Cal Poly Pomona Athletics

One of the most accomplished and consistent distance runners in school history, Batres earned five All-America honors - three in cross country and two in track & field - while representing CPP on the national stage six times. His success extended regionally and within the conference, as he was a four-time All-West Region selection and a three-time All-CCAA honoree. His breakout freshman season in 2002 was historic, as he captured both CCAA Freshman of the Year and CCAA Runner of the Year honors while winning the individual CCAA Cross Country Championship.
 
Batres’ resume is highlighted by major individual victories, including the 2004 NCAA West Region individual championship, making him one of only a handful of Broncos to ever win a regional title. Across his four-year cross country career, he claimed five individual meet victories, the most in program history, and recorded 16 top team finishes, which ranks second all-time at Cal Poly Pomona. His career winning percentage ranks as the second-highest in CPP men’s cross country history, having beaten 93.3 percent of the runners he raced against.
 
At the NCAA Championships, Batres delivered some of the program’s strongest performances, finishing 10th nationally in 2005, a result that stands among the best individual finishes in school history. He also made four national championship appearances in cross country, tied for the most in program history.
 
In addition to his cross country dominance, Batres left his mark on the track. He still ranks fifth all-time at CPP in the 10,000 meters and seventh in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, both of which earned him All-American honors. He was also part of relay squads that still rank second and ninth in the 4x1600 relay in school history.
 
Reflecting on his Hall of Fame honor, Batres said, “I am incredibly honored to be a member of the CPP Hall of Fame. I truly enjoyed my years at Cal Poly. My success would not have been possible without the tremendous support from my coaches, family, fellow athletes, and the entire CPP Athletics Department. Especially meaningful are the relationships I made; these relationships helped mold me into the person I am today.”
 
After his career at Cal Poly Pomona, Batres continued to excel as an elite endurance athlete, competing professionally in road running, ultrarunning, and obstacle course racing. His accomplishments include winning the 2010 USATF Southern California Marathon Championship and the 2012 USATF Half Marathon Championship, with personal bests of 2:19 in the marathon and 1:05 in the half marathon. In 2021, he achieved a landmark victory at World’s Toughest Mudder, winning the premier 24-hour endurance event by covering 115 miles, the most ever in the event’s history.
 
Beyond competition, Batres has built a successful career with the Defense Contract Management Agency, where he has worked since 2012 and currently serves as an Industrial Specialist in the Navy Special Emphasis program. He married his college sweetheart and CPP teammate, Natalie Miano, and together they have two sons.
 
Committed to giving back to the sport, Batres is the Owner and President of the Claremont Nighthawks, a nonprofit youth running team focused on developing young athletes and expanding access to competitive racing. In 2023, he became Head Coach of the Claremont High School cross country and track distance programs, earning 2024 Inland Empire Coach of the Year honors. In 2025, he helped lead the Claremont High School girls cross country team to the CIF Division II Championship and a California State Division II runner-up finish.