Friday, April 27
Irvine, CA
1:00 PM PT
UC Irvine
vs
Steve Scott Invitational
Anteaters Set for Final Home Meet This Weekend
April 26, 2018 | Women's Track & Field
Steve Scott Invitational
Dates: Friday-Saturday, April 27-28
Time: 1 p.m. / 12 p.m. (PDT)
Location: Anteater Stadium - Irvine, Calif.
Live Results // Meet Program // Schedule
UC Irvine Meet Notes
The UC Irvine women's track & field team will host its third and final home meet of the season this weekend with the Steve Scott Invitational set to run, April 27-28, at Anteater Stadium. This is UCI's final tune-up before the Big West Championships.
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The two-day meet gets underway Friday at 1 p.m. with the women's pole vault. The hammer throw, javelin and long jump will follow, while the steeplechase and 5000m will also be contested on the track, starting at 7 p.m. A full day of events is then slated for Saturday, commencing with the 4x100 relay at 12 p.m. Prior to the final event of the weekend, UC Irvine will recognize its eight seniors - Simone Buchanan, Michelle Figarella, Tyra Jones, Olympia Martinez, Alison Meegan, Jenessa Reyes, Persis William-Mensah and Sophia Zhou.
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ABOUT STEVE SCOTT
Steve Scott, the namesake for this weekend's meet, is one of the most prolific athletes in UC Irvine history. From 1974-78, Scott was a six-time All-American in track and cross country for the Anteaters. He won six NCAA indoor and outdoor track titles, and still holds the school and Big West Conference record in the 1500m with a time of 3:36. Scott was also a three-time U.S. Olympian, while holding the American record in the mile for over 25 years. He is a member of both the UC Irvine and USA Track & Field Hall of Fame.
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QUICK HITS
β’ Persis William-Mensah holds three outdoor (100m, 200m, 4x100) and two indoor (60m, 200m) school records.
β’ She bettered her own 100m standard at the Big West Challenge with a wind-legal career-best 11.51.
β’ William-Mensah also broke the 200m record twice in as many weeks, most recently running a PR 23.88 on March 24.
β’ Barbara Coward was named the Big West Women's Field Athlete of the Week on April 10.
β’ She was recognized after winning the HT (187-07) and DT (169-03) with league-leading marks at the BW Challenge.
β’ Coward's 187-07 in the hammer shattered her previous PR by over 10 feet and broke a two-year old program record.
β’ Hope Bushnell ranks among the Anteaters' all-time top-10 in the 100m (T3rd, 11.76) and 200m (2nd, 24.03).
β’ UC Irvine's 39-woman roster features 14 newcomers, including 12 freshmen.
Β
LAST TIME OUT
β’ Barbara Coward got the weekend started with an individual victory in the discus at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate.
β’ She beat out 52 other competitors with a season-best and meet-record 173-07.
β’ Coward added a top-10 finish in the hammer throw with a toss of 186-10.
β’ Tyra Jones ran a wind-aided season-best 13.77 to place seventh overall in the 100m hurdles.
β’ Sophia Zhou was the Anteaters' top performer in the 200m where she notched a personal-record 26.52.
β’ At the Mt. SAC Relays, Hope Bushnell, Persis William-Mensah, Julia Sambvani & Mikayla Scott won the 4x100.
β’ William-Mensah was also fourth in the 100m (11.51), while Bushnell was 12th (11.85) out of 47.
β’ On Saturday at the Beach Invitational, William-Mensah took third in the 200m (23.95) and fourth in the 100m (11.51).
β’ Jones ran her third sub-14 second race in the last four outings, clocking in at 13.95.
β’ Sambvani recorded a career-best 60.97 in the 400m hurdles.
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COWARD COLLECTS WEEKLY HONORS
Junior Barbara Coward earned her third career Big West Field Athlete of the Week award following a pair of first-place finishes at the Big West Challenge on April 6. Coward started her day by winning the hammer throw where she unleashed a huge personal and school-record 187-07 on her final attempt. The Atwater, Calif., native crushed her PR coming into the meet by over 10 feet and overtook the top spot in program history, breaking Bridget Devaney's two-year old record of 182-05. Coward returned to action a couple hours later for her third-straight Big West Challenge discus title as she registered a then season-best 169-03. She went on to earn her third individual victory in the discus at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate on April 19 with a top mark of 173-07. Coward ranks first in the conference in both the hammer and discus.
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RECORD BREAKER
Senior Persis William-Mensah has continued to add to her legacy as one of UC Irvine's all-time great sprinters. At the UCI Spring Break Collegiate Classic (March 17), the Costa Mesa, Calif., native, broke a 22-year old school record in the 200m with a lifetime-best 23.90. She was the first 'Eater to run a sub-24 second 200m, shattering Toby Dean's previous standard of 24.06, which had held up since 1996. One week later, she topped that performance with another PR of 23.88 at the UC Riverside Spring Track Classic. On April 6, William-Mensah established a new program record in the 100m for the fourth year in a row. She clocked in at a wind-legal career-best 11.51 to beat her previous mark of 11.57. William-Mensah now owns UCI's top times in the 100m (11.51), 200m (23.88) and 4x100 (44.51).
