Featured Guest
Nov 13, 20226 min
Minor edits of language for clarity and formatting purposes by Garrett Zatlin
Chris Caudillo is one of the nation's top distance talents in the Class of 2023. The California native is currently listed at TSR #10 in our top-50 recruit rankings and holds personal bests of 4:05 (mile), 8:45 (3200), 14:09 (three miles XC) and 14:53 (5k XC).
The Clovis High School senior recently announced his commitment to Cal Poly. We were able to catch up with the prep star and ask him a few questions,
The Stride Report: Before we talk about your college decision, we wanted to highlight a few aspects of your high school career. Last spring, you improved your personal bests to 4:05 (mile) and 8:45 (3200), effectively putting you in “elite” territory of high school athletes. What has been your mentality going into your senior year with so much momentum? Do you feel any pressure with the spotlight now on you?
Chris Caudillo: Well, going into my senior year, it’s been a real learning experience. After the CIF state meet, I really think that I let off the gas, so it resulted in me running pretty poorly down the road at Woodbridge.
The media and all of the interviews just pointed to me as someone who should be winning everything, so pressure was really demotivating me.
But eventually, I came to the realization that I am here for myself. I believe that’s an easier way of dealing with all of the pressure. Just remember why you’re here and who you’re running for.
The Stride Report: It’s still plenty early, and the cross country season isn’t even finished, but you ran a 4:05 mile last spring. How much emphasis will you put on pursuing a sub-four mile once you hit the track?
Chris Caudillo: Personally, not hitting that sub-four mark really left a toll on me, especially after seeing how close I was able to get. However, for this upcoming track season, I’m not going to force that attempt to get a sub-four mile on me. I’m just going to let it happen on its own because I’m sure it will.
The Stride Report: Alright, let’s chat about your commitment. A huge congratulations on signing with Cal Poly! What was it that made you choose the Mustangs? What did the program have that the other schools didn’t?
Chris Caudillo: A lot of it had to do with Coach Vanhoy sticking next to me so much throughout this entire recruiting process and showing how much he cares about me. I didn’t see any other coach want me nearly as much as Coach Vanhoy did.
Plus, look at Vanhoy’s coaching record. He is out here coaching national champions and nearly world champions. I mean, he’s so good that Craig Engels is literally leaving the Nike Union Athletics group just to be under Vanhoy and I feel like that says something.
As for the school and the program, although the team might not be one of the best, I still see that drive in them to become one of the best out there.
And like I said earlier, Craig Engels is going to be training under Vanhoy, so that’ll be awesome to see Craig out there and maybe even have him as a potential training partner. Not to mention that it’s the California coast, so perfect running conditions are present almost all year round and there are beautiful sceneries along with the town.
The Stride Report: You’ve made it known that your final four schools were (in no particular order) Cal Poly, Oklahoma State, Texas and Northern Arizona. Were any of those other schools remotely close to Cal Poly when it came time to make your decision?
Chris Caudillo: It came down to Northern Arizona, Oklahoma State and Cal Poly.
I'd say OSU because they are going to be a nationally ranked team for a very long time. I really appreciated Coach Dave Smith, but unfortunately, it would’ve been a lot of work to get as many scholarships as I could.
I really enjoyed NAU because Flagstaff is a runner's paradise. You see internationally ranked runners coming out there to train, plus the school is also nationally ranked.
However, and I’m not trying to point fingers or say that NAU is an irresponsible school, but I was running out of time to choose a school. And unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see what I was being offered until it was too late. I personally felt a little unwanted because of how hard it was to get ahold of the coaches, so it just didn’t feel right.
The Stride Report: When did you first hear that Coach Ryan Vanhoy had left Ole Miss for Cal Poly? Were you at all familiar with his background before he joined the Mustangs as the team’s newest Director?
Chris Caudillo: I was somewhat familiar with him. I saw all over social media that he left Ole Miss for Cal Poly. I was definitely aware of his accomplishments and his former runners such as Engels and Mario Garcia Romo.
The Stride Report: When did you and Coach Ryan Vanhoy first begin speaking and going through the recruiting process? What were those conversations like? Was Cal Poly on your radar as a potential landing spot prior to his arrival?
Chris Caudillo: Vanhoy first started talking to me around May and about things I’ve done, although Cal Poly really wasn’t on my radar at all at the time. But I think as we were talking, my interest in the school began to grow. Eventually, he came to one of my practices and came on a home visit around the summer time. Since then, Cal Poly was one of my top schools.
The Stride Report: When did it first hit you that Cal Poly was the place for you? Was it a relatively easy decision? Or did it take time to weigh your options?
Chris Caudillo: I talked to my coach after their home visit and he told me that Coach Vanhoy was down to Earth and one of the best coaches he’s ever met. I think it was then an easy decision to at least put Cal Poly in my top-five.
The Stride Report: Talk to us about your interactions with the team and the rest of the staff at Cal Poly. What made you comfortable with being around and training with that group? Was there anyone/anything in particular that stood out to you?
Chris Caudillo: What stood out to me was when I took my official visit there. I felt extremely welcomed by the team. They were one of the only groups where the entire team really wanted to get to know me and start a relationship.
Plus, SLO [San Luis Obispo] is on the California coast, so the environment is super pretty along with there being an insane amount of trails. Not to mention they have a Bible study group that they were happy to share with me.
The Stride Report: The Cal Poly men are fresh off of a BIG West Conference Championship victory and have proven to be a nationally competitive team this fall after placing 7th at the Joe Piane Invitational. What’s your reaction to seeing the Mustangs have so much progress despite Vanhoy only being in the program for a few months?
Chris Caudillo: Although I do think that there was talent there before, Cal Poly definitely wasn’t a very competitive team, although I think that’s more from the coaching. But to now see them come from so low and be nearly nationally ranked just because Vanhoy’s been there really interests me. I believe that the team's morale has significantly increased and that their potential has grown even more because of him.
The Stride Report: Unlike some of the more established teams that you were considering, the Cal Poly men and women are going through a complete program revamp. There has been a clear emphasis on making the Mustangs a national power similar to the one that Vanhoy built at Ole Miss. How much influence did the idea of doing something unconventional and unique appeal to you? Would you say that it had a major impact on your decision?
Chris Caudillo: I think that this was one of the main factors of going to Cal Poly. Coach Vanhoy told me that he is going to do everything to make Cal Poly a powerhouse and that was going to start with me and the other recruits.
I hope that me going to Cal Poly will really influence other nationally-ranked runners to come here. It’s now a school for those who really want to run and not because of their facilities or how much money the school has.
The Stride Report: Any final comments, shoutouts or things that you’d like us (and our readers) to know?
Chris Caudillo: Well, I’d love to just thank my coach first, there's been a lot of conversations with him and I really wouldn’t be here if it wasn't for him. I also would want to say that history is already being made and I’m ready to make my impact and shake the world. Thank you for the interview, I had so much fun doing this.