Sgt. Pepperoni's Anteater of the Week

June 15, 2022
Josh Farmer - Men’s Track & Field

IRVINE, Calif. – Josh Farmer has been named the final Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week for the 2021-22 season.

Farmer was recognized for his performance in the decathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, June 8-9. He finished 14th in the nation, compiling 7,519 points over the course of the two-day, 10-event competition. Farmer beat out his ranking entering the meet by nine spots, while also seeing an improvement in his placing from the 2021 NCAA Championships.

The San Diego native got out to a strong start in the 100m where he was fourth overall with a time of 10.71 seconds. He followed that outing with another top-10 showing as he was 10th in the long jump at 7.18m (23-6.75). In the shot put, Farmer’s toss of 13.83m (45-4.5) was good for ninth. After clearing 1.86m (6-1.25) in the high jump, he closed out the day with a sixth-place performance in the 400m (48.10).

On day two, Farmer competed in the 110m hurdles (15.28), discus (125-2), pole vault (13-5.75), javelin (153-0) and 1500m (4:38.40).

Farmer earned USTFCCCA second-team All-America honors for the second year in a row.

June 2, 2022
Liam Miksic - Men’s Track & Field

IRVINE, Calif. – Freshman Liam Miksic has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week for his performance at the NCAA West Preliminary Track & Field Championships.

Miksic, who finished 19 spots ahead of his ranking entering the meet, came in 17th in the West Region. He got out to a strong start, taking the lead in Flight 1 with a first-round toss of 205-03 (62.56m). Miksic stayed out front until late in the second round when he dropped to third, but he wasn’t done, launching a nearly seven-foot personal record on his third and final attempt to move back to the top of his flight at 215-11 (65.81m). Miksic’s PR ranks second in program history.

The Spring Lake, New Jersey, native, wrapped up an impressive collegiate debut season at last week’s NCAA regional. He placed among the top-10 in all nine of his regular-season meets with individual victories at the Vince O’Boyle Track & Field Classic and The Battle in the OC. He also earned all-conference honors with a third-place performance at the Big West Championships. Miksic threw for over 190 feet in every meet and surpassed 200 feet seven times.

May 25, 2022
Andre Antone - Baseball

IRVINE, Calif. – Fifth-year senior Andre Antone has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week. 

Antone, a right-handed pitcher, picked up two wins to help UC Irvine go 3-1 last week. 

Antone made his second career start on Tuesday (May 17) against No. 23 UCLA and limited the Bruins to one run on three hits, while striking out two in 3.2 innings pitched. He set the tone for an Anteater staff that scattered only seven hits in the 8-1 victory. The win gave the ‘Eaters a season sweep over UCLA, while they also improved to 5-2 against Pac-12 teams. In addition, it secured the program’s 19th winning campaign in the last 21 years.

On Sunday, May 22, Antone came out of the bullpen to throw two scoreless innings in a 6-3 win against CSU Bakersfield. He entered the game in the top of the sixth with the score tied at 3-3, and after keeping the Roadrunners off the board, UCI scored in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead for good. Antone improved to 4-0 in his Anteater career.

On the week, Antone did not allow a run and struck out five in 5.2 innings pitched.

UC Irvine is back in action this weekend, making the short trip to Cal State Fullerton for its final regular-season series, May 26-28. 

May 18, 2022
Hannah Chau - Women’s Track & Field

IRVINE, Calif. – Junior Hannah Chau has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week for her performance at the Big West Track & Field Championships. 

Chau bookended last Friday’s track events with podium finishes. She kicked off the meet with a runner-up showing in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. In just her second career steeple race, Chau shattered a 13-year old school record with a time of 10:28.19, beating Lauren Chramosta’s standard from 2009 by over eight seconds. 

Four hours later, Chau was back on the track for the 10,000-meter run where she was third overall (35:32.18). The Fairfield, California, native accounted for 14 points, helping UC Irvine to a third-place finish in the team standings. It was the Anteaters’ best conference showing since 2014.

May 11, 2022
Darien Zhao - Men’s Golf

IRVINE, Calif. – Sophomore Darien Zhao has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week following his top-three finish at the Big West Men's Golf Championships. 

Zhao carded a 54-hole score of 2-under 214 at the par-72, 7,056-yard La Quinta Country Club. He placed third overall, marking UC Irvine’s best individual showing since David Kim tied for third in 2018.

Zhao went under par in the first two rounds (70-71), before registering a 1-over 73 through the final 18 holes. Over the course of the tournament, the San Diego native led the field with 41 pars, while firing eight birdies.

Zhao, who finished below par in seven of his last 10 rounds, closed out the season with a team-best 73.13 scoring average.   

