HAYWARD, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay men's and women's cross country teams are down south in Ontario as they prepare for Saturday's 2016 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championships.

This year's meet is hosted by Cal Poly Pomona at Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park. The men's 8k race begins at 10 a.m. with the women's 6k set for 11 a.m. Results will be posted at FinishedResults.com.

SEASON IN REVIEW
2016 has been an historic season in many ways for the Pioneers in their second year under head coach Tony Nicolosi. For a program that won national championships in the 1980s, but has yet to experience success since re-joining Division II in 2009, this year gives East Bay reason for optimism. Both the men's and women's programs notched the fastest individual times of the CCAA era.

The most noticeable improvement for the Pioneers in 2016 has been in team depth. Both squads have unquestionably the deepest rosters they've had as members of the CCAA, and both will send strong groups of 10 runners to the start line Saturday morning. 

CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
The Pioneers have a tough task ahead of them, taking on a CCAA field that is among the best in the nation. Everyone will be looking to take down Chico State, which has captured the last 14 men's titles and the last eight women's championships.

While first place may not be realistic, East Bay nonetheless has a chance to make program history with strong performances on Saturday. The women's team is coming off a ninth place finish in the 12-team field in 2015, and has never finished higher than that. The men will be looking to end a seven-year run of last place finishes.

On the men's side, junior Chris Lessard and freshman Pedro Cruz have already turned in the two best 8k times of the CCAA era for Cal State East Bay. With a strong race tomorrow, the two have a chance to earn All-Conference honors, as well as the Newcomer and Freshman of the Year awards, respectively. 

The rest of the Pioneer squad is highlighted by CSUEB's top runner from last year in sophomore Israel Sotelo, redshirt freshman Alberto Venegas, and a talented cast of newcomers in Deion Molina, Christian Moncada, Miguel Morales, and Leo Skellenger. Twins Jesus and Esteban Leon will represent CSUEB as well in their second season.

The women are led by senior Kelsey Lamb, a former East Bay soccer player who took a big leap forward in her second season with the cross country team. She ran the fastest 6k time in school history at UC Riverside and has been the team's top finisher at all three meets in which she's competed. 

Fourth-year runner and former CCAA Freshman of the Year Sarah Perrin has also had a strong senior campaign. She's joined by fellow seniors Kandace Compton and Suzanne Bateson, as well as strong trio of newcomers in Dana Pollard, Megan Satterfield, and Andrea Romero.