Big West Championships
Date: Friday, Oct. 29
Event: 8K
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Wildhorse Golf Club - Davis, Calif.
Live Results: redcaptiming.com

Notes (PDF)

IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine men's cross country team will make its way to Northern California for the Big West Championships on Friday, Oct. 29. The 8,000-meter race is slated for a 9 a.m. start at Wildhorse Golf Club in Davis.
 
"We're excited to get back to the Big West Cross Country Championships," said distance coach Casey Kear. "This is a meet we've been waiting to get back to for two years. Having lost that opportunity last fall, the group is hungry and ready to get out there and compete against the best schools in the Big West."
 
Running for the Anteaters will be Lukas Amare, Sebastian Bautista, Jacob Bustamante, Zeid Hussain, Henry McClish, Joshua Ochoa, Juan Sanchez, Joshua Schuld and Cameron Smith.
 
QUICK HITS
• Eight of UC Irvine's nine student-athletes entered in the conference meet are either first or second-year freshmen.
• True freshman Joshua Schuld was among UCI's top-two finishers in each of his three races this season.
• Schuld holds the team's top 8,000-meter time of the year at 24:49.7.
• Fellow freshman Zeid Hussain ranks second on the squad with an 8K season-best of 24:50.2.
• The 'Eaters kicked off their 2021 cross country slate on Sept. 1 with the program's first home meet since 2015.
 
LAST TIME OUT
• In their last team outing, UC Irvine finished 15th overall at the Highlander Invitational (Oct. 16).
• Freshmen Joshua Schuld and Zeid Hussain went 1-2 for the Anteaters.
• Schuld led the way at 25:02.4, while Hussain was right on his heels at 25:02.6.
• Second-year freshman Lukas Amare completed his first career 8K with a time of 25:17.3.
• Classmate Cameron Smith also clocked in at 25:38.5.
• Junior Sebastian Bautista made his season debut, crossing the finish line in 26:06.6.
 
THE RETURNERS
• UC Irvine has three returners with prior collegiate cross country experience.
• Sebastian Bautista leads the small contingent as he was UCI's top performer 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.
 
THE NEWCOMERS
• Lukas Amare, Cameron Smith, AJ Sager, Henry McClish and Joshua Ochoa joined the 'Eaters in 2020.
• Their initial freshman cross country season was canceled, but they have all seen action in 2021.
• Amare was UCI's No. 1 runner at the Anteater Opener, placing ninth in the 6K at the ARC Fields (19:02.6).
• Smith has also been among the team's top-five in each of his three 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 UC Irvine in the 8K at the UCR Invitational (24:49.7) and the Highlander Invitational (25:02.4).
• Hussain and Schuld were teammates at Beckman High School in Irvine.
• Bustamante made his collegiate debut at the Highlander Invitational on Oct. 16.
 
UP NEXT
• The 'Eaters will travel to Sacramento for the NCAA West Regional on Friday, Nov. 12.