20-10 (6.35m)
Triple Jump Collin Joyce, CPP 50-1.75 (15.28m) Jonon Young, CSLA 41-1.75 (12.54m)
Shot Put Kalathan Laiwa-McKay, CSUSM 58-5.75 (17.82m) . Mi'ah Molette, CPP 45-6.25 (13.87m)
Discus Chance Hefter, CHICO 168-1 (51.24m) Ariyah Ford, SSU 148-7 (45.29m)
Hammer Chance Hefter, CHICO 178-3 (54.33m) Alexis Nino, STAN 1158-9 (48.38m)
Javelin Matthew Bender, CSLA 199-2 (60.71m) Andrea Villalta, CHICO 133-4 (40.65m)
Multis Jordan Ausbie, CHICO 6716 points Neshara Smith, CPP 4792 points