ALISO VIEJO, Calif. – Cal Poly Pomona men's cross country was picked second in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) 2026 preseason poll, it was announced by the conference office on Tuesday afternoon. The Broncos received 108 points, trailing only Chico State, which collected all 11 first-place votes and 121 points.
 
"We have a very talented and motivated group," said Chris Bradford, who enters his ninth season as head coach and 10th year with the program. "We have a lot of returners with significant postseason experience, and they are working hard to build off their success from the past few seasons. They put in a great summer of work."
 
The Broncos return several runners with championship experience after making their third consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II Championships last fall. CPP placed second at the CCAA Championships for the fifth straight season, finished third at the NCAA West Regional and took 18th at the national meet.
 
"Having multiple athletes who have raced at the NCAA Championships brings a certain confidence to the team," Bradford said. "Their experience shapes our team culture and helps direct our goals for the season."
 
CCAA Preseason Poll
1. Chico State (11) – 121 pts
2. Cal Poly Pomona – 108 pts
3. Cal State San Marcos – 90 pts
4. Stanislaus State – 82 pts
5. Fresno Pacific – 78 pts
6. Cal Poly Humboldt – 66 pts
7. Cal State East Bay – 50 pts
8. Cal State Monterey Bay – 44 pts
9. San Francisco State – 35 pts
10. UC Merced – 34 pts
11. Cal State LA – 18 pts
 
CPP welcomes back Ricardo Vargas, Jimmy Guerrero, and Ethan Romero as the team's most experienced returners. Vargas earned All-America recognition with a 21st-place finish at the 2025 NCAA Championships, becoming the program's first All-American since 2017. He also placed third at the CCAA Championships, second at the NCAA West Regional, and was named the 2025-26 Cal Poly Pomona Athletics Male Student Athlete of the Year. Guerrero competed at all three postseason meets and finished among the Broncos' top three at the regional championship.
 
Bradford also expects several new names to compete for positions in the postseason lineup.
 
"We are hoping there will be a number of impactful newcomers, or at least some new names in our postseason lineup," Bradford said. "Nathan Sackett, Micah Clemons, Luke D'Elia, Omar Fabila and Cullen Gully all have a chance to make some noise in the postseason."
 
Bradford is joined by associate head coach Wes Ashford, who begins his 13th season at Cal Poly Pomona and ninth in his current role. Since Bradford took over the program in 2017, men's cross country has placed ahead of 635 schools in races while only finishing behind 222, good for a .741 winning percentage.
 
With the NCAA Division II Fall Championships Festival extending the season into December, the Broncos will take a patient approach throughout the fall as they prepare for the championship portion of their schedule.
 
"We are going to focus on growing and getting better each day," Bradford said. "This is an extra-long season with the festival in December, so we have talked a lot about getting better today and not looking too far ahead. Hard work, patience and mental preparation will help us get where we want to be this season."
 
CPP will begin its competitive schedule at the Coyote Challenge in San Bernardino on Saturday, Sept. 5. The Broncos will also compete at the UCR Invitational, Cougar Challenge and NCAA Division II Pre-Nationals before hosting the Cal Poly Pomona Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 24. This meet will mark the first home race for CPP since 2004, when they hosted the CCAA Championships.
 
The CCAA Championships are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, in San Bernardino, followed by the NCAA West Regional on Saturday, Nov. 21, in Sacramento. The NCAA Division II Championships will take place Friday, Dec. 4, at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence, Kansas.
 
To view the full 2026 schedule, click HERE.