The Chico State women's cross country team is in "Big Sky Country" for Saturday's NCAA West Regional, and the Wildcats will have the collegiate cross country version of heaven–the NCAA Championships–in their sites. The top six teams in the 30-team event, scheduled to start at 10:15 a.m., Pacific, in Amend Park in Billings, Montana, will advance to the National Championships Nov. 19 in St. Leo, Florida.
 
The Wildcats, ranked No. 7 in the nation and No. 1 in the West, are the defending regional champions and coming of their ninth consecutive California Collegiate Athletic Association title. They won the CCAA title in dominating fashion, outrunning runner-up Cal Poly Pomona 20-76, and seem to be peaking at the right time.
 
Saturday they will try to avenge their only two losses to Division II opposition. California Baptist beat them by one point for the Division II title at the Capital Cross Challenge, and Point Loma out-pointed the Wildcats 54-60 at the Triton Classic.
 
Led by Head Coach Gary Towne, the Wildcats have advanced to the NCAA Championships in each of the past 16 years.
 
Race day Schedule

Saturday, Nov. 5
8:00 a.m. Course opens to competitors
Men's 10,000-Meter Race
9:40 a.m. Men's competitors called to the start line (approximately 20 minutes to start)
9:44 a.m. National anthems
9:50 a.m. Second call to the start line (10 minutes to start)
9:55 a.m. Start line is cleared of all non-competitors (5 minutes to start)
9:57 a.m. Runners at the start line for instructions
10:00 a.m. Start of men's 10,000-meter race
Women's 6,000-Meter Race
10:55 a.m. Women's competitors called to the start line (approximately 20 minutes to start)
11:05 a.m. Second call to the start line (10 minutes to start)
11:10 a.m. Start line is cleared of all non-competitors (5 minutes to start)
11:12 a.m. Runners at the start line for instructions
11:15 a.m. Start of women's 6,000-meter race
Immediately after the second race, recognition of top runners and teams.
 
The Race
The race will cover six kilometers and feature all 30 teams from the West Region.
 
The Rankings
The Wildcats jumped back to the top of the West Region rankings and moved up two spots to No. 7 in the national following their impressive conference title race. Four more teams from the West are in the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Top 20: No. 9 California Baptist, No. 11 Alaska Anchorage, No. 16 Simon Fraser, No. 18 Point Loma, and No. 23 Cal Poly Pomona.
 
The top-10 teams in the West are as follows:

1. Chico State
2. California Baptist
3. Alaska Anchorage
4. Simon Fraser
5. Point Loma
6. Cal Poly Pomona
7. Seattle Pacific
8. Western Washington
9. Cal State Stanislaus
10. UC San Diego
 
The Reward
The top six teams advance to NCAA Championships on Nov. 19 in St. Leo, Florida. The Wildcats have qualified for the NCAA Championships 16 years in a row. The top 25 individuals will be named All-West Region.
 
The History
The Wildcats are the defending West Region champs, having defeated Western Washington 89-165 last season at Ash Creek Preserve in Monmouth, Oregon. It was their eighth consecutive top-two Regional Championship finishes and their sixth regional crown in 13 seasons. They've won five of the past 12 Regional Championships and finished in the top five 20 years in a row.
 
Jill Symons' 1979 individual title is still the only one in the history of the program.
 
The Returners
Senior Sadie Gastelum led the Wildcats to last season's win, finishing third overall, which was the fourth highest finish at a regional championship in the history of the program. It was her second straight All-Region run. She was 24^th as a sophomore, and just missed out on the honor (top-25) as a freshman, placing 26^th. Haley Kroll and Alex Burkhart also have regional championship experience. Burkhart, a junior, finished 18^th as a freshman and 22^nd last year. Kroll place 32^nd last season and 30^th as a freshman.
 
The Lineup
Karlie Garcia-2^nd at CCAA Championships
Sadie Gastelum-3^rd at CCAA Championships
Alex Burkhart-5^th at CCAA Championships
Nora Pizzella-7^th at CCAA Championships
Hannah Dorman-8^th at CCAA Championships
Haley Kroll-9^th at CCAA Championships
Kayden Carpenter-13^th at CCAA Championships
 
The Ways to Follow
Links to "semi-live" results feeds and final results are available in the calendar section of our homepage and on the cross country schedule page. All results are unofficial until after the 15-minute protest period is complete. A link to a live web stream of the races and awards ceremony is available there as well.

The Links
Results
Video Stream
Race Homepage
 
The Other Race
Nine other Wildcats will be racing at the Doc Adams Invitational at UC Davis on Saturday at Putah Creek Reserve, hoping to get Towne's attention for a possible NCAA Championship roster spot should one come open. The women's 6k is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
 
Doc Adams Lineup
Jacqueline Adams
Nicole Anthony
Veronica Garcia
Jenny Giguere
Desirae Jones
Montana Loveday
Danielle Oden
Camila Turati
Yajaira Zarate