INTERNATIONAL FLAIR
William-Mensah has also put her talent on display at the international level as she was one of 16 athletes to represent Ghana at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was selected for the 4x100 relay pool after running the 100m at the African Senior Track & Field Championships. In addition, William-Mensah was a member of Ghana's 4x100 that earned a berth into the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London.
Β
BUSHNELL BRINGS THE HEAT
Junior Hope Bushnell has joined William-Mensah to make a formidable 1-2 punch in the 100m and 200m. Bushnell has established two personal records in both events this year. At the UCR Spring Track Classic, she claimed the 100m title in a wind-legal lifetime-best 11.77, while running an all-conditions career-best of 24.06 in the 200m. She went on to improve those times at the Big West Challenge where she clocked in at 11.76 and 24.03, respectively. Bushnell now ranks second in school history in the 200m and is tied for third in the 100m.
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HURDLE LEADERS
Junior Julia Sambvani improved her personal record in the 400m hurdles by over a second with a time of 60.97 at the Beach Invitational. She was just .12 seconds shy of tying the 10th-best mark in school history. Senior Tyra Jones also ran a wind-aided season-best 13.77 in the 100m hurdles last weekend at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate. Sambvani and Jones both rank among the top-five in the Big West in their respective events.
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RAISING THE BAR
Junior pole vaulter Adrienne Lee has either tied or bettered her PR four times this season. She matched her old career-best of 11-03.75 at the season-opening Ben Brown Invitational before clearing 11-06.25 at the UCR Spring Track Classic and 11-07.75 at the Mondo Team Challenge. Lee continued to raise the bar at the Big West Challenge where she reached 11-11.75 to move into a tie for fourth on UCI's all-time charts.
Β
HAMMER TIME
UC Irvine's hammer throwers had quite a day at the Big West Challenge on April 6. Junior Barbara Coward headlined the meet for the Anteaters as she established a school record en route to an individual victory. Coward took over the lead on her third attempt (181-08), before unleashing a program-best 187-07 on her final throw. Senior Alison Meegan also registered a lifetime-best 180-08, which is third in school history, while sophomore Brianna Villanueva added a career-best 157-00 to rank eighth on UCI's all-time charts.
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UP NEXT
The Big West Championships begin with the heptathlon and decathlon, May 4-5, while the main events are slated for May 11-12, in Northridge.
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Dates: Friday-Saturday, April 27-28
Time: 1 p.m. / 12 p.m. (PDT)
Location: Anteater Stadium - Irvine, Calif.
Live Results // Meet Program // Schedule
UC Irvine Meet Notes
The UC Irvine women's track & field team will host its third and final home meet of the season this weekend with the Steve Scott Invitational set to run, April 27-28, at Anteater Stadium. This is UCI's final tune-up before the Big West Championships.
Β
The two-day meet gets underway Friday at 1 p.m. with the women's pole vault. The hammer throw, javelin and long jump will follow, while the steeplechase and 5000m will also be contested on the track, starting at 7 p.m. A full day of events is then slated for Saturday, commencing with the 4x100 relay at 12 p.m. Prior to the final event of the weekend, UC Irvine will recognize its eight seniors - Simone Buchanan, Michelle Figarella, Tyra Jones, Olympia Martinez, Alison Meegan, Jenessa Reyes, Persis William-Mensah and Sophia Zhou.
Β
ABOUT STEVE SCOTT
Steve Scott, the namesake for this weekend's meet, is one of the most prolific athletes in UC Irvine history. From 1974-78, Scott was a six-time All-American in track and cross country for the Anteaters. He won six NCAA indoor and outdoor track titles, and still holds the school and Big West Conference record in the 1500m with a time of 3:36. Scott was also a three-time U.S. Olympian, while holding the American record in the mile for over 25 years. He is a member of both the UC Irvine and USA Track & Field Hall of Fame.
Β
QUICK HITS
β’ Persis William-Mensah holds three outdoor (100m, 200m, 4x100) and two indoor (60m, 200m) school records.
β’ She bettered her own 100m standard at the Big West Challenge with a wind-legal career-best 11.51.
β’ William-Mensah also broke the 200m record twice in as many weeks, most recently running a PR 23.88 on March 24.
β’ Barbara Coward was named the Big West Women's Field Athlete of the Week on April 10.
β’ She was recognized after winning the HT (187-07) and DT (169-03) with league-leading marks at the BW Challenge.
β’ Coward's 187-07 in the hammer shattered her previous PR by over 10 feet and broke a two-year old program record.
β’ Hope Bushnell ranks among the Anteaters' all-time top-10 in the 100m (T3rd, 11.76) and 200m (2nd, 24.03).
β’ UC Irvine's 39-woman roster features 14 newcomers, including 12 freshmen.
Β
LAST TIME OUT
β’ Barbara Coward got the weekend started with an individual victory in the discus at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate.
β’ She beat out 52 other competitors with a season-best and meet-record 173-07.
