LONG BEACH, Calif. - Senior Barbara Coward picked up her second victory of the weekend, winning the discus to highlight a rainy day of competition for the UC Irvine women's track & field team Saturday at the Beach Opener.
 
Coward finished ahead of the pack by over 10 feet with a mark of 156-06. Junior Brianna Villanueva was third at 143-00. On Friday, Coward took home the title in the hammer throw with a school-record 196-02.
 
Senior Elizabeth Akindele came in fourth in the shot put (42-10.75), while freshman Tayla Crenshaw placed sixth (39-08) in her collegiate debut.
 
On the track, sophomore Natalie Koppel finished fourth in the 100m with a wind-aided 12.45.
 
Juniors Iyana Cooksey (14.80w) and Imani Jones (14.87w) were fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 100m hurdles. Jones also registered a wind-aided PR in the 200m (26.70).
 
Junior Brenda Dorantes led four Anteaters in the 3000m, clocking in at 10:26.54, which was good for seventh overall. Junior Anastasia Karnaze (10:34.97) added an 11th-place showing, and senior Megan Mirkhanian (10:37.40) was 12th.

Junior transfer Davina Pham contributed a top-10 showing in the 400m (62.69).
 
Up next for the 'Eaters is another local meet as they make their way to Fullerton for the Ben Brown Invitational, March 8-9.