Anteaters Travel to Sacramento for Capital Cross Challenge

Capital Cross Challenge
Date: Saturday, Sept. 29
Event: Women's Collegiate 6K
Time: 10:30 a.m. (PDT)
Location: Haggin Oaks Golf Complex - Sacramento, Calif.
Live Results // Notes (PDF)

IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine women's cross country team will make the trek to Sacramento this weekend for the Capital Cross Challenge on Saturday, Sept. 29. The 6000-meter race is slated for a 10:30 a.m. start at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex. The 'Eaters will be joined by a handful of fellow Big West schools including CSUN, Hawai'i, Long Beach State and UC Davis.

STORYLINES
• Freshman Hannah Chau is looking to be the Anteaters' top finisher for the third time in as many meets.
• She was 14th at the UCR Invitational and 29th at the Mark Covert Classic.
• In her first career 6K, Chau ran the eighth-fastest time in school history at 20:59.2.
• Chau was the first individual to crack UCI's all-time top-10 in the 6000m since 2011.
• Newcomers Mariah Theologidy and Natalie Ewe have also been strong additions to the lineup this year.
• Theologidy, a junior transfer from Antelope Valley College, was UC Irvine's No. 2 runner in the season opener.
• Ewe, a true freshman, has been among the team's top-four performers in both meets.
• Juniors Anastasia Karnaze and Keely Boyd have paced the returners.
• Karnaze owns the squad's second-best 6K time of the season (21:49.3), while Boyd has set PRs in the 5K and 6K.

DID YOU KNOW?
• UCI won nine of the first 10 Big West Women's Cross Country team titles, including five-straight from 1983-87.
• The Anteaters lead all current and former Big West members with 12 conference championships.
• The 'Eaters have made four NCAA Championship appearances with a high finish of fourth in 1990.

LAST TIME OUT
• UC Irvine finished sixth at the UC Riverside Invitational on Sept. 15.
• It was a vast improvement for the 'Eaters who placed 22nd at the same meet a year ago.
• Hannah Chau led the way as she was 14th out of 170 overall competitors.
• Chau entered UCI's all-time top 10 in the 6000m with a mark of 20:59.2.
• Anastasia Karnaze (21:49.3) and Natalie Ewe (21:49.4) were next to cross the finish line for UC Irvine.
• Keely Boyd set a new 6K personal record, clocking in at 21:59.6.
• Mariah Theologidy (22:03.2) rounded out the Anteaters' scorers in 56th.

CHAMPIONSHIP PREP
• UC Irvine 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 Hannah's performance at the UCR Invitational:
"Hannah had a great race. She raced with such composure and strength. She put herself up in the front group and did not back down as the pace picked up. To break 22:00 and put herself among the top UCI runners of the past 18 years in her first 6K race is a great accomplishment."

UP NEXT
• UC Irvine returns to Riverside in two weeks for the Highlander Challenge on Saturday, Oct. 13.
• That will be the Anteaters' final tune-up before the Big West Championships (Oct. 27).

Schedule

Anteaters Travel to Sacramento for Capital Cross Challenge

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Players Mentioned

Keely Boyd

Hannah Chau

Natalie Ewe

Anastasia Karnaze

Mariah Theologidy

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