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The UC Irvine women's track & field team is set to compete in the 25th annual Big West Challenge at Long Beach State's Jack Rose Track on Friday, April 7.

The 'Eaters will go up against conference foes Cal State Fullerton, UC Santa Barbara and host LBSU. The one-day meet begins with the women's javelin at 1:45 p.m., while the action on the track gets underway with the 4x100 relay at 3:30 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT
Junior Persis William-Mensah broke her own school record in the 100m to highlight a number of top performances by UC Irvine at the Mondo Team Challenge in Sacramento last Saturday. William-Mensah clocked in at 11.57 seconds to finish ahead of the pack and improve on her previous record of 11.59, which she established at the 2016 Big West Championships. She added a runner-up showing in the 200m (24.33). Sophomore Hope Bushnell also registered a pair of lifetime bests and top-five finishes in the short sprints. She came in fourth in the 100m (11.89), while taking fifth in the 200m (24.54). Senior Megan George notched her second-straight individual victory in the 100m hurdles, running a season-best 13.54. In addition, George set a personal-record 24.47 to place fourth in the 200m. Junior Tyra Jones contributed runner-up finishes in both the 100H (13.90) and 400H (61.87). Sophomore Barbara Coward led the way in the field events as she claimed runner-up honors in the discus with a toss of 175-07.

DOUBLE UP
Sophomore Barbara Coward has claimed two Big West Women's Field Athlete of the Week awards this season. Her first honor came after shattering the school and meet record with a toss of 177-10 at the All-UC Challenge. The Atwater, Calif., native then uncorked a throw of 180-08 at the Ben Brown Invitational. Coward's new standard ranks first in the Big West, seventh in the West Region and 11th in the NCAA.

BIG WEST LEADERS
Two Anteaters hold the top mark in the Big West in their respective events. Persis William-Mensah and Barbara Coward rank first in the 100m (11.57) and discus (180-08), respectively.

ALL WE DO IS WIN
The 'Eaters have posted 18 individual victories (including relays) through the first five meets of the season. Barbara Coward leads the way as she finished first in the discus four times. She has thrown for over 175 feet in every meet, including the Ben Brown Invite where she unleashed a school-record 180-08. Persis William-Mensah also owns three event wins with two coming in the 100m and one in the 200m. She recently established a program-best 11.57 in the 100m at the Mondo Team Challenge. Senior Crystal Lizaola (800m, 400H), senior Megan George (100H), and sophomore Elizabeth Akindele (Shot Put) have added two individual victories each.

SETTING THE STANDARD
Senior Megan George is on track to continue her success in the 100m hurdles during her final campaign. She opened the season at the UCI Spring Break Collegiate Classic where she ran a then Big West-leading 13.70 to claim runner-up honors. George then picked up back-to-back victories, winning the 100H at the UCR Spring Classic Invitational (13.76) and Mondo Team Challenge (13.54). She is a two-time NCAA West Preliminary qualifier and two-time defending Big West champion, and also owns the school record at 13.28 seconds.

SUMMER TO REMEMBER
Junior Persis William-Mensah had an eye-opening summer in 2016 as she traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to compete in the Olympic Games. William-Mensah, who was born in Cape Coast, was selected as a member of the 4x100 relay team, making her one of Ghana's 16 Olympians. At UC Irvine, William-Mensah is an all-conference performer and school record holder in both the 100m (11.57) and 4x100 (44.51). She enters Friday's meet with season bests of 11.57 in the 100m and 24.30 in the 200m.

VAULTING TO SUCCESS
Senior Ariel Cheng is a two-time All-Big West performer in the pole vault and owns a personal-best 12-10.75, which ranks second in school history. Cheng earned her first victory of the 2017 campaign at the UCI Spring Break Collegiate Classic, while she registered a season-best 12-05.50 at the UCR Spring Classic Invitational.

PR TIMES THREE
Sophomore Elizabeth Akindele has improved her shot put mark in four of five meets this year and set three-straight personal records from March 11-25. She currently ranks fourth in school history with a best of 46-10, which was the winning mark at the UCR Spring Classic Invitational.

UP NEXT
UC Irvine has a busy week ahead with the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate (April 13), Bryan Clay Invitational (April 13-14), Mt. SAC Relays (April 14-15) and Beach Invitational (April 15) all on the docket.