Pioneer Men's Cross Country Places 6th at CCAA Championships; McKain Earns Fourth All-CCAA Honor
FRESNO, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay men's cross country team secured a sixth-place finish among nine teams at the 2024 CCAA Cross Country Championships, presented by Pollo Campero, held Friday morning at Woodward Park. The Pioneers demonstrated strong individual performances and personal bests in the 8k race.
- Leading the charge for Cal State East Bay was senior Cole McKain, who crossed the finish line in 11th place overall with a personal-best 8k time of 24 minutes, 35.7 seconds. This outstanding performance earned McKain a spot on the 2024 All-CCAA Team, marking his fourth consecutive year receiving this honor.
- The Pioneers' second-fastest finisher was Matthew Morgon, who completed the course in 25:09.6.
- Several other Cal State East Bay runners also achieved personal best times in the 8k event, including Yosef Amaha (25:40.6), Logan Phulps (26:26.3), Kyle Byrne (27:28.3) and Nicolas Bawardi (28:12.1).
The individual champion of the men's race was Mario Giannini from Chico State, who claimed the CCAA Men's Cross Country title with a time of 24:06.1. Chico State dominated the team competition, securing their 23rd consecutive CCAA Men's Cross Country Championship. The Wildcats placed four runners in the top four positions and six in the top 10.
The Pioneers will now set their sights on the 2024 NCAA Division II Cross Country West Regionals. This upcoming meet is scheduled for Saturday, November 9, at Amend Park in Billings, Montana. The men's 10k race will be a key focus for the Cal State East Bay team as they look to build on their CCAA Championship performances.
Latest Men's Cross Country
- Pioneers Place 8th, Morgan Finishes 9th at SF State InvitationalSAN FRANCISCO – The Cal State East Bay men's cross country team turned in a balanced effort at the SF State Invitational on Friday evening, finishing eighth overall in a competitive 14-team field stacked with some of the top Division II programs in the West Region.
- MXC: Pioneers Place 8th at Mike Johnson XC ClassicMONMOUTH, Ore. – Cal State East Bay men's cross country turned in a strong performance at the Mike Johnson XC Classic, placing eighth overall in the 13-team field. The Pioneers had great showings from its veteran leaders and a tightly packed scoring group.
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- Dr. Summer Jackson Named FARA's 2025 Division II Newcomer of the YearCOLUMBIA, Mo. - The Faculty Athletics Representatives Association (FARA) has announced that Cal State East Bay's Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR), Dr. Summer Jackson, has been named Division II Newcomer of the Year by the FARA Honors and Awards Committee.
- Men's Cross Country Picked for Sixth in CCAAALISO VIEJO, Calif. - On Wednesday, the CCAA announced the 2025 Preseason Coaches Poll for men's cross country. Picked to finish sixth in the conference is Cal State East Bay, matching the same actual scoring finish for the Pioneers at the 2024 CCAA Cross Country Championships.
