TURLOCK, Calif. — The Stanislaus State cross country teams head into championship season this Friday, October 24, at the CCAA Cross Country Championships presented by Pollo Campero, hosted by Chico State at Bidwell Park. The women's 6K begins at 10 a.m., followed by the men's 8K at 11 a.m. Both Warrior squads enter the postseason among the West Region's elite after a strong regular season marked by consistent performances and national recognition.

The Stan State women continue to climb in the national rankings, moving up to No. 12 in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division II poll. The Warriors, who have appeared in every national and regional ranking this fall, remain one of only two CCAA programs ranked in the national top 15, joining No. 9 Chico State. In the West Region, Stan State sits at No. 2 behind Chico, followed by Biola, Western Washington, and Alaska Anchorage.

The Warriors closed the regular season with a strong showing at the SF State Invitational, placing second among Division II programs despite resting their top six runners. Crystal Hernandez led the team in fifth (22:01.2), followed by Tessa Vasquez (8th, 22:05.2) and Aubrey Webb (12th, 22:25.9). Earlier in the fall, Stan State claimed the team title at the Kim Duyst Twilight in Ceres, edging Division I Sacramento State by a single point, 75–76. Annie Wild led the way in third (21:02.7), with Jacqueline Sanchez-Silva (10th, 21:22.1) and Bela Moreno (11th, 21:25.9) close behind. Two weeks later, the Warriors were the top Division II program at the UC Riverside Invitational, placing second overall behind top-five efforts from Sanchez-Silva (3rd, 20:23.1) and Wild (5th, 20:25.2).

Stan State will look to build on its championship tradition, having finished inside the top two at the CCAA Championships in three of the past four seasons, including titles in 2021 and 2022 and a runner-up finish in 2024. The Warriors are also seeking their second consecutive appearance — and third in the last four years — at the NCAA Division II National Championships.

On the men's side, twins Jackson and Mason Oliveira have paced a steadily improving lineup throughout the fall. At the Kim Duyst Twilight, Jackson finished 10th (23:54.7) and Mason 16th (24:21.7) as Stan State placed as the second-highest Division II team in the field, trailing only Chico State and finishing ahead of Division I programs Sacramento State, Nevada, and San Francisco. Two weeks later, at the UC Riverside Invitational, the Warriors battled a Division I-heavy field to finish 15th overall, with Jackson Oliveira placing 10th (23:48.3) and Mason 47th (24:41.5).

The Warriors capped the regular season with another solid outing at the SF State Invitational, where Jackson Oliveira again led the team with a top-10 finish to help Stan State place third among Division II programs. With consistent improvement across all three meets and a compact scoring pack led by the Oliveira brothers, Stan State looks ready to challenge for a top-three team finish at the CCAA Championships.

Both Warrior programs have been among the CCAA's most consistent performers in recent years. The women have finished inside the top two at the conference meet in three of the past four seasons, including championships in 2021 and 2022 and a runner-up finish last fall behind Chico State. The men are coming off a third-place team finish in 2024 — their fourth straight top-four performance — and remain firmly established among the conference's elite
programs.

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The Warriors will race Friday morning at Bidwell Park in Chico, with the women's 6K starting at 10 a.m. and the men's 8K at 11 a.m. Two weeks later, they'll travel to Monmouth, Oregon, for the NCAA Division II West Regional Championships at Ash Creek Preserve, as both programs aim to qualify for the NCAA Division II National Championships on November 22 in Kenosha, Wisconsin.