May 5, 2022
Mike Mkrtchian - Men’s Tennis

IRVINE, Calif. – Mike Mkrtchian has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week after playing a key role in UC Irvine’s Big West Men’s Tennis Championship run. 

Mkrtchian went 3-0 at No. 4 singles to help the ‘Eaters to their first conference tournament title since 2011. In the opening round, he delivered the match-clinching point in UCI’s 4-2 win over UC Davis. The Reseda, California, native dropped the first set against Andras Necz, and found himself down, 5-2, in the second but continued to battle, winning a deuce point to save match point at 5-2 and 5-3. He carried that momentum all the way to a 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory.

The following day, Mkrtchian took control from the start, defeating Cal Poly’s Fernando Fonseca, 6-4, 6-3, in the semifinals. His point gave the ‘Eaters a 3-0 lead in an eventual 4-0 triumph.

On championship Sunday, Mkrtchian had another resilient performance against UC Santa Barbara’s Kai Brady, who he had lost to earlier in the year. After splitting the first two sets, Mkrtchian trailed 6-5 in the final frame before finding another gear to emerge with the 6-4, 0-6, 7-6 (4) victory. That shifted the momentum back to the Anteaters as it brought them even at 2-2 before they closed out the 4-2 upset over the 55th-ranked Gauchos.

UC Irvine will open the NCAA Tournament with a first-round match against 17th-ranked San Diego on Friday, May 6. First serve is set for 10 a.m. at USC’s Marks Stadium.

April 27, 2022
Elena Flynn - Women’s Water Polo

IRVINE, Calif. – Elena Flynn has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week after leading the second-seeded UC Irvine women’s water polo team to their eighth Big West Tournament title. 

Flynn was the offensive catalyst in UCI’s three victories last week as she finished with 11 goals on 17 attempts. 

The San Jose, California, native opened the tournament by tying for the team lead with four goals in a 13-9 win over seventh-seeded CSUN. After the Matadors tied it up at 6-6 early in the third frame, Flynn found the back of the net to start a 5-0 run that put the ‘Eaters up for good.

The following day, Flynn had a match-high four points with three goals and one assist in an 11-7 semifinal victory over No. 3 seed Long Beach State. 

Flynn saved her best performance for the championship match as she converted on all four of her attempts to lift UC Irvine to an 11-8 win against host and top-seeded Hawai’i. She scored twice to start the game, while her final tally gave the Anteaters a three-goal lead with just under seven minutes remaining.

UC Irvine will open the NCAA Tournament against UCLA in the quarterfinal round on Friday, May 6. The match is slated for an 11 a.m. (PDT) start and will be streamed on NCAA.com.

April 21, 2022
Ysabel Gonzalez-Rico - Women’s Tennis

IRVINE, Calif. – Ysabel Gonzalez-Rico has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week after defeating a nationally-ranked singles opponent in her final home match. 

Playing at the top of the lineup against No. 25 UC Santa Barbara on Senior Day, the graduate transfer upset No. 88 Shakhnoza Khatamova in a super tiebreaker. After dropping the opening set, Gonzalez-Rico came back to hand Khatamova her first Big West loss, 3-6, 6-3, 10-8. 

Gonzalez-Rico also teamed up with Emily Fowler for a 6-2 doubles win over the Gauchos’ Marta Gonzalez Ballbe/Camille Kiss on court two.

Gonzalez-Rico has played every match at No. 1 singles, boasting a team-leading 11-5 record in dual-match play. She is also tops on the squad with a 12-3 doubles record.

The Anteaters wrap up the regular season on the road this weekend, traveling to Big West foes Long Beach State (April 23) and Cal State Fullerton (April 24).

April 13, 2022
Emma McCarthy - Women’s Track & Field

IRVINE, Calif. – Emma McCarthy has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week after leading the women’s track & field team with two event wins at last Friday’s Challenge Cup. 

McCarthy started the meet with an individual victory in the 800m, where she ran a personal-record 2:10.47. McCarthy, who topped her previous best by nearly two seconds, has set a PR in each of her three 800m races this season.

The graduate transfer also joined forces with Alexis Alexander, Mia Marquez and Zani Meaders for a first-place finish in the 4x400 relay. The quartet combined for a time of 3:49.58, coming in one second ahead of host Long Beach State. 

McCarthy and the Anteaters are back in action this week at the Bryan Clay Invitational, Mt. SAC Relays, Pacific Coast Intercollegiate and Beach Invitational.

April 5, 2022
Tara Prentice - Women’s Water Polo

IRVINE, Calif. – Tara Prentice has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week for her performance in the UC Irvine women’s water polo team’s doubleheader sweep last Saturday. 

