IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine women's cross country team returns to action this weekend as it travels to Sunnyvale, California, for the Bronco Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 14. The women's 6K is slated for a 9:30 a.m. start at Baylands Regional Park. 

QUICK HITS
• UCI has 10 individuals entered in the 6K Invitational race.
• The 'Eaters finished sixth out of 28 teams at last year's Bronco Invite.
• Anna Vogtmann led the way as she took fifth in a school-record 19:54.7.
• Vogtmann was the first Anteater to run a sub-20-minute 6K race as she topped a 14-year old standard of 20:12.5.
• UC Irvine was 14th in the USTFCCCA Preseason West Region Rankings released on Aug. 29.

LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine was last in action at the UC Riverside Invitational 6K on Sept. 16. Anna Vogtmann crossed the finish line in 20:19.0 for a career-best third-place showing in a field of 172 athletes. Sameen Andar, who was making her season debut, was four seconds behind Vogtmann, clocking in at 20:23.0 to come in sixth. Kaia Schmidt was the Anteaters' No. 3 runner in 42nd with a time of 21:31.9, while Makena Castillo was right on her heels in 43rd with a personal-record 21:32.3. Rounding out UCI's top-seven were Malia Gay (21:41.8), Montgomery Allison (21:59.9) and Rebecca Bronstein (22:08.8). As a team, the 'Eaters were fourth out of 18.

BIG WEST ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Junior Anna Vogtmann was named the Big West Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week on Sept. 19. She was recognized for her career-best third-place finish at the UC Riverside Invitational. Vogtmann made a big move over the final 2K of the UCR Ag/Ops Course, passing eight individuals to come in behind only a pair of Utah Valley runners. In her first 6K of the year, the Folsom, California, native clocked in at 20:19.0.

PHOTO FINISH
Last fall, UC Irvine claimed runner-up honors at the 2022 Big West Cross Country Championships and placed among the top-15 at the NCAA West Regional meet. The Anteaters' conference finish was their highest since 2014, but it was also a heartbreaking one as they came within one point of the program's 13th Big West title. The 'Eaters (64 points), who had four individuals in the top-11 including a league-best three All-Big West performers, were edged by Cal Poly (63) in the closest finish in conference history.

40TH ANNIVERSARY
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the inaugural Big West Women's Cross Country Championship. The 1983 meet was a significant event as it was the first women's competition sponsored by the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (renamed The Big West in 1988), and the first women's sport sponsorship by a league west of the Rockies. In addition, it was significant for UC Irvine as it was the start of a dynasty. The Anteaters beat out UC Santa Barbara and UNLV for the first of their league-leading 12 conference titles. Lisa Gonzales claimed the individual championship and she was followed by teammates Susan Zika (2nd), Judy McLaughlin (3rd), Lorraine Mercado (5th) and Jennifer Abraham (7th).

UP NEXT
UC Irvine will send a small group of student-athletes to the John Elders Invite at Cal State Fullerton on Friday, Oct. 20, before heading to Cal Poly for the Big West Championships on Friday, Oct. 27.