Live Results // Notes (PDF)

IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine men's cross country team is back in action on Saturday, Sept. 15, when it heads to the Inland Empire for the 38th annual UC Riverside Invitational. The men's 8000-meter race is set for an 8:05 a.m. start at the UCR Agricultural Operations Course.

STORYLINES
• UC Irvine welcomes back six letterwinners from its 2017 squad that finished fifth at the Big West Championships.
• Junior Hector Garcia was the Anteaters' No. 1 runner in five of six races last year.
• Garcia is a 2017 all-conference performer and is one of the top four returners in the Big West.
• Seniors Ashton Garcia & Jon Rodriguez, and junior Sam Ayala, are expected to join Hector at the front of the pack.
• The 'Eaters add four true freshmen to the mix, all of whom are coming off impressive prep careers.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• UC Irvine finished eighth at the season-opening Mark Covert Classic in Brea on Saturday, Sept. 1.
• The Anteaters' nine-man lineup featured four true freshmen who were making their collegiate debuts.
• Hector Garcia was UCI's top finisher as he was 13th in an NCAA DI field of 138 with an 8K time of 25:14.0.
• Jon Rodriguez was next to cross the finish line for the 'Eaters at 25:56.6 (40th).
• Ashton Garcia was right behind him in 52nd, clocking in at 26:03.7.
• Sophomore Kit Carter registered an 8K personal-record 26:35.4 to come in 81st.
• Freshmen Sebastian Bautista (73rd) and Gabriel Ramirez (86th) were also among the Anteaters' top-seven.
 
UCR INVITATIONAL REWIND
• This is the third year in a row the Anteaters will compete at the UCR Invitational.
• In 2017, the 'Eaters finished 11th overall, and eighth among NCAA Division I programs.
• Hector Garcia ran an 8K personal-record 24:43.0 to place 25th out of 262 competitors.
• Ashton Garcia came in 72nd with a lifetime-best 25:20.4, while Jon Rodriguez added a PR 25:36.5.
• Ravi Sharma (25:37.0) and Sam Ayala (26:05.2) were also among UC Irvine's top-seven.
 
CHAMPIONSHIP PREP
• UCI will get an early look at both the Big West Championship and NCAA West Regional courses this year.
• The 'Eaters ran the Carbon Canyon Park course (Big West) at the Mark Covert Classic on Sept. 1.
• They will also make their way to Haggin Oaks Golf Complex (NCAA) for the Capital Cross Challenge on Sept. 29.
 
QUOTABLES
Distance Coach Chris Evans on the team's performance at the season-opening Mark Covert Classic:
"I was really impressed with how the freshmen opened up the season. It was their first 8000-meter, but they came out, followed our plan and raced really well. I think we were a little flat up front; those guys know they can do better. We were also running without Sam Ayala, who would have been in the top-25. We are really looking forward to putting the team all together in the coming weeks and seeing what we can do. We want to improve each time we step on the course."
 
UP NEXT
• UCI will travel to Sacramento for the Capital Cross Challenge on Saturday, Sept. 29.