Prentice started the day by leading the sixth-ranked ‘Eaters to a 14-13 overtime win at No. 4 Cal. She tied a 20-year old single-game school record with seven goals against the Golden Bears. Prentice found the back of the cage in the first extra period, and after Cal tied it up in the second overtime, she delivered the game winner with 1:30 left to play. Prentice converted on seven of her eight attempts, while she also drew five exclusions and had one steal.

In the second game of the afternoon, Prentice was one of 13 different Anteaters to score in a 19-8 victory over Cal State East Bay. The graduate student from Temecula, California, connected twice to tie Jessy Cardey’s (2010-14) program record with her 224th career goal. 

Over the two games, Prentice finished with nine goals on 10 attempts, increasing her team-leading season total to 55.

UCI resumes Big West play this weekend, hosting crucial conference matches against No. 5 Hawai’i (April 8) and No. 10 UC Davis (April 10).

March 29, 2022
Angela Bagasbas - Women’s Golf

IRVINE, Calif. – Angela Bagasbas has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week after leading the UC Irvine women’s golf team to a runner-up finish at the Fresno State Classic, March 21-22.

Bagasbas fired a school-record tying 7-under 65 in the final round of the 54-hole tournament at Belmont Country Club. Her 65 matched teammate Megan Yang, who carded the same score in the first round of the 2021 Big West Championships. 

Bagasbas started the final day of the Fresno State Classic with a birdie and never looked back. She added seven more birdies in the round, including four-straight on holes 17-2. Overall, the senior tallied a tournament-leading 14 birdies and posted a career-best third-place finish at 213 (72-76-65).

UCI’s final-round total of 281 was also a school record, bettering the old mark of 282 set at last year’s conference tournament. That mark helped the ‘Eaters jump eight spots in the team standings for a season-best second-place showing.

UC Irvine will be back in action, April 10-12, at the San Luis Obispo Country Club for the 2022 Big West Championships.

March 23, 2022
Michael Frias - Baseball

IRVINE, Calif. – Michael Frias has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week for his performance in UC Irvine baseball’s Big West-opening series sweep over UC Davis. 

Frias earned the start in the backend of a Saturday doubleheader and didn’t disappoint. The fifth-year senior threw six shutout innings in an 8-0 victory against the Aggies. After allowing a one-out double in the first inning, Frias came back to strike out the next two hitters. He was dialed in the rest of the way, not allowing any more hits, and limiting UCD to two baserunners, both on walks. 

Frias, who finished his one-hit gem with eight strikeouts, led UCI to its first shutout of the season. He improved to 3-1 with a team-leading 35 strikeouts on the year.

UC Irvine continues Big West play this weekend, traveling to Hawai’i for a three-game set, March 25-27.

March 16, 2022
Cole Gillis - Men’s Volleyball

IRVINE, Calif. – Cole Gillis has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week after leading the UC Irvine men’s volleyball team to a 3-2 upset win over second-ranked Long Beach State.

Gillis helped the ‘Eaters complete a reverse sweep with a career-high 18 kills in the 19-25, 23-25, 25-17, 25-22, 15-12 Big West-opening victory. He had six of his kills in the fourth set, and three in the decisive fifth, including the match-winner. The 6-foot-5 outside hitter also had six digs, three block assists and an ace.  

Gillis added nine kills, eight digs and four block assists in a 25-21, 23-25, 25-21, 25-17 non-conference win over George Mason last Saturday, March 12. It was the Anteaters’ fifth victory in their last six matches, while they extended their home win streak to four.

On the week, Gillis averaged 2.75 kills, 1.33 digs and 0.58 blocks per set.

UC Irvine will be back in action next weekend as it continues Big West play with its regular-season series against UC San Diego. The Anteaters are set to travel to UCSD on Friday, March 25, before hosting the Tritons on Saturday, March 26.

March 9, 2022
Francesco Sani - Men’s Volleyball

IRVINE, Calif. – Francesco Sani has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week after leading the UC Irvine men’s volleyball team to a 3-2 win at Concordia.

It was UCI’s third-straight victory, while it also completed the series sweep against CUI.

Sani posted his first career double-double in the 25-18, 22-25, 25-20, 24-26, 15-10 win over the Golden Eagles at CU Arena on Saturday, March 5. The sophomore outside hitter finished with a match-high 22 kills and a career-best 10 digs, while adding two blocks and three assists. His 22 kills are tied for seventh most in the Big West this season.

On the year, Sani leads the ‘Eaters with 3.79 kills per set.

UC Irvine begins Big West play this week, hosting Long Beach State on Thursday, March 10.

March 2, 2022
Gordon Ingebritson - Baseball

IRVINE, Calif. - Gordon Ingebritson has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week after an impressive performance in UC Irvine’s series win over Grand Canyon.

