CHICO –Alia Gray has already cemented her standing as one of the most successful athletes in Chico State women’s track and field history, while Isaac Chavez is rapidly building a case to rank among the elite of Wildcat men’s distance runners. This Thursday through Saturday, both will have a chance to add to their outstanding body of work, with several other Chico State athletes shooting for All-America status, at the NCAA Track & Field Championships in Pueblo, Colo.
Gray has the opportunity to finish her Wildcat running career with no less than five All-America honors. The senior, who has one track & field and two cross country All-Americas to her credit, will compete in both the 5,000- and 10,000-meter runs. She will tackle the 10k – and try to beat her school record time of 34:31.09 – Thursday at 7:10 p.m. PDT, then run the 5k Sunday at 7:05 p.m.
Chavez will attempt to win his second straight All-America in the 10,000-meter run. As a freshman last season, he placed third in the 10k, and followed up that effort in the fall with an All-America performance in cross country. Chavez, who owns the second fastest time ever by a Wildcat in the 10k (28:49.17), will run Thursday at 7:50 p.m. PDT.
John Brunk and J. Patrick Smith will also be representing Chico State at the NCAA Championships, with both attempting to give the Wildcats their third straight decathlon All-America (Talor Fulfer won the honor each of the last two years). The first five events – 100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400-meter dash – take place Thursday beginning at 9:30 a.m. PDT at the Neta & Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl on the campus of Colorado State University-Pueblo; the decathlon resumes Friday at 9:00 a.m. PDT with the 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1,500-meter run.
After competing in the 100-meter hurdles at last year’s NCAA Championships, Aimee Rodgers returns to compete for All-America honors in the 400-meter hurdles. Preliminaries will take place Thursday at 6:40 p.m. PDT; if she advances to the finals, Rodgers will run again Saturday at 6:20 p.m. PDT.
Following back-to-back first place finishes in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championships, Amy Schnittger looks to land her first All-America in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Preliminaries are Thursday at 5:40 p.m. PDT, with the top eight advancing to Friday’s 6:15 p.m. PDT finals.
Two Chico State men’s distance runners will also be competing at the NCAA Championships. Joseph Rivera will be part of the field in the 1,500-meter run preliminaries Thursday at 4:25 p.m. PDT (finals are scheduled Saturday at 4:45 p.m. PDT) and Anthonly Costales will run alongside Chavez Thursday evening in the 10k.
A pair of Wildcat field athletes – Michael Souza and Bridget McClarrinon – will be competing in their first NCAA Championship. Souza – one of only six athletes in Chico State history to clear seven feet in the high jump – will be among the entrants on Friday at 2:30 p.m. PDT, while McClarrinon, owner of the fourth-farthest javelin throw (140-feet-05) ever by a Wildcat, will shoot for an All-America heave Sunday at 12:50 p.m. PDT.
The top eight finishers in each NCAA Championships event will earn All-American honors, plus contribute to their school’s team points score.
Live results will be available online.
CLICK HERE FOR NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS LIVE RESULTS
Live video streaming of the NCAA Track & Field Championships will be available online at
www.ncaa.com.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FEATURING CHICO STATE ATHLETES (all times PDT)
Thursday, May 24
9:30 a.m. – Decathlon: John Brunk and J. Patrick Smith (100 meters, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400-meter dash).
4:25 p.m. – Men’s 1,500-meters (prelims): Joseph Rivera.
5:40 p.m. – Women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase (prelims): Amy Schnittger.
6:40 p.m. – Women’s 400-meter hurdles (prelims): Aimee Rodgers.
7:10 p.m. – Women’s 10,000-meters (finals): Alia Gray.
7:50 p.m. – Men’s 10,000-meters (final): Isaac Chavez and Anthony Costales.
Friday, May 25
9:00 a.m. – Decathlon: Brunk and Smith (110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, 1,500 meters).
2:30 p.m. – Men’s High Jump (final): Michael Souza.
6:15 p.m. – Women’s 3000-meter steeplechase (final): Schnittger.
Saturday, May 26
12:50 p.m. – Women’s Javelin (final): Bridget McClarrinon.
4:45 p.m. – Men’s 1,500-meters (final): Rivera.
6:20 p.m. – Women’s 400-meter hurdles (final): Rodgers.
7:05 p.m. – Women’s 5,000-meters (final): Gray.
