SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Junior transfer Jack Pickard led the UC Irvine men's track & field team with an individual victory in the javelin at the Big West Challenge Friday in Santa Barbara.
 
Pickard made a statement in his Anteater debut as the two-time junior college state finalist claimed the javelin title with a personal-record 221-00. His mark is tops in the Big West this season and puts him at No. 6 in program history. It was the best throw by an 'Eater since 1984.
 
Pickard took the lead on his first attempt with a then lifetime-best 194-04. He saw an improvement of 8 feet, 4 inches on his next toss, but saved his best for last as he went for his new PR of 221-00 on his fourth and final throw.
 
Redshirt freshman Kyle Tsu continued to climb UCI's all-time charts in the shot put with a season-best 57-11.25. That was good for second overall and moves him up to No. 3 in school history. Freshman Noah Holm also placed seventh in his collegiate debut (49-07.25).
 
Sophomore Seth Enochs claimed runner-up honors in the long jump with a leap of 24-04.5.
 
Tsu closed out the evening with a top-five performance in the discus (158-07). Senior Omar Valenzuela wasn't far behind in seventh (153-04).
 
On the track, senior Asa Allen ran a season-best 14.54 to finish second in the 110m hurdles. Junior Alan Tantiwassadakran added an eighth-place showing (15.17).
 
Junior Sam Ayala paced the 'Eaters in the 1500m, clocking in at 3:54.43 for a runner-up finish. Senior Ashton Garcia also scored as he was eighth overall (3:58.99).
 
Ayala came back two hours later to take second in the 3000m, crossing the finish line in 8:36.76.
 
Junior Andres Woodruff placed third in the 400m hurdles (54.05), while senior Paul Resong came in seventh in the 400m (48.74). Junior Evan Singletary was also seventh in his 100m season debut (11.01).
 
Junior Hector Garcia ran a season-best 1:57.31 to take sixth in the 800m, and freshman Lucas Anotado added a top-10 performance in the 200m (23.53).
 
Woodruff, Doyle, sophomore Kyle Sandoval and Resong combined to run a season-best 3:14.60 in the 4x400 relay (3rd).
 
UC Irvine returns to action next weekend when it heads south to La Jolla for UC San Diego's Triton Invitational, April 12-13.