In two appearances, the right-handed relief pitcher threw 6.1 hitless innings, retiring all 19 batters he faced on only 54 pitches. He finished with seven strikeouts and picked up his second career save.

After the Anteaters took a 4-3 lead in the fifth inning of Friday’s opener, GCU started to threaten in the top of the sixth before Ingebritson came in to quiet the Lopes’ bats. Ingebritson inherited runners on second and third, but stepped up to the challenge, quickly getting a strikeout and a pop up to preserve the one-run lead. The graduate student stayed on the mound to close out the game, earning the save in the 4-3 victory.

Two days later, Ingebritson retired all eight batters he faced on 20 pitches. Grand Canyon went up 4-3 with one out in the seventh, before Ingebritson entered the game and once again stifled the Lopes’ offense. He kept the ‘Eaters in it, but they were unable to push any more runs across in a 4-3 loss. UCI won the series and finished the week with a 3-1 record.

UC Irvine (5-3) will now head to Oregon State for a three-game weekend series starting on Friday, March 4.

February 23, 2022
Tara Prentice - Women’s Water Polo

IRVINE, Calif. – Tara Prentice has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week after leading the seventh-ranked UC Irvine women’s water polo team to a pair of road wins.

Prentice started the week with a career-high six goals in a 13-9 victory at No. 18 Loyola Marymount on Thursday, Feb. 17. She scored in every quarter and converted on six of her nine attempts. Prentice’s previous single-game best was five goals, which she accomplished five times in her career. The 6-foot utility also drew four exclusions and had two steals against the Lions.

Two days later, Prentice finished with one goal and one assist in a 19-5 Big West-opening win at No. 24 CSUN. She was one of 12 different ‘Eaters to find the back of the net. 

Prentice now has 194 career goals, which ranks sixth in program history.

UC Irvine (9-3, 1-0 Big West) is back in action this weekend, hosting the Barbara Kalbus Invitational, Feb. 25-27.

February 16, 2022
Kolbe Irei - Men’s Golf

IRVINE, Calif. – Kolbe Irei has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week after winning the individual title at the Orange County Collegiate Classic in Coto de Caza, Feb. 7-8.

It was Irei’s first collegiate victory, while he was also UC Irvine men’s golf’s first individual champion since David Kim in 2017.

Irei carded an even-par 216 to finish three strokes ahead of the field. The Honolulu native took the lead after firing a career-best 4-under 68 in the second round. He was the only player below par through 36 holes. Irei was able to maintain his lead in the final round, finishing with totals of 75, 68 and 73.

Irei led the Anteaters to a runner-up team finish in their first tournament of the spring season. 

UC Irvine is back in action this week, traveling to Lihue, Kaua‘i, for the John A. Burns Intercollegiate, Feb. 17-19.

February 9, 2022
Kayla Williams - Women’s Basketball

IRVINE, Calif. – Kayla Williams has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week after leading the UC Irvine women’s basketball team to wins over UC Santa Barbara and CSUN. 

On Thursday, Feb. 3, Williams, who went 5-for-8 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, finished with a game-high 14 points to go along with four rebounds, four assists and two steals in a dominant 58-31 win vs. UCSB. It was the fewest points the ‘Eaters allowed against an NCAA Division I opponent since 1991, and their largest margin of victory against the Gauchos since 1987. 

Two days later, Williams and the Anteaters found themselves down by 14 at the half before outscoring the Matadors by 27 over the final 20 minutes for a 65-52 win. Williams was a catalyst in the comeback effort, scoring 14 of her 17 points in the second half. The 5-foot-7 point guard added five rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one block.

For the week, Williams averaged 15.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game, while shooting 46% overall and 71% from deep. She has reached double figures in scoring in each of her last 18 games played, and has made a 3-pointer in 34 consecutive outings.

UC Irvine will be looking to extend a season-long four game win streak when it heads to UC Riverside (Feb. 10) and UC Davis (Feb. 12) this week.

February 2, 2022
Chloe Webb - Women’s Basketball

IRVINE, Calif. – Chloe Webb has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week after helping the UC Irvine women’s basketball team to a pair of Big West road wins.

Webb started the trip with a near-perfect night at CSU Bakersfield where she went 10-for-11 from the floor and 6-of-8 at the free throw line for a career-high 26 points. Her only miss against the Roadrunners came at the 8:33 mark of the third period, and on that miss she got her own rebound, was fouled and went to the charity stripe where she made both free throws. 

The 5-foot-8 guard’s 90.9% clip set a single-game school record in individual performances with at least 10 field goals made. Webb also pulled down a game-high eight rebounds in the 81-73 victory over the Roadrunners.

In an effort to rest Webb two days later, she saw limited action in a 64-52 win at Cal Poly. She still finished with five points, one rebound and two steals in 15 minutes.

