THROW-INS
3rd - UCI won a 3rd straight Big West Championship advancing in its last six matches all away from home
3-0-1 - This is UCI's 5th trip to the NCAAs entering with an overall 4-3-2 record and 3-0-1 all-time in the First Round
7 - 16 'Eaters have been part of all 3 NCAA trips, 8 played minutes each year, and 7 starters return from the 2021 UCLA win
178 - Glo Hinojosa and the defense allowed five shots on goal en route to the 2023 title and none of the final 178 minutes
85th - Fifth-year midfielder Gianna Creighton will set new program records with her 85th career match played and start
82 - UCI's frenetic scoring in a 5-1 win saw them put home four goals in a 3:20-span and three in 82 seconds at Bakersfield
 

· UC Irvine won the Big West Championship completing a three-peat, the first in program history and third in the Big West's history (CS Fullerton 2005-07 & 2013-15). In this three-year stretch, UCI has not allowed a goal in all eight matches with Glo Hinojosa in net, and won the last two seeded 5th and 6th advancing through its six most-recent matches away from home
· The Anteaters now have four Big West Championship titles with three under head coach Scott Juniper (2021, 2022, 2023) and a fourth in 1997 coming on a goal in the 143rd minute.
· Glo Hinojosa leads one of the stingier defenses in the Big West behind 35 career wins, 30 career shutouts, and 217 saves. Hinojosa stopped a penalty in the 4-1 shootout win vs. LBSU giving her five penalty kick saves all-time with three in shootouts. The 'Eaters allowed 23 goals all year with nine coming in Big West matches allowing 39 shots on goal. In the Big West Championship, UCI allowed 30 total shots, five on goal, and none on goal in 178 minutes.
· UC Irvine's offense put home 26 goals including four in a 3:20-span at Bakersfield. They're one of the higher-volume Big West attacks with 12 shots per match, 5.26 corners per match, and called for just 9.57 fouls per match with the Big West's assist leader, Tati Fung, with eight, and seven different 'Eaters with a game-winning goal led by two from Mirayah Villalpando whose done it on just three shots, one coming in UCI's first win and the other Sunday in the Final.
· Gianna Creighton has played over 7,000 minutes in her career and is 1 of 11 active Anteaters to have played over 50 career matches with Autumn Thompkins one match from joining that 50-match club. She set a program record with 84 career starts, and her next match she will play her 85th career match and set that program record as well missing just three minutes this year.
· Emilie Castagna took home Big West Championship MVP honors last week with her tireless involvement in the 'Eaters' wins while contributing an assist and one of the shootout makes. She joins Maddy Chavez (2021) and Hinojosa (2022) as MVPs during the three straight titles.

NCAA First Round at the Bruins - 6:00 PM
· UCLA and UC Irvine have a history as the two met in similar fashion in 2021 and will play on the same day of the week, time, and place. The historic First Round upset featured Hinojosa who tied a career high in saves that match and Alyssa Moore who scored the winner in the 1-0 victory in the 14th minute. It's UCI's only win at UCLA and fourth all-time, but first since 1995. UCI returns seven starters from the match and two others that came off the bench. In all, 16 Anteaters have been part of all three NCAA trips with eight earning minutes in each tourney.
· The Bruins are right where they typically find themselves at 16-1-1 and a No. 1 national seed. The defending champions were 22-2-1 last year, and had 16 wins in 2021 before UCI stopped their 26-match unbeaten streak. The matchup in August was all Bruins winning 4-0 with a 23-4 shot discrepancy and four different Bruin scorers. The sides met in the 2021 regular season, too, with a 3-1 win and similar shot discrepancy. The 2021 NCAA loss still stands as UCLA's last loss in Wallis Annenberg going 22-0-2 since outscoring opponents 65-10.
· UC Irvine finds another gear in the NCAA Tournament especially in opening round matches which they've never lost downing USC last year, UCLA in 2021, and Arizona State in 2010. A PK shootout bounced UCI in 2011 to USD, but overall, coach Juniper's program is 4-3-2 including two at-large berths in 2010 and 2011, two Sweet Sixteen trips, and away from home are 2-2-1