Ricardo Vargas of the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos men’s cross country team was named the M-F Athletic/USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Men’s National Athlete of the Week, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced on September 8, 2026. The recognition followed Vargas’s selection as the FloCollege/California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week.
Vargas finished second overall and first among collegiate runners at the Coyote Challenge on September 6 in San Bernardino, California, completing the eight-kilometer course in 24:17.9. His time set a new program record for Cal Poly Pomona at the Coyote Challenge, surpassing the previous best of 25:21.6 set by Evan Franco in 2024. This performance ranks among the top 25 8K times in Cal Poly Pomona men’s cross country history.
The Broncos won the team championship at the meet with 27 points, 39 points ahead of the second-place team. Cal Poly Pomona placed all five scoring runners among the top nine finishers and seven runners inside the top 14.
Vargas earned USTFCCCA All-America honors after finishing 21st at the 2025 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships. He also achieved second place at the 2025 NCAA West Region Championships and third at the CCAA Championships. Prior to this, Vargas was twice named CCAA Runner of the Week during the 2022 and 2025 seasons. The national Athlete of the Week honor marks the first in his career and the first in the history of the Cal Poly Pomona men’s cross country program.
CSB Take
Ricardo Vargas’s historic national recognition reflects his exceptional talent and leadership in Cal Poly Pomona men’s cross country. Setting a program record at the Coyote Challenge and guiding the Broncos to a commanding team victory underscores his influence. As the team prepares for upcoming competition, Vargas’s performance will be pivotal in efforts to climb higher in national rankings. This honor also elevates the profile of Cal Poly Pomona’s program within NCAA Division II distance running.
Source: Original report