For the week, Webb averaged 15.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals, while shooting 86% (12-14) from the floor and 78% (7-9) at the free throw line.

Webb and the Anteaters are back in the Bren Events Center this week, hosting UC Santa Barbara on Thursday, Feb. 3, and CSUN on Saturday, Feb. 5.

January 26, 2022
Emmanuel Coste - Men’s Tennis

IRVINE, Calif. – Graduate transfer Emmanuel Coste has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week after upsetting the NCAA’s top-ranked men’s tennis singles player.

Coste faced a daunting task in UC Irvine’s dual-match opener, going up against No. 1 August Holmgren of San Diego. At the top of the lineup, Coste took control early with a 6-3 victory in the first set. Holmgren bounced back to win the second and force the decisive third frame, where in a back-and-forth affair, it was Coste who prevailed, 6-3, 0-6, 7-5. Holmgren had earned his No. 1 ITA Singles Ranking after winning the 2021 ITA Fall National Championship and claiming runner-up honors at the ITA All-American Championships. 

Two days later, Coste was pitted against another top-10 opponent, but was unable to pull off a second-straight upset as he fell to sixth-ranked Stefan Dostanic of USC in a hard-fought 6-3, 6-3 battle.

Up next for Coste and the rest of the ‘Eaters is their home-opening weekend where they will host Grand Canyon (Feb. 4) and San Francisco (Feb. 6).

January 19, 2022
Hilir Henno - Men’s Volleyball

IRVINE, Calif. – Freshman Hilir Henno has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week after leading UC Irvine men’s volleyball to a pair of wins in their first home matches of the 2022 season.

In a 3-0 sweep of Harvard on Wednesday, Jan. 12, Henno posted a match-high 14 kills, six digs and three aces to go along with one block assist. The 6-foot-8 opposite also hit at a .346 clip (14-5-26).

Two days later, Henno finished with a match-best 23 points on 18 kills, two aces and six block assists in a 3-1 victory over then No. 12 Stanford. He hit an impressive .457, committing only two errors on 35 swings.

For the week, Henno averaged 4.57 kills, 1.57 digs, 1.00 blocks and 0.71 aces per set with a .410 hitting percentage.

UC Irvine (3-1) is back in action this weekend, traveling to Provo, Utah, for a pair of matches against No. 10 BYU, Jan. 21-22.

January 12, 2022
Collin Welp - Men’s Basketball

IRVINE, Calif. – Senior Collin Welp has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week after leading the UC Irvine men’s basketball team to a 68-51 Big West-opening win at UC Riverside last Saturday (Jan. 8). 

Welp kicked off conference play with 30 points (11-17 FG, 8-8 FT), eight rebounds, one assist, two steals and a block against the Highlanders. 

With UCI trailing by one at the half, it was Welp who carried the squad over the final 20 minutes where he scored 25 of his season-high 30 points. The 6-foot-9 forward put on a clinic in the second half, going a perfect 10-for-10 from the field and 5-of-5 at the charity stripe.

Last Saturday marked Welp’s second career 30-point performance, and first since 2019 when he put up 31 against Eastern Michigan. 

On the season, Welp is averaging 15.4 points per game, which ranks fourth in the Big West.

UC Irvine is back on the road this week, traveling to Honolulu for a 7 p.m. (HT)/9 p.m. (PT) conference showdown with Hawai‘i on Thursday, Jan. 13.

December 22, 2021
Sophia Locandro - Women’s Basketball

IRVINE, Calif. – Sophia Locandro has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week for her performance in UC Irvine's win over San José State last Wednesday.

Locandro led the Anteaters to the 74-66 victory with a season-high 18 points in 19 minutes of action. She went 8-for-11 from the field, while pulling down five rebounds and adding an assist, steal and block. The 6-foot-3 forward carried the ‘Eaters in the fourth quarter where she netted 14 of her points on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting performance. UCI outscored SJSU by 20 when Locandro was on the court.

On the season, Locandro is averaging 8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and a team-leading 1.3 blocks per outing. She ranks ninth in school history with 71 career blocked shots.

UC Irvine returns to the court on Thursday, Dec. 23, when it heads to Grand Canyon for its non-conference finale.

December 15, 2021
Chloe Webb - Women’s Basketball

IRVINE, Calif. – Chloe Webb has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week.

Webb registered her second-straight double-figure scoring game against the University of San Diego last Saturday, Dec. 11, finishing with a season-high 16 points. She went 4-for-5 from the field and 8-of-11 at the free throw line. Webb also tied for the team lead with five rebounds while adding an assist.

On the season, the 5-foot-8 guard is averaging 10.1 points and a team-best 6.1 rebounds per game. She is shooting 48% from the field and 76% at the charity stripe.

