IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine women's track & field team welcomes seven newcomers for the 2017-18 season head coach Jeff Perkins announced today.
 
"Our women's class is deep with talent and offers key pieces to us continuing to move forward in our conference team standings and NCAA competitors," Perkins said. "They add a dynamic that we have been looking for in terms of character and skill that will only enhance the entire program moving forward."

 
Natalie Koppel | Freshman | Jumps & Sprints | Granite Hills HS
Natalie Koppel was a four-year varsity letterwinner at Granite Hills High School. She successfully defended her league titles in the long jump and 100m, while adding first-place finishes in the 200m and 4x100 relay as a senior. She went on to compete in all four events at the CIF-Southern Section Division 3 meet, advancing to the finals in the long jump (3rd) and 4x100 (5th). Koppel was a four-time CIF qualifier in the long jump, which is her main event.

Koppel's Career Bests
100m: 12.42 (2016 Desert Sky League Finals)
200m: 25.37 (2017 CIF-Southern Section Division 3 Prelims)
Long Jump: 18-10 (2017 Silverado vs. Granite Hills Dual Meet)
 
 
Nicole Moeller | Freshman | Sprints | Trabuco Hills HS
Nicole Moeller lettered two years at Trabuco Hills High School where she claimed the South Coast League title in the 200m, 400m and 4x100 relay as a senior. Moeller was a two-time CIF-Southern Section Division I Prelim qualifier in all three events. She also won four of her five 400m races in 2017.
 
Moeller spent her freshman and sophomore campaigns at North Oldham High School in Goshen, Ky. In 2015, she won the Kentucky Class 2A State championship in the 400m (56.62). In addition, she was a member of the 4x200 and 4x400 relays that claimed back-to-back state titles.
 
Moeller's Career Bests
100m: 12.33 (2017 OC Championships)
200m: 25.37 (2017 South Coast League Finals)
400m: 56.58 (2017 Dana Hills vs. Trabuco Hills Dual)
 
 
Shayla Oliver | Freshman | Hurdles | Mira Mesa HS
Shayla Oliver lettered four years at Mira Mesa High School. She was a four-time CIF-San Diego Section qualifier in the 100-meter hurdles, and advanced to the finals three years in a row. As a senior, she took second at the section meet and went on to compete at the state championships. Oliver was also a CIF-SDS qualifier in the 300H, 4x100 and 4x400. In addition, she was the 2016 Eastern/Western League champion in the 100H.
 
Oliver's Career Bests
100H: 14.92 (2017 CIF-San Diego Section Finals)
300H: 47.13 (2017 CIF-San Diego Section Finals)
 
 
Mychal Robinson | Junior | Hurdles | Orange Coast College/Tustin HS
Mychal Robinson was a two-year member of the track & field team at Orange Coast College. As a sophomore, she qualified for the CCCAA Southern California Regional meet. Robinson also scored in four events at the Orange Empire Conference championships, winning the 100-meter hurdles, while finishing second in both relays, and third in the 400H. In her first year with the Pirates, Robinson advanced to the So Cal Championships in the 100H, 4x100 and 4x400.
 
Robinson prepped at Tustin High School where she was a three-time CIF-Southern Section Division 2 qualifier and two-time league champion in the 100m hurdles. She was named MVP of the 2015 Empire League Championships after claiming titles in the 100H and 4x400 relay.
 
Robinson's Career Bests
100H: 14.31 (2017 Cerritos Invitational)
400H: 68.06 (2017 Orange Empire Double Dual)
 
 
Julia Sambvani | Junior | Hurdles & Sprints | Mt. SAC/Pasadena CC/Pasadena HS
Julia Sambvani comes to UC Irvine from Mt. SAC where she was the runner-up at the 2017 CCCAA State Championships in the 400-meter hurdles and 4x100 relay. She also scored in the 100m to help the Mounties finish third in the team race. In addition, Sambvani was the 400H runner-up at the So Cal Regional Championships and the South Coast Conference Championships. She finished the year ranked sixth nationally among junior college athletes with a career-best 62.54 in the 400H. As a freshman at Pasadena City College, Sambvani placed seventh at the state championships.
 
Sambvani lettered two years at Pasadena High School. As a junior, she established a school record in the 400H, and ranked among the Bulldogs' all-time top-five in the 200m. Prior to her move to Southern California, Sambvani competed two years on the track & field team at Palo Verde High School in Las Vegas, Nev. She was a Southern 4A Regional finalist in the 100m, 200m, 4x100 and 4x400 as a sophomore, and finished fifth in the 4x400 relay at the 2011 Nevada State Championships.
 
Sambvani's Career Bests
100m: 12.09 (2017 South Coast Conference Championships)
200m: 25.49 (2017 Mt. SAC Relays)
400m: 59.79 (2017 Ben Brown Invitational)
400H: 62.54 (2017 CCCAA California State Championships)
 
 
Mikayla Scott | Freshman | Sprints | Carondelet HS
Mikayla Scott was a four-year varsity letterwinner at Carondelet High School. As a senior, she claimed East Bay Athletic League titles in the 100m, 200m, 4x100 and 4x400. Scott went on to win all four events at the North Coast Section Tri-Valley Championships, place among the top-three at the NCS Meet of Champions and qualify for the CIF State Championships. She came in fifth in the 4x100, 10th in the 100m and 200m, and 11th in the 4x400 at the state meet. Scott was also part of the NCS Tri-Valley champion and state qualifying 4x400 relay as a freshman.
 
Scott's Career Bests
100m: 11.76 (2017 NCS Tri-Valley Championships)
200m: 24.07 (2017 NCS Tri-Valley Championships)
400m: 56.72 (2017 Serra Top 7 Invitational)
 
 
Damatria Willingham | Freshman | Sprints | Paloma Valley HS
Damatria Willingham was a four-year member of the varsity track & field team at Paloma Valley High School. She claimed back-to-back Sunbelt League titles in the 100m, while also finishing first at the league championships in the 200m as a junior and in the 4x100 relay as a senior. Willingham was a two-time CIF-Southern Section Division I qualifier in the 100m, 200m and 4x100.
 
Willingham's Career Bests
100m: 12.15 (2016 Inland Empire Championships)
200m: 25.43 (2016 Inland Empire Championships)
400m: 61.34 (2017 Elsinore vs. Paloma Dual)