β’ Coward added a top-10 finish in the hammer throw with a toss of 186-10.
β’ Tyra Jones ran a wind-aided season-best 13.77 to place seventh overall in the 100m hurdles.
β’ Sophia Zhou was the Anteaters' top performer in the 200m where she notched a personal-record 26.52.
β’ At the Mt. SAC Relays, Hope Bushnell, Persis William-Mensah, Julia Sambvani & Mikayla Scott won the 4x100.
β’ William-Mensah was also fourth in the 100m (11.51), while Bushnell was 12th (11.85) out of 47.
β’ On Saturday at the Beach Invitational, William-Mensah took third in the 200m (23.95) and fourth in the 100m (11.51).
β’ Jones ran her third sub-14 second race in the last four outings, clocking in at 13.95.
β’ Sambvani recorded a career-best 60.97 in the 400m hurdles.
Β
COWARD COLLECTS WEEKLY HONORS
Junior Barbara Coward earned her third career Big West Field Athlete of the Week award following a pair of first-place finishes at the Big West Challenge on April 6. Coward started her day by winning the hammer throw where she unleashed a huge personal and school-record 187-07 on her final attempt. The Atwater, Calif., native crushed her PR coming into the meet by over 10 feet and overtook the top spot in program history, breaking Bridget Devaney's two-year old record of 182-05. Coward returned to action a couple hours later for her third-straight Big West Challenge discus title as she registered a then season-best 169-03. She went on to earn her third individual victory in the discus at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate on April 19 with a top mark of 173-07. Coward ranks first in the conference in both the hammer and discus.
Β
RECORD BREAKER
Senior Persis William-Mensah has continued to add to her legacy as one of UC Irvine's all-time great sprinters. At the UCI Spring Break Collegiate Classic (March 17), the Costa Mesa, Calif., native, broke a 22-year old school record in the 200m with a lifetime-best 23.90. She was the first 'Eater to run a sub-24 second 200m, shattering Toby Dean's previous standard of 24.06, which had held up since 1996. One week later, she topped that performance with another PR of 23.88 at the UC Riverside Spring Track Classic. On April 6, William-Mensah established a new program record in the 100m for the fourth year in a row. She clocked in at a wind-legal career-best 11.51 to beat her previous mark of 11.57. William-Mensah now owns UCI's top times in the 100m (11.51), 200m (23.88) and 4x100 (44.51).
INTERNATIONAL FLAIR
William-Mensah has also put her talent on display at the international level as she was one of 16 athletes to represent Ghana at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was selected for the 4x100 relay pool after running the 100m at the African Senior Track & Field Championships. In addition, William-Mensah was a member of Ghana's 4x100 that earned a berth into the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London.
Β
BUSHNELL BRINGS THE HEAT
Junior Hope Bushnell has joined William-Mensah to make a formidable 1-2 punch in the 100m and 200m. Bushnell has established two personal records in both events this year. At the UCR Spring Track Classic, she claimed the 100m title in a wind-legal lifetime-best 11.77, while running an all-conditions career-best of 24.06 in the 200m. She went on to improve those times at the Big West Challenge where she clocked in at 11.76 and 24.03, respectively. Bushnell now ranks second in school history in the 200m and is tied for third in the 100m.
Β
HURDLE LEADERS
Junior Julia Sambvani improved her personal record in the 400m hurdles by over a second with a time of 60.97 at the Beach Invitational. She was just .12 seconds shy of tying the 10th-best mark in school history. Senior Tyra Jones also ran a wind-aided season-best 13.77 in the 100m hurdles last weekend at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate. Sambvani and Jones both rank among the top-five in the Big West in their respective events.
Β
RAISING THE BAR
Junior pole vaulter Adrienne Lee has either tied or bettered her PR four times this season. She matched her old career-best of 11-03.75 at the season-opening Ben Brown Invitational before clearing 11-06.25 at the UCR Spring Track Classic and 11-07.75 at the Mondo Team Challenge. Lee continued to raise the bar at the Big West Challenge where she reached 11-11.75 to move into a tie for fourth on UCI's all-time charts.
Β
HAMMER TIME
UC Irvine's hammer throwers had quite a day at the Big West Challenge on April 6. Junior Barbara Coward headlined the meet for the Anteaters as she established a school record en route to an individual victory. Coward took over the lead on her third attempt (181-08), before unleashing a program-best 187-07 on her final throw. Senior Alison Meegan also registered a lifetime-best 180-08, which is third in school history, while sophomore Brianna Villanueva added a career-best 157-00 to rank eighth on UCI's all-time charts.
Β
UP NEXT
The Big West Championships begin with the heptathlon and decathlon, May 4-5, while the main events are slated for May 11-12, in Northridge.
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Players Mentioned
Sprints
/ Women's Indoor Track
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Indoor Track
Pole Vault
/ Women's Track & Field
Hurdles
/ Women's Track & Field
Pole Vault
/ Women's Indoor Track
Middle Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Hurdles/Sprints
/ Women's Indoor Track
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Indoor Track
Sprints
/ Women's Indoor Track
Sprints
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