at Bobcat Invitational
Date: Thursday, March 24
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Texas State Track & Field Complex - San Marcos, Texas
Live Results

at Texas Relays
Dates: March 25-26 (Friday-Saturday)
Time: All Day
Location: Mike A. Meyers Stadium - Austin, Texas
Live Results

at Bob Larsen Distance Invitational
Date: Friday, March 25
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Drake Stadium - Los Angeles, Calif.
Live Results

at Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational
Date: Saturday, March 26
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Location: Drake Stadium - Los Angeles, Calif.
Live Results

Notes (PDF)

IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine women's track & field team has a split squad this week with meets in Texas and Los Angeles. Ten Anteaters are headed to the Lone Star State for both the Bobcat Invitational (March 24) and the Texas Relays (March 25-26), while 18 'Eaters are set to make the short trip to UCLA for the Bob Larsen Distance Invitational (March 25) and the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational (March 26).
 
QUICK HITS
• UC Irvine has 27 returning letterwinners, 15 newcomers and seven redshirt freshmen.
• Reyna Johnson made a statement in her outdoor collegiate debut on March 5, winning the LJ with a PR 19-01.25.
• Johnson is the ninth Anteater in school history to surpass 19 feet.
• Montgomery Allison made her way into UCI's all-time top-10 in the steeplechase in her first collegiate meet.
• Allison won the event at the Beach Opener in a lifetime-best 11:13.28.
• Hannah Chau is the defending Big West women's 10K champion and is a two-time All-Big West XC performer.
• Chau ranks fourth in school history in the 10,000-meter and seventh in the 5,000-meter.
• Zani Meaders competed in the team's first two meets last year before utilizing a redshirt season.
• Meaders ranks third in outdoor school history (55.00) and holds the indoor school record (54.81) in the 400m.
• Lorraine Nance is also back after competing in only two meets last season.
• Nance is a conference scorer in the triple jump and ranks sixth all-time at UCI (39-03).
• Both Deandra Tyler and Kassidy Sani have posted top-10 marks in the throws this season.
• Tyler is fifth in the shot put (46-11.25) and 10th in the hammer (157-05), while Sani is eighth in the javelin (140-09).
• UCI will host two meets in April as it starts the month with the inaugural Vince O'Boyle T&F Classic, April 1-2.
• The 'Eaters will then bring back the Steve Scott Invitational, April 29-30, in their final tune-up before conference.
 
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine sent its four throwers to San Diego for the Ross and Sharon Irwin Invitational last Saturday, March 19. Deandra Tyler earned her second-straight individual victory in the shot put, winning the event by over a foot at 45-01.75. Cassious Fiaui added a top-10 showing, coming in eighth (39-01.25). Kassidy Sani and Laura Lindquist both had top-five finishes in the javelin. Sani led the way in third with a lifetime-best 140-09, moving her up to No. 8 on UCI's all-time charts. Lindquist wasn't far behind in fourth as she also notched a personal-record 134-06. In the discus, Sani was the runner-up (147-05) and Tyler was 10th (126-00).
 
JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE
Although this year's throws squad isn't as deep as it has been in the past, it has already proven that it has the talent to carry on the tradition of success. In three meets, sophomore Deandra Tyler has picked up two individual victories in the shot put, winning the event at the UCSB Invitational (46-11.25) and the Ross and Sharon Irwin Invitational (45-01.75). Her toss of 46-11.25 is a personal best and ranks fifth in program history. Tyler also cracked UCI's all-time top-10 in the hammer two weeks ago in Santa Barbara (157-05). Sophomore Kassidy Sani notched a lifetime-best 140-09 in the javelin last Saturday in San Diego, putting her eighth all-time at UC Irvine. Freshman Laura Lindquist (134-06) and sophomore Cassious Fiaui (40-08) have also established personal bests in the javelin and shot put, respectively.
 
NOW THAT'S A DEBUT
UC Irvine had a pair of true freshmen win their events with personal records in their collegiate debuts. Reyna Johnson claimed the long jump title at the Beach Opener with a leap of 19-01.25. That stands as the top mark in the Big West this season, and puts her at No. 8 in school history. Montgomery Allison was also first to cross the finish line in the steeplechase at 11:13.28, which is ninth all-time at UCI.
 
ALL-CONFERENCE RETURNERS
UC Irvine is coming off one of its best Big West Championship performances in recent years. In 2021, the Anteaters, who had 10 podium finishes and five event wins, placed fourth in the team standings with 123 points, marking their best conference showing since 2014 and their highest point total since 1996. Back from that squad are defending 10K champion Hannah Chau, who won UCI's first title in that event in 19 years, along with all-conference performers Mia Marquez (400m, 4x100, 4x400), Aryel Coats (4x100, 4x400) and Amari Fraser (4x400).
 
BACK FOR MORE
Junior Zani Meaders, who redshirted the 2021 season, is back on the track for the Anteaters. Meaders was an all-conference performer in the 400m as a true freshman in 2019, and ranks third in school history with a personal-record 55.00. Two weeks ago at the UCSB Invitational, Meaders was just shy of her PR with a season-best 55.50. That time is second in the Big West and 14th in the West Region this season.
 
UP NEXT
UC Irvine will host the inaugural Vince O'Boyle Track & Field Classic at Anteater Stadium, April 1-2.