OC Dual vs. Cal State Fullerton
Date: Thursday, April 22
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Anteater Stadium (Spectators not permitted)
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IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine women's track & field team will welcome Cal State Fullerton to Anteater Stadium for the OC Dual on Thursday, April 22. Spectators are not permitted at this time. The dual meet gets underway with the hammer throw at 9 a.m., while action on the track is slated to start with the 4x100 relay at 12 p.m.
 
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 all-time top-10 this year.
• At the Jim Bush Invitational, 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.
• 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 (164-02) and hammer (171-11).
• Deandra Tyler (43-08.75) also moved up to No. 6 in program history in the shot put at the Fullerton Invitational.
• 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.
 
2021 BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIPS
UC Irvine is set to host the 2021 Big West Championships, starting with the heptathlon and decathlon, May 7-8. The remainder of the events will be held the following week, May 13-15. In accordance with COVID-19 health and safety guidelines, spectators will not be allowed at Anteater Stadium for the conference championships.
 
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine competed in the two-day Beach Invitational at LBSU's Jack Rose Track last weekend. Tayla Crenshaw led the way in the throws, claiming runner-up honors in the discus. Crenshaw shattered her personal record by over 15 feet with a toss of 164-02. She moved up five spots to No. 4 in school history. Brianna Villanueva was the Anteaters' top finisher in the hammer throw where she took third with a season-best 184-05. On the track, UCI's 4x100 (47.33) and 4x400 (3:56.84) relays had the top times of the meet. Individually, Cathy Salazar-Gasca was third in the 1500m, crossing the finish line in a lifetime-best 4:36.88, while Mia Marquez notched a personal-record 56.75 in the 400m.
 
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 has five individual victories and is currently second in the Big West in the discus and hammer with season bests of 161-10 and 184-05, respectively. Villanueva is a two-time All-Big West performer, earning the recognition with a third-place finish 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).

Cecily Montanez also returned for a fifth year and has established lifetime bests in both the 400m (57.96) and 400m hurdles (62.51). Her 400H time is No. 4 in the Big West this season.
 
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), 164-02 in the discus (4th), 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 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 will be in Long Beach and Riverside next week for the Steve Scott Split Meet, April 29-May 1.