The UCI women’s basketball team is back in action tonight, taking on San José State at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.

December 8, 2021
Andre Henry - Men’s Basketball

IRVINE, Calif. – Andre Henry has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week following his performance in the UC Irvine men’s basketball team’s 86-54 win over Bethesda.

After missing the first five games, the 6-foot-4 guard made his presence felt in his season debut, scoring a team-high 15 points off the bench. Henry went 4-for-8 from the field and 6-for-8 at the free throw line. He finished just shy of a double-double, pulling down a career-best nine rebounds.

Henry also had three assists, two steals and zero turnovers against the Flames.

UCI returns to action this Saturday, Dec. 11, traveling to Fresno State for a 4 p.m. showdown.

December 1, 2021
Onye Ofoegbu - Women’s Volleyball

IRVINE, Calif. – Onye Ofoegbu has been named the Sgt. Pepperoni’s Anteater of the Week following her performance in the UC Irvine women’s volleyball team’s final weekend of the season.

In two matches, the 6-foot-3 middle blocker averaged 4.42 points and 3.29 kills per set, while hitting .475.

On Friday, Nov. 26, Ofoegbu finished with a team-high 16.5 points to go along with 12 kills and six total blocks against third-place Cal Poly. She also led the squad with a .391 hitting percentage (12-3-23). 

The following day, Ofoegbu played a pivotal role in UCI’s clean sweep of CSU Bakersfield with 11 kills, five block assists and a service ace. She hit a blistering .588 (11-1-17), committing just one error on 17 attempts.

Ofoegbu and the Anteaters closed out the 2021 campaign with a 17-13 overall record, marking the most wins in a season since 2017. 

November 24, 2021
Collin Welp - Men’s Basketball

IRVINE, Calif. – Collin Welp has been named the Anteater of the Week after leading the UC Irvine men’s basketball team to a pair of non-conference wins.

The fifth-year senior got out to a hot start in a 100-41 victory against NCAA Division III member La Verne (Nov. 16) with 11 points, six rebounds and two assists in only 11 minutes played. He went 4-for-6 from the field and a perfect 3-of-3 at the free throw line.

Welp came back four days later to lead the ‘Eaters to a dominant 82-48 win over Pepperdine. He had a season-high 18 points to go along with five boards, four assists and two steals. 

On the week, Welp averaged 14.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists, while going 10-of-21 (48%) from the floor and 7-of-7 at the charity stripe. 

UC Irvine (3-1) is back in action this weekend, traveling to Santa Clara for a 4:30 p.m. tilt on Saturday, Nov. 27.

November 17, 2021
Glo Hinojosa - Women’s Soccer

IRVINE, Calif. – Glo Hinojosa has been named the Anteater of the Week following her remarkable performance in the UC Irvine women’s soccer team’s 1-0 upset win over second-seeded and third-ranked UCLA in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The 'Eaters struck early with a goal from Alyssa Moore in the 14th minute, and that was all they would need as the defense, anchored by Hinojosa, took care of business. 

Even though the Bruins, who were trailing at the half for the first time this season, turned up the pressure over the final 45 minutes, Hinojosa was up to the challenge. The 5-foot-6 keeper was locked in, making leaping and diving saves to keep UCLA off the board. Her effort secured one of the biggest wins in program history, while also snapping the Bruins’ 26-match unbeaten streak in the process. 

Hinojosa finished with a season-high seven stops in her fifth-straight clean sheet. She extended her shutout streak to 523:03, not allowing a goal since Oct. 24.

UC Irvine (16-5-0) improved to 3-1-1 all-time in NCAA Tournament games, and advanced to the second round for the second time in its three NCAA appearances. 

The Anteaters continue their postseason journey on Friday, Nov. 19, traveling to Fairfax, Virginia, to take on Wisconsin in second-round action at 10:30 a.m. (PST).

November 10, 2021
Tyler Padua - Men’s Water Polo

IRVINE, Calif. – Freshman Tyler Padua has been named the Anteater of the Week after scoring the golden goal in UC Irvine men’s water polo’s 17-16 upset win over sixth-ranked Pacific.

Padua converted on half of his shot attempts, tying for the team lead with four goals. He also drew a game-high four exclusions against the Tigers. 

The Huntington Beach native scored UCI’s first and last goals of the game as he got the ‘Eaters on the board at the five-minute mark in the first period. He also helped the home team erase an 11-8 halftime deficit by starting a 3-0 run to open the third quarter. It continued to go back-and-forth from there until Padua’s golden goal with 2:10 remaining in the three-minute sudden-victory overtime period.

Padua ranks fifth on the team with 20 goals this season. 

UC Irvine has one game on tap this week, traveling to No. 5 Long Beach State for the regular-season finale at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13.

