Celebrating Title IX: 1990 Women's Cross Country

On June 23, 1972, Title IX was enacted into law, protecting people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance, including sports. Since the passage of Title IX almost 50 years ago, many doors have opened for girls and women in sports, resulting in increased participation at all levels. 

In conjunction with the upcoming 50th anniversary of Title IX, UC Irvine Athletics will be celebrating its storied history in women’s sports throughout the 2021-22 academic year.

UC Irvine cross country cemented its place in history as the first Big West women’s dynasty. 

In the fall of 1983, the Anteaters won the inaugural Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA) Women’s Cross Country Championship. Not only was it the first women’s competition sponsored by the PCAA (renamed the Big West Conference in 1988), and the first women’s sport sponsorship by a league west of the Rockies, but it was also the start of a decade of UCI dominance.

Even as the league continued to grow in membership, UC Irvine remained the team to beat, winning nine of the first 10 team and individual conference titles. With each one special in their own right, it was the 1990 season that really stands out in the record books.

The ‘Eaters started the 1990 postseason in familiar fashion, securing their seventh conference title by 38 points. The top-four finishers at Woodward Park in Fresno were all Anteaters as they nearly matched their perfect team score (15) from 1984 with 16 points. Buffy Rabbitt took home her second individual championship, covering the 5,000-meter course in 17:05.2. She had also won the title in 1987. Rabbitt was named the Big West Athlete of the Year, while Vince O’Boyle was voted as the Big West Coach of the Year. 

Two weeks later, the team returned to Fresno for the Region 8 Championships on the same course as the Big West meet. Although they ended up being edged by Oregon, 50-49, for the regional title, the ‘Eaters still punched their ticket to the NCAA Championships with the top-two teams automatically qualifying for nationals. Rabbitt also defended her individual title, bettering her 5K time with a mark of 16:44.6. Rayna Cervantes and Traci Goodrich added top-10 performances.

The Anteaters then made their way to Knoxville, Tennessee, for their second-straight NCAA Championship appearance. With the squad’s depth and experience, UC Irvine raced to a program-best fourth-place finish. They were the top team from the West Coast, coming in behind only defending national champion Villanova, Providence and Clemson. The ‘Eaters were six points out of third, and finished 11 points ahead of Oregon, which had beaten them at the regional meet a week earlier. 

Rabbitt led the way once again, clocking in at 16:31 to take fourth overall, the highest finish ever by a UCI runner at an NCAA Championship meet. Maria Akrakra (16:52) and Cervantes (16:56) were also among the top-25 in the country. Rabbitt, Akrakra and Cervantes were named All-Americans for their efforts. It was the third All-America award in a decorated career for Rabbitt.

UCI’s fourth-place showing at the 1990 NCAA Championships was the best in the program’s four trips to the national meet. The Anteaters had previously placed 10th in 1989, eighth in 1987 and 16th in 1983.