As the temperature dipped and the calendar moved to 2022, women's basketball topped the highlights of the Winter, advancing to post-season play and recording one of the best seasons in program history.

WINTER

Women's Basketball
UC Irvine women's basketball had one of their best seasons in program history in 2021-22. The Anteaters set a school record with 14 conference victories, while tying the overall win record at 21. It was their second 20-win campaign in the last four years. The 'Eaters finished second in the conference standings and advanced to the Big West championship game for the second year in a row. They also earned the league's automatic bid to the WNIT. It was UCI's third national postseason appearance and first-ever WNIT berth.

Sophomore Kayla Williams was named to the All-Big West First Team, while sophomore Chloe Webb garnered honorable mention recognition. Hunter Hernandez and Olivia Williams were also Big West All-Freshman Team selections.

Men's Basketball
The Anteaters ended with a 15-10 overall record, tying for fourth place in another year full of challenges. UC Irvine played 25 games, second-fewest in the nation and in nearly half of them, the Anteaters held opponents under 60 points, going 11-0 in those games. UCI had the 28th-toughest schedule against Division I opponents.

The UCI defense was once again stellar ranking No. 1 in the nation at defending the three-pointer, allowing opponents to shoot 26.2% from beyond the arc. UCI allowed just 60.3 points per game, ninth-lowest in the NCAA, and was top 25 in field goal defense and free throw percentage as well.
 
Forward Collin Welp closed out his outstanding career with NABC first team All-District honors, joining Jerry Green (2002) as the only two to earn the accolade. Welp became the first in program history to be named All-Big West First Team three times. He finished as 1 of 7 Anteaters to record over 1,000 points and 700 rebounds, placing eighth in the UCI career records for both categories (1,490 points and 715 rebounds). The senior led the conference in free-throw shooting at 86.5% and was 11th averaging 13.8 points per game overall. He earned Big West Player of the Week twice.

Guard Dawson Baker was an All-Big West honorable mention selection after averaging 11.2 points in 19 games. He had 10 games with double-digit scoring, including a career-high 24 points in a victory at CSUN. Guard DJ Davis also recorded a career-best 24 points in a 66-61 victory at CSU Bakersfield in the regular season finale. He went 7-13 from the floor, including 4-8 from three-point range and was clutch at the line, hitting 6-6. Davis was efficient with 24 points in 26 minutes of action.

Women's Indoor Track & Field
In four meets, UC Irvine women's indoor track & field set 21 marks that rank among the program's all-time top-10. The distance medley relay squad, comprised of sophomore Cathy Salazar-Gasca, sophomore Amari Fraser, graduate student Emma McCarthy and freshman Anna Vogtmann led the way with a school-record time of 11:46.87 at the MPSF Championships.

As a team, the Anteaters finished eighth at the indoor conference meet. True freshman Reyna Johnson had a third-place finish in both the 60m hurdles and the long jump where she set a lifetime-best 18-04.5 to move into a tie for second in program history. Fraser, senior Zani Meaders, sophomore Mia Marquez and graduate student Jennifer Daly also took third in the 4x400 relay, while junior Hannah Chau was fourth in the 5000m.