November 3, 2021
Desiree Mendoza - Women’s Soccer

IRVINE, Calif. – Desiree Mendoza has been named the Anteater of the Week for her clutch performance in the UC Irvine women’s soccer team’s regular-season finale.

Entering the game three points behind Cal Poly in the standings, the ‘Eaters needed a win against the Mustangs to clinch a share of the Big West title, and they delivered. Mendoza was the offensive catalyst in the 2-0 victory, putting UCI on the board early as she scored the eventual game-winner on a one-timer to the far post in the seventh minute. Mendoza then assisted on UC Irvine’s second goal, delivering a perfect corner kick into the box where Destinee Manzo rose up for the header (54’). 

Mendoza was also named the Big West Freshman of the Week for her effort.

UC Irvine (13-5-0, 8-2-0 BWC) now heads into the Big West Tournament as the No. 1 seed, and will host fourth-seeded UC Santa Barbara on Thursday, Nov. 4, at Anteater Stadium. Kick-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.

October 27, 2021
Gordon Botterill - Men’s Soccer

IRVINE, Calif. – Graduate student Gordon Botterill has been named the Anteater of the Week after leading UC Irvine men’s soccer to a pair of wins and a Big West Tournament berth.

On Wednesday, Oct. 20, Botterill recorded his fourth solo shutout of the season in a 2-0 victory over UC San Diego. He finished the evening with six saves, including two high-quality stops in the first 20 minutes and a denial on a point-blank header at the 65:22 mark to preserve the clean sheet.

Three days later, Botterill and the ‘Eaters returned to the pitch to take on CSUN on Senior Night. Anchoring a defense that was just four minutes away from a third-straight shutout, Botterill helped UC Irvine to a 2-1 triumph. After UCI took a late 2-0 lead, the Matadors finally broke through in the 86th minute as they pounced on a free ball at the goalmouth to end Botterill’s scoreless streak at 365 minutes. The Switzerland native finished with two saves.

Botterill closed out the week with eight saves and a 0.50 goals against average. On the season, he leads the Big West in GAA (0.68) and save percentage (.855).

With their two wins last week, the Anteaters clinched a spot in the Big West Tournament. They also cemented their place among the top-four and will host their first postseason game.

UC Irvine (7-7-3, 5-1-2 Big West) has one game this week as it heads to Cal State Fullerton for the regular-season finale on Saturday, Oct. 30.

October 20, 2021
Scarlett Camberos - Women’s Soccer

IRVINE, Calif. - Senior Scarlett Camberos has been named the Anteater of the Week after scoring four goals in a pair of Big West games.

On Thursday, Oct. 14, Camberos registered her first career hat trick to lead UC Irvine women’s soccer to a 4-1 win at Hawai’i. The Chula Vista native opened the scoring in the 19th minute when she converted on a penalty kick. Following another penalty goal at the 50:32 mark, Camberos completed the 15th hat trick in program history in the 68th minute as she received a pass from teammate Jenae Perez and beat the oncoming goalkeeper for the empty-net tap-in.

Just two days after returning from the islands, the ‘Eaters were right back out on the pitch, taking on UC Davis at Anteater Stadium. After the Aggies took a late 2-0 lead, Camberos struck again, cutting the deficit in half on an 87th-minute penalty kick, but the visitors were able to hold on for the 2-1 win.

Camberos was also recognized as the Big West Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 18).

UC Irvine (9-5-0, 4-2-0 Big West) returns to action with two road games this week, traveling to CSU Bakersfield on Thursday, Oct. 21, and CSUN on Sunday, Oct. 24.

October 13, 2021
Axel Adler - Men's Soccer

IRVINE, Calif. - Junior Axel Adler has been named the Anteater of the Week after helping the UC Irvine men’s soccer team secure four crucial points and move into a tie for second in the Big West standings.

On Saturday, Oct. 9, UCI handed Cal Poly its first conference loss of the season despite being down a man for 40 minutes. After a red card was issued to the ‘Eaters at the 49:49 mark, they dug deep, building from a goal kick for the eventual game-winner just 10 minutes later. 

The sequence started with Christian Bond-Flasza finding Francesco Montanile on the right wing. Montanile then sent a cross into the box where Adler beat a defender and the goalkeeper to the ball, punching it to the back of the net with his left foot. It was the 6-foot-1 forward’s first career goal. Adler finished the evening with three shots, two of which were on frame.

Adler also had a shot on goal in 35 minutes played of a 1-1 double overtime tie at first-place UC Santa Barbara (Oct. 6).

UC Irvine (4-7-2, 2-1-1 Big West) is back in action this week, hosting UC Davis tonight (Oct. 13) and making its way to CSU Bakersfield on Saturday, Oct. 16.

