DEVORE -- Senior captain Kari Brandt celebrated her 21st birthday in style Saturday, equaling her personal best for 6,000 meters and leading Cal State San Bernardino's women's cross country team to an eighth-place finish in the 2008 California Collegiate Athletic Association cross country championship.
    Brandt covered the 6K course at Glen Helen Regional Park in 24:30.4 to finish 32nd in a field of 94 runners. The former Rim of the World High School runner finished three spots ahead of freshman teammate Nikki Chesnut, 35th in 24:40.3.
    Rounding out the top five for the Coyotes, who hosted the championship races for men and women for the first time, were senior Alena Mohd-Yusof, 44th in 25:08.2; senior Kristen Torrez, 45th in 25:11.4 and junior Shawna Alvarez, 49th in 25:32.9.
    "I was really impressed by our team today," said Coach Tom Burleson. "Nearly everyone improved on their personal best this year by over a minute."
    Chico State, ranked No. 4 in the nation by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, easily won the women's team title with 30 points with six runners finishing in the top 10. Cal State L.A. was second with 52 points followed by UC San Diego with 76 points and Cal Poly Pomona with 112.
    Junior Vivien Wadek of Cal State L.A. was the easy winner in the women's race in a course record time of 21:27.7 to earn CCAA runner of the year honors. The top four finishers all bettered the course record of 22:09 set by UCSD's Bre Schofield at a CCAA preview meet on Sept. 20. Tiffany Turner of Cal Poly Pomona was second in 21:45.1. Schofield was third in 21:55.7.
    Chico State's men's team, also ranked No. 4 in the nation, was even more dominant in the seven-team men's race, taking the CCAA title for the seventh year in a row with 17 ponts. Seven Wildcats were among the top eight finishers.
    The Wildcats' Scott Bauhs led a 1-2-3 Chico State finish in a course record 25:23.4 for 8,000 meters. His teammate, Brendan Scanlon, was second in 25:23.9, followed by Chico's Angel Marquez in 25:27.8. Jersain Torres, a junior from Cal Poly Pomona, prevented a Chico sweep by finishing fourth in 25:39.
    Most of the CCAA teams, including Cal State San Bernardino's ladies, will compete in the NCAA West Regional on Nov. 8 at UC San Diego.
                2008 CCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
        @ Glen Helen Regional Park in Devore

    WOMEN'S 5K -- 1. Chico State (30); 2. Cal State L.A. (52); 3. UC San Diego (76); 4. Cal Poly Pomona (112); 5. Humboldt State (147); 6. Cal State Stanislaus (157); 7. San Francisco State (186); 8. CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO (205); 9. Sonoma State (250); 10. Cal State Monterey Bay (322); 11. Cal State Dominguez Hills (358).
    TOP INDIVIDUALS -- 1. Vivien Wadek (Cal State LA) 21:27.7; 2. Tiffany Turner (Cal Poly Pomona) 21:45.1; 3. Bre Schofield (UC San Diego) 21:55.7; 4. Tori Tyler (Chico St.) 22:03.2; 5. Kara Lubieniecki (Chico St.) 22:21.0.
    CSUSB COYOTES -- 32. Kari Brandt, 24:30;4; 35. Nikki Chesnut, 24:40.3; 44. Alena Mohd-Yusof, 25:08.2; 45. Kristen Torrez, 25:11.4; 49. Shawna Alvarez, 25:32.9; 52. Angelica Lopez, 25:51.6; 53. Anjuli Nieto, 25:54.7.
    MEN'S 8K -- 1. Chico State (17); 2. UC San Diego (72); 3. Cal Poly Pomona (84); 4. Humboldt State (105); 5. Cal State Stanislaus (113); 6. San Francisco State (157); 7. Cal State Monterey Bay (199).
    TOP INDIVIDUALS -- 1. Scott Bauhs (Chico State), 25:23.4; 2. Brendan Scanlon (Chico St.) 25:23.8; 3. Angel Marquez (Chico St.) 25:27.8; 4. Jersain Torres (Cal Poly Pomona) 25:39.0; 5. Beau Rogers (Chico State) 25:52.4.