Beach Invitational
Date: April 16-17 (Friday-Saturday)
Time: All Day
Location: Jack Rose Track - Long Beach, Calif.
Live Results // Meet Schedule

Notes (PDF)

IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine women's track & field team will make the short trip to Long Beach for the Beach Invitational, April 16-17. The Anteaters have 26 student-athletes entered in 15 events over the two-day meet at Jack Rose Track.
 
UCI is set to square off against USC, San Diego State, UC San Diego and host Long Beach State. The throws and distance events will be held on Friday, while the jumps, sprints, hurdles and relays are slated for Saturday.
 
QUICK HITS
• The Anteaters have one of their larger rosters in recent history with 28 returners and 26 newcomers.
• Six 'Eaters have combined for 10 marks that rank among the program's top-10.
• At UCLA, Kayla Richardson ran UCI's fifth-fastest 100m (11.80) and eighth-fastest 200m (24.19).
• She was named the Big West Women's Track Athlete of the Week for her effort.
• Hannah Chau has also established UCI's fifth-best 10K (35:36.35) and eighth-best 5K (16:54.40) times this season.
• Lorraine Nance won the triple jump at the Ben Brown Invite with a PR 39-03, which ranks sixth in school history.
• Tayla Crenshaw etched her name in the record books in the shot (43-03.75), discus (148-10) and hammer (171-11).
• Deandra Tyler (43-08.75) also moved up to No. 6 in program history in the shot put at last week's Fullerton Invite.
• Carly Johnson's PR 128-10 in the javelin is the program's eighth-best mark since the specifications changed in 1999.
• UC Irvine has two sets of siblings on its roster - Zani Meaders and Zoi Meaders, and Chaselyn Amos and Shaelyn Amos.
 
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine picked up seven event wins, including three from the throws squad last week at the Fullerton Spring Invitational. For the second meet in a row, Brianna Villanueva was a double champion in the hammer (183-01) and discus (161-10). Both of her marks were season bests. Deandra Tyler unleashed a personal-record 43-08.75 in the shot put for her first collegiate victory. She also moved up two spots to No. 6 in school history. Tayla Crenshaw added a personal-best 171-11 in the hammer to rank sixth among UCI's all-time top-10.
 
On the track, McKenna Paulson took top honors in the 5000m, crossing the finish line in a lifetime-best 17:43.38. Aryel Coats also earned her second 100m win of the season, leading the field with a time of 12.11 seconds. Cecily Montanez placed first in the 400m hurdles, clocking in with a PR of 62.51. The 4x400 relay team then wrapped up the meet with a winning time of 3:55.13.
 
BIG WEST LEADER
Kayla Richardson (Walnut, Calif.) was named the Big West Women's Track Athlete of the Week on March 30. She was recognized for her performance at UCLA's Jim Bush Legends Invitational where, despite running into a headwind in both races, she established the fastest 100m and 200m times in the Big West this season. Richardson won the 100m (11.80) and claimed runner-up honors in the 200m (24.19), with both marks ranking among UC Irvine's all-time top-10. She is the first Anteater to take home the Big West Women's Track Athlete of the Week award since 2016. Richardson is a graduate transfer from USC where she was a 2017 NCAA West Preliminary qualifier in the 400m. Earlier that year, she set the Philippines' national 400m record with a time of 53.81 at the Mt. SAC Relays.
 
BACK FOR MORE
Brianna Villanueva is making the most out of the NCAA's decision to grant an extra year of eligibility to the 2020 spring sport seniors. The fifth-year senior is currently first in the Big West in the discus and second in the hammer with season bests of 161-10 and 183-01, respectively. Villanueva is a two-time All-Big West performer, earning the recognition in the hammer and discus with third-place finishes in both events at the 2019 conference championships. The 2021 team captain ranks second in school history in the hammer (186-01) and fourth in the discus (163-10).
 
TRIPLE THREAT
Junior Tayla Crenshaw is a triple threat in the shot put, discus and hammer as she ranks among UCI's all-time top-10 in each of the three events. This year, she has established lifetime-bests of 43-03.75 in the shot (8th), 148-10 in the discus (9th), and 171-11 in the hammer (6th).
 
GOING THE DISTANCE
Junior Hannah Chau is the Anteaters' top distance runner as she owns team season bests in the 1500m, 5000m and 10000m. On April 2, she established the fifth-best 10K time (35:36.25) in program history at the Sound Running Collegiate Invite, while she also ran UCI's eighth-fastest 5K (16:54.40) at the season-opening Ben Brown Invitational. As a freshman in 2019, Chau was the first 'Eater to score in both events at the Big West Championships in six years. Chau was also an All-Big West performer in cross country as a sophomore. 
 
400M SPEED
Junior Zani Meaders garnered All-Big West distinction with a third-place finish in the 400m at the 2019 Big West Championships. She owns the third-best 400m time in outdoor program history (55.00) and is also the indoor school record holder (54.81).

UP NEXT
UC Irvine returns to Anteater Stadium next Thursday, April 22, for the OC Dual against Cal State Fullerton.