'Eaters Set for Highlander Invitational on Saturday

Saturday, October 16

Riverside, Calif.

8:00 AM

UC Irvine

Highlander Invitational

'Eaters Set for Highlander Invitational on Saturday

October 14, 2021 | Men's Cross Country

Highlander Invitational
Date: Saturday, Oct. 16
Event: 8K
Time: 8 a.m.
Location: UCR Ag/Ops Course - Riverside, Calif.
Live Results: FinishedResults.com

Notes - Meet #3

IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine men's cross country will be in action this weekend, making their way to the UC Riverside Agricultural Operations Course for the Highlander Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 16.

Lukas Amare, Sebastian Bautista, Jacob Bustamante, Christian Hernandez, Zeid Hussain, Henry McClish, Joshua Ochoa, AJ Sager, Juan Sanchez, Joshua Schuld and Cameron Smith will represent the Anteaters in the men's 8,000-meter race starting at 8 a.m.

QUICK HITS
• After being idle for the last three weeks, UCI is set to compete in its third meet, and second 8K, of the season.
• The Anteaters' last race was the UC Riverside Invitational, which was also run on the UCR Ag/Ops Course.
• UC Irvine's 12-man roster features four true freshmen and five freshmen from the canceled 2020 campaign.
• The 'Eaters kicked off their 2021 cross country slate on Sept. 1 with the program's first home meet since 2015.

LAST TIME OUT
• UC Irvine finished 13th overall in its first 8,000-meter race of the season at the UC Riverside Invitational on Sept. 18.
• It was also the first career 8K for eight of the Anteaters' nine competitors.
• Freshman Joshua Schuld was the team's top finisher, clocking in at 24:49.7 (40th).
• Classmate Zeid Hussain was right behind him in 41st with a time of 24:50.2.
• Freshmen Cameron Smith (25:15.5), Juan Sanchez (25:56.4) and Henry McClish (26:07.4) also scored.

THE RETURNERS
• UC Irvine has three returners with prior collegiate cross country experience.
• Junior Sebastian Bautista leads the small contingent as he was UCI's top finisher in five of his six meets in 2019.
• He established personal records in both the 8K (25:39.43) and 10K (33:11.2) as a sophomore.
• Bautista, who did not compete in the first two races, is slated to make his season debut this weekend.
• Junior Christian Hernandez and sophomore Jason Messner are also back from the 2019 squad.

THE NEWCOMERS
• Lukas Amare, Cameron Smith, AJ Sager, Henry McClish and Joshua Ochoa joined the 'Eaters in 2020.
• They had their initial freshman cross country season canceled, but have all seen action in 2021.
• Amare was UCI's top finisher at the Anteater Opener, placing ninth in the 6K at the ARC Fields (19:02.6).
• Smith has been the team's No. 3 runner in each of the Anteaters' two races this season.
• Joining the group this year are true freshmen Jacob Bustamante, Zeid Hussain, Joshua Schuld and Juan Sanchez.
• Schuld had a top-10 showing in his collegiate debut, finishing the Anteater Opener 6K course in 19:07.4.
• He also led the 'Eaters in his first career 8K at the UCR Invitational (24:49.7).
• Hussain and Schuld were teammates at Beckman High School in Irvine.

UP NEXT
The Anteaters will head to Fullerton for the Titan Invite next Friday, Oct. 22. It will be their final tune-up before the Big West Championships.