October 6, 2021
Joy Umeh - Women’s Volleyball

IRVINE, Calif. - Sophomore Joy Umeh has been named the Anteater of the Week after leading UC Irvine women’s volleyball to a pair of Big West wins.

On Friday, Oct. 1, Umeh had a career-high 20 kills, while hitting at a nearly .300 clip, in a 3-1 (26-24, 18-25, 25-23, 25-22) victory over UC Davis. Six of her kills came in an 8-2 run to start the fourth set, giving the 'Eaters a lead the Aggies were unable to overcome. Umeh also had two block assists and two digs.

The following day, Umeh put away a match-high 14 kills in a 25-21, 25-22, 18-25, 25-18 win over UC Riverside. She added a pair of block assists against the Highlanders.

For the week, the 5-foot-8 pin hitter averaged 4.25 kills per set (.274), upping her season average to a team-best 3.54 kills per set.

The Anteaters (11-4, 4-1 Big West) will be looking to extend their win streak to four matches this weekend as they host league-leading Hawai’i (7-5, 4-0 Big West) in a 5 p.m. showdown on Saturday, Oct. 9.

September 29, 2021
Marianna Bertolone - Women’s Volleyball

IRVINE, Calif. - Freshman outside hitter Marianna Bertolone has been named the Anteater of the Week for her performance in a pair of Big West road matches.

In the conference opener on Friday, Sept. 24, Bertolone helped UC Irvine women’s volleyball to a 3-1 (19-25, 25-20, 25-19, 28-26) win at CSUN. The Markleeville, California, native tied a match high with 12 kills, including a key put-away late in the fourth set.  She also had 10 digs for her first collegiate double-double, while adding a service ace.

The following day, Bertolone had nine digs to go along with three kills and a block in a loss at UC Santa Barbara. That snapped a season-long four-match win streak for the ‘Eaters. 

For the week, Bertolone averaged 2.14 kills and 2.71 digs per set. Her 12 kills and 10 digs at CSUN were both career highs.

The Anteaters (8-4, 1-1 Big West) are back home this weekend, hosting UC Davis on Friday, Oct. 1, and UC Riverside on Saturday, Oct. 2, in Big West action.

September 22, 2021
Julia Gonzalez - Women’s Soccer

IRVINE, Calif. - Sophomore forward Julia Gonzalez has been named the Anteater of the Week after leading the UC Irvine women’s soccer team to a double overtime win over previously unbeaten Cal (4-1-2).

Gonzalez netted the golden goal in the 104th minute against the Golden Bears. The game-winning play started with a UCI throw-in that found Scarlett Camberos in the left corner. Camberos then dribbled into the box and slotted a pass across the middle to a wide-open Gonzalez, who was in perfect position for the one-timer to the near post. It was Gonzalez’s first goal of the season and second of her career.

The win was UC Irvine’s ninth over a Pac-12 team in head coach Scott Juniper’s 14-year tenure, but first in the program’s all-time series with Cal. Previously, the ‘Eaters had picked up one draw in their 12 meetings with the Bears.

The Anteaters (5-3-0) are now ready for Big West play as they host UC San Diego in their conference opener on Sunday, Sept. 26.

September 15, 2021
Casey Lynton - Men’s Water Polo

IRVINE, Calif. - Senior Casey Lynton has been named the Anteater of the Week after leading the 13th-ranked UC Irvine men’s water polo team with 10 goals in three games. 

Lynton started the busy weekend with a game-high four goals in a 12-6 loss at top-ranked UCLA (Sept. 10). His four goals were a season best that stood for less than 24 hours as he came back the next day to connect on five of his six shot attempts in a 25-7 rout of La Verne. Lynton also had three assists for eight points against the Leopards.

The Murrieta, California, native added one goal, two assists and a career-high eight steals in a 13-6 victory over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Sunday, Sept. 12.

On the season, Lynton is tied for the team lead with 16 goals, while he is also tops on the squad with 11 assists, 27 points and 22 steals.

UCI men’s water polo is back in action this weekend, hosting Princeton on Sunday, Sept. 19.

September 8, 2021
Hannah Chau - Women's Cross Country

IRVINE, Calif. - Junior Hannah Chau has been named the Anteater of the Week following her performance at the UC Irvine women’s cross country team’s season opener on Wednesday, Sept. 1.

In her first cross country race since the 2019 NCAA West Regional, Chau broke UCI’s 4,000-meter school record, crossing the finish line in 14:11.0. She topped the previous program best, which was set by Chloe Fata in 2012, by three seconds.  

Chau, who pushed the pace from the start, took third in a field of 53 at the Anteater Opener. She came in behind only two runners from California Baptist, which is ranked 10th in the West Region. It was her fifth career top-10 finish and fourth top-five performance.