SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Hannah Chau broke her own school record in the steeplechase to highlight a strong outing by the UC Irvine women's track & field team Saturday at the UCSB Invitational.
 
Chau initially set a program-best 10:28.19 in her second career steeplechase at the 2022 Big West Championships. Making her season debut in the steeple in Santa Barbara today, Chau saw an eight-second improvement, winning the event in 10:20.11. Her mark is 16 seconds better than the second-fastest time in school history.
 
Reyna Johnson moved up two spots to No. 6 in program history in the long jump with a personal-record 19-03.5. She finished second in a field of 13 competitors. Jolie Robinson, who competed in the heptathlon on Wednesday and Thursday, took third in the long jump at 19-02.5. Robinson's lifetime best gave her sole possession of eighth on UCI's all-time charts. She added a second-place finish in the javelin (129-10).
 
Deandra Tyler earned her second event win in as many meets, finishing first in the shot put with a toss of 45-10.5. Cassious Fiaui also notched a personal-record 41-01.5 to place fourth, while Nadia Combs-Mahone was fifth (40-08.75).
 
The Anteaters took three of the top-five spots in the hammer throw. Tyler led the way with a runner-up showing (171-11). Sydney Gontang established a lifetime-best 150-09 to come in third, and Fiaui was fourth (148-10).
 
In the discus, all three 'Eaters notched personal bests. Nyla Baker was fourth at 142-02, while Combs-Mahone had another fifth-place performance (140-07). Bailey Speakman rounded out the trio in sixth (138-05).
 
Malia Gay had an individual victory in the 1500m, clocking a personal-best 4:29.98. Evelin Meza (4:33.69) and Sameen Andar (4:40.19) also set PRs and finished third and fifth, respectively.
 
UC Irvine went 1-2-3 in the 400m with Lauren Aquino taking the top spot in a lifetime-best 56.78. Sienna Frederiksen (57.20) and Amari Fraser (57.70) added personal bests.
 
Alexis Alexander paced seven Anteaters in the 800m with a personal-record 2:10.65 which was good for second in the race. Emma McCarthy was also third at 2:11.03, while Cathy Salazar-Gasca (2:11.06) and Anna Vogtmann (2:13.30) rounded out the top-five.
 
McKenna Paulson was UCI's top performer in the 5000-meter, crossing the finish line in a PR 17:29.34. Paulson was third overall. Aryel Coats contributed a third-place finish in the 200m (25.38).
 
Up next for UC Irvine is the Ross and Sharon Irwin Invitational in San Diego on Saturday, March 18.