The Master's University XC Invitational
Date: Saturday, Sept. 28
Event: 5K
Time: 7:45 a.m. (PDT)
Location: Central Park - Santa Clarita, Calif.

Notes - Meet #3

IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine women's cross country team makes its way to Santa Clarita this weekend for The Master's University Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 28. The women's collegiate 5000-meter race is slated for a 7:45 a.m. start on a two-loop course at Central Park.
 
STORYLINES
• This will mark the Anteaters' sixth appearance at The Master's University XC Invitational (formerly the Mustang Challenge) in seven years.
• They did not compete in the meet last season.
• Sophomore Hannah Chau has led the 'Eaters in each of the first two races of the 2019 campaign.
• At the UCR Invitational on Sept. 14, she ran the fourth-fastest 6K in program history at 20:44.5.
• Chau is one of eight returning letterwinners from last year's squad that took fifth at the Big West Championships.
• That was UCI's best showing since 2008.
• UC Irvine also brings in a talented group of seven newcomers for the 2019 season.
• The 'Eaters officially welcomed distance coach Casey Kear to their cross country/track & field staff on Aug. 14.
• Kear comes to Irvine from Long Beach State where he spent the previous two seasons.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• UCI finished seventh in a 19-team field at the UC Riverside Invitational on Sept. 14.
• The 'Eaters ran the 6K on the UCR Ag/Ops Course which is also the site of the Big West Championships.
• Chau came in 11th out of 164 overall runners and was third among Big West opponents with her PR of 20:44.5.
• She beat her previous best, which she set at the same meet last year, by 14 seconds.
• Senior Mariah Theologidy was the Anteaters' second finisher, clocking in at 22:09.9 in her season debut.
• Senior Anastasia Karnaze wasn't far behind with a time of 22:15.4.
• Sophomore Patricia Sanchez (22:19.3) and freshman Claire Livengood (22:31.5) rounded out UC Irvine's top-five scorers.
 
COACH'S CORNER
"Hannah had a great race at Riverside and has set the expectation to be competing with the best in the conference in November. The women's team as a whole are ahead of where they were at this point last year." - UCI Distance Coach Casey Kear
 
UP NEXT
• UC Irvine returns to Riverside for the Highlander Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 19.
• It will be the team's final tune-up before the Big West Championships (Nov. 2).