Tony Chavez wanted to make big strides this cross-country season. To accomplish that, he had to make some adjustments. 

"We train almost all year long. This summer, I was determined to strengthen my mindset. We needed to replace guys who had graduated, so I thought, 'Someone has to step up. Why not me? Why not make that jump?' " said Chavez, a junior from Corona. 

"I tweaked my training too. I began taking my workout recovery time more seriously by focusing on smaller things like supplements and electrolytes and making sure all the boxes were not only checked but double-checked. I've been able to recover a lot better." 

Chavez, 21, opened the season by finishing seventh at the Mark Covert Classic at Carbon Canyon and helping the Titans place second in the team competition. "I was thinking, 'Let's make a push for the top 5 or top 10 and see what happens. That finish boosted my confidence." 


Tony Chavez competes at the 2023 Mark Covert Classic, where he finished a team-best seventh place. 

He followed that with strong performances at both the prestigious Bill Dellinger Invitational in Eugene, Oregon, and the UC Riverside Highlander Invitational. In the latter, he ran a career-best 24:27.50 for 8 kilometers. 

At the Big West Men's Cross-Country Championship last month, Chavez finished 28th as Fullerton took third place. 

Chavez and his teammates return to action Friday in Sacramento at the NCAA Cross-County West Regional. The event will be at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex. The women's 6K competition will begin at 10 a.m., with the men's 10K starting an hour later. 

The top two teams in each of the nine national regionals secure automatic bids to the NCAA Cross Country Championship, to be held Nov. 18 in Virginia. The first four regional finishers not from an automatic qualifying or at-large team also secure automatic bids to the championship. An NCAA subcommittee will select 13 at-large teams. 

"Our men's team looks great coming into the regional," said Fullerton assistant coach Alex Tebbe. "We have done a good job of closing down in the final 2K of recent races. That bodes well as we approach this 10K race. 

"The team members have shown they are fit and can handle the back end of a race. And we have the deepest group ever," he said. 

Senior Alexis Garcia, the Titans' top runner last year, missed the first half of the season with an injury. He returned to form with an eighth-place finish at the Big West meet. "Alexis is fit now and has shown he's peaking at the right time," said Tebbe, who is in his ninth season on the Titans cross-country and track-and-field staff. 

"Everyone on our team is clicking, so hopefully we can showcase our talent at the regional," said Chavez. "Teammates like Alexis who were injured are back in full swing. Guys others like Talman Young are continuing to produce, and guys like JT McCoy are stepping up." 

The 5-foot-10 Chavez ran on the Sacramento course during the regional two years ago. "I've grown to like fast, flat courses, so I'm looking forward to the race." he said. At last year's regional in Washington state, he finished 55th with a 30:43.9 time. 

Chavez has had a breakthrough season, Tebbe said. "Tony has found his racing style. He's taken a bit of risk by not settling for good – he wants to be great. With his adjustments, he's going to do fine [at the regional]." 

"Tony and Talman have been our vocal guys. Tony has done a good job organizing activities, such as the athlete-led summer camp at Big Bear, which helped the guys get on the same page." 

Marquis Barosso, the Titans head coach, praised Chavez for stepping into a leadership role this season. "He has fully embraced that part and has helped the younger athletes develop a championship mindset," he said. 

Chavez also has been a key member of the Titans track team. As a freshman, he finished 11th in the 3K steeplechase at the 2021 Big West Track and Field Championships. A year later, he improved to sixth in the conference final. His personal best in the event is 9:06.16. He also runs the 1500 and 5K. 

"Cross country has a lot more camaraderie, and the team tends to be more close-knit," said Chavez. "Track is more exciting and more tactical. The steeplechase is an amazing race and so fun to watch." 

Like many cross-country athletes, Chavez's first sport was soccer. He played as a midfielder on recreational and club teams. But in sixth grade, he broke a big toe during competition and was forced to give up the sport. 

"I encouraged him to pick another sport and suggested running," said his father Hector, who had helped coach his son's soccer teams. Chavez soon joined the Corona Panthers running club and later competed for the Shockwaves. 

"Tony always has been a hard worker and an intelligent and strategic runner," said Hector, who was a coach on both running clubs. "When Tony has a bad race, he doesn't dwell on it. He shakes it off and move forward." 

At Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Eastvale, Chavez never won a league title but qualified for the CIF State Cross-Country Championships all four years – a school first. 

As an eighth-grader, he was a member of a Shockwaves team that set a 4x800-relay record at the Junior Olympics. The foursome's record of 8:23.70 remained on the books for more than six years. Chavez also competed as a sophomore on Eastvale's cross-country team at the Nike Cross Nationals. 

On Eastvale's track and field team, he ran the mile and two mile and won multiple Big VIII League individual titles. Chavez concentrated on the two-mile run during his Covid-shortened senior year. 

His father is a Spanish teacher, track-and-field head coach and cross-country assistant coach at Santa Ana High School. Hector worked previously at Eastvale High as an assistant coach. Chavez's mother, Sylvia, is a software engineer. 

Chavez has two older brothers, Hector Jr., 25, and Jozef, 23. They also were distance runners at Eastvale High and coached by their father. 

The Chavez family gathers for a sailing trip last year at Newport Beach. Tony, left, is joined by his father, Hector Sr., his mother Sylvia and brothers Hector Jr. and Jozef. 

"My father moved to Santa Ana from Mexico when he was 7. He family was very poor, and he picked strawberries and did other odd jobs," said Chavez. "I'm grateful for all the sacrifices he made and for the coaching and leadership he has provided. I'm really blessed to have so many opportunities in life." 

A cinema and television arts major, Chavez has a deep interest in filmmaking and envisions a career as a director of photographer or key grip. 


Tony Chavez has had a longtime interest in photography and filmmaking. 

"Cal State Fullerton offered a sweet spot, with the high level of its film program and the quality of its running teams," Chavez said. He plans to graduate in fall 2024 with degree cinema and plans to earn a second degree – business with a focus on entrepreneurship – in 2025. 

He works part time at Image One Camera and Video in Fullerton. "My job title is sales associate though I pretty much do everything. I sell film and sell and rent cameras, handle photoshop work, video editing, printing and video transfers." 

Chavez also is a commercial photographer. Armed with an EOS R Cannon digital camera, he shoots family, graduation and modeling photos. He also takes landscape images for his own enjoyment. 


Tony Chavez photographed this New York City scene last winter using his EOS R Cannon digital camera. 

Another hobby is cars, especially older Japanese models. Chavez owns a 1991 Toyota MR2 sports car. He also is a bicycle rider and camping enthusiast. And he's teaching himself how to play the guitar, albeit slowly. 

Chavez serves as a one of Cal State Fullerton's two Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representatives to the Big West. Clara Meade, a junior cross-country runner from Rancho Santa Margarita, is the other representative. 

The mission of the SAAC is to support student-athletes by protecting their well-being, ensuring they have an inclusive environment and promoting their engagements at the national conference and local levels. 

This year the group collected canned food and raised funds on Titan Walk in support of Tuffy's Basic Needs Service Center, a program that provides food and financial support for students in need. 

"We are providing a voice for student-athletes on a range of issues, such as Name Image and Likeness" he said. "At the same time, we're trying to make Cal State Fullerton a better place.