ALISO VIEJO, Calif. - The Cal Poly Pomona men's track and field team was picked second in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) preseason poll, the conference office announced Thursday morning. The Broncos totaled 92 points and two first-place votes, finishing just behind Chico State, which earned 98 points and eight first-place votes.

Now in his seventh season leading the program, head coach Chris Bradford has positioned the Broncos as consistent conference contenders, and the group enters 2026 with a blend of national experience and promising new talent.

"There's a lot of great energy around the guys team," Bradford said. "I think we brought in some newcomers that are really going to do some special things. We're bringing back some guys who were either injured or redshirted last year who I think can make a huge impact as well."

CCAA Preseason Poll
1. Chico State - 98 points (8)
2. Cal Poly Pomona - 92 points (2)
3. Cal State San Marcos - 77 points
4. Stanislaus State - 71 points
5. Cal Poly Humboldt - 51 points
6. Cal State LA - 49 points
7. Cal State East Bay - 47 points
8. Cal State Monterey Bay - 28 points
9. San Francisco State - 21 points
10. UC Merced - 15 points

Among the top returners is distance standout Ricardo Vargas, who is coming off an All-American cross country season and is expected to be a major contributor on the track this spring.

The Broncos are especially strong in the jumps. Senior Deandre Smith returns after redshirting last season. A former NCAA Championships qualifier in both the long jump and the 4x100 relay, Smith brings valuable national-level experience. He is joined by senior Darius Hill, another previous national qualifier in the long jump who also redshirted last year.

Redshirt sophomore Collin Joyce adds further depth after finishing fifth in the triple jump at last season's NCAA Championships. His success on the national stage gives the Broncos another proven scorer in championship settings.

"There's a lot of guys with experience, not only at the conference level, but also national level, which I think is pretty exciting," Bradford said. "We are also going to have a lot of new names and faces make major impacts."

Cal Poly Pomona opened the outdoor season February 19-20 at the Ron Kamaka Multis in Walnut, California.

Picked second in the CCAA preseason poll, the Broncos will look to challenge for the conference title at the CCAA Track & Field Championships, scheduled for April 30-May 2 in San Marcos.

From there, Cal Poly Pomona aims to return qualifiers to the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships, set for May 21-23 in Emporia, Kansas, as the Broncos pursue a strong postseason showing on the national stage.

To view the 2026 schedule, click HERE.