The Chico State Department of Athletics is proud to host some of the top collegiate track and field athletes in the nation when the 2017 California Collegiate Athletic Association Track & Field Championships come to University Stadium this Thursday through Saturday, May 4-6.
 
Thirteen institutions and approximately 500 athletes will compete for the CCAA men's and women's championships. The action gets under way Thursday morning with the first half of the heptathlon and decathlon. While the multi-events wrap up on Friday, eight field event finals will take place. With the exception of the men's and women's 10,000-meter finals beginning at 7:15 p.m., all of the action on the track Friday will be preliminary, with athletes attempting to advance to Saturday's final. The final day of action will feature 30 championship events, beginning with the men's discus at 10:30 a.m., and finishing with the 1,600-meter relays at 5:40.
 
An awards ceremony celebrating the championship teams and top athletes of the meet will take place soon after.
 
Thursday's action is free to the public. Regular tickets on Friday and Saturday are $10, while tickets for seniors, students, and children are $5 each.
 
The Chico State men are ranked No. 1 in the nation. The Chico State women are ranked No. 9 and Humboldt State is No. 15.
 
Eleven athletes competing this weekend have already qualified for the NCAA Division II Championships by reaching automatic qualifying standards in their respective events. And the conference has combined for 106 NCAA Championship provisional marks, many of which will mean a trip to the National Championships.
 
The Chico State women's team has won seven straight CCAA titles. The defending champion Chico State men's team has won 12 of the past 13.

Final heat sheets will be posted following Thursday night's coaches' meeting.