UCI Heads to UCLA, Hosts Anteater Distance Twilight

Wednesday, March 24

Los Angeles, Calif.

11:15 AM

UC Irvine

Jim Bush Legends Invitational

UCI Heads to UCLA, Hosts Anteater Distance Twilight

March 23, 2021 | Women's Track & Field

Jim Bush Legends Invitational
Dates: Wednesday, March 24
Time: 11:15 a.m. (PDT)
Location: Drake Stadium - Los Angeles, Calif.
Live Results // Meet Schedule

Anteater Distance Twilight
Dates: Thursday, March 25
Time: 4 p.m. (PDT)
Location: Anteater Stadium - Irvine, Calif.
Live Results // Meet Schedule

Notes (PDF)

IRVINE, Calif. - After a week off for finals, the UC Irvine women's track & field team is back in action as it heads to UCLA's Jim Bush Legends Invitational on Wednesday, March 24, before hosting the Anteater Distance Twilight on Thursday, March 25. Spectators are currently not permitted at Anteater Stadium, and the issue of fan attendance will be revisited as the season progresses.

MEET INFO
The Jim Bush Legends Invitational is a one-day meet that will be held at UCLA's Drake Stadium. The women's field events are slated to start with the javelin at 11:15 a.m., while action on the track gets underway at 1 p.m. with the 4x100 relay. The Anteaters have 13 student-athletes entered in 11 events that include the sprints, hurdles, jumps and throws.

The distance runners will get their chance to compete on their home track as UCI is set to host the inaugural Anteater Distance Twilight which begins at 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 25.

LAST TIME OUT
The 'Eaters made their return to competition two weekends ago at the season-opening Ben Brown Invitational in Fullerton (March 12-13). UCI had a strong start to the 2021 campaign with 18 top-five finishes, including four individual victories.

The Anteaters opened the meet with a 1-2 showing in the hammer throw as senior Brianna Villanueva won the event with a toss of 173-11, and junior Tayla Crenshaw was the runner-up at 168-08. In the shot put, freshman Deandra Tyler came in fourth at 42-09.75, which is the seventh-best mark in school history.

In her first outdoor meet since 2019, junior Lorraine Nance won the triple jump with a personal-record 39-03 to move up to No. 6 in program history. Senior Natalie Koppel also placed third in the long jump with a leap of 18-01.

On the track, junior Zani Meaders took first in a 400m field of 14 athletes, crossing the finish line in 55.92 seconds. Freshman Aryel Coats (12.07) and graduate transfer Kayla Richardson (24.34) also had runner-up performances in the 100m and 200m, respectively. In addition, Koppel, Richardson, Coats and Meaders combined to win the 4x100 relay with a time of 46.54.

Junior Hannah Chau led the distance squad, placing fifth overall in the 5000m with a personal-record 16:54.40. Her 5K time is UC Irvine's fastest since 2009, and ranks eighth among the program's all-time top-10.

NEWS & NOTES
• This is the third year in a row UC Irvine is slated to compete in the Jim Bush Legends Invitational.
• Last year's event was canceled due to the pandemic.
• The Anteaters have one of their larger rosters in recent history with 29 returners and 26 newcomers.
• Only 18 of the returnees competed in the team's lone meet of 2020.
• Brianna Villanueva is a two-time All-Big West performer, earning the recognition in the hammer and discus.
• She ranks second in school history in the hammer (186-01) and fourth in the discus (163-10).
• Tayla Crenshaw also entered the season ranked among UCI's all-time top-10 in the hammer (6th) and shot put (10th).
• Deandra Tyler posted the program's seventh-best shot put mark (42-09.75) in her collegiate debut.
• Lorraine Nance won the triple jump with a personal-record 39-03 at the Ben Brown Invitational on March 13.
• Nance moved up to No. 6 in school history in her first outdoor meet since 2019.
• Graduate transfer Kayla Richardson was a 2017 NCAA West Preliminary qualifier in the 400m at USC.
• That same year, she set the Philippines' national 400m record with a time of 53.81 at the Mt. SAC Relays.
• Cecily Montanez established a 400m hurdle personal-record 64.58 in the 2021 season opener.
• Hannah Chau has earned All-Big West honors in both track (5K, 10K) and cross country (2019).
• She ranks fifth in school history in the 10K (35:43.62) and eighth in the 5K (16:54.40).
• Zani Meaders garnered all-conference distinction in the 400m as a freshman in 2019.
• She is third in outdoor program history (55.00), and is also the indoor school record holder (54.81).
• Meaders' younger sister, Zoi, joins the Anteaters as a freshman this year.
• The 'Eaters have a second set of siblings on their roster in twin sisters Chaselyn Amos and Shaelyn Amos.

UP NEXT
UC Irvine is still finalizing its 2021 schedule, be sure to check ucirvinesports.com for the latest updates.