FULLERTON, Calif. - Sameen Andar took home the 10,000-meter title to highlight UC Irvine's first day of the Big West Championships Friday at Titan Track Complex.
 
Andar stayed with the lead group before pulling away over the final four laps for the win. She ran a meet-record 33:44.80, finishing seven seconds ahead of the runner-up. Andar is UCI's second Big West 10K champion in the last three years, joining teammate Hannah Chau, who won it in 2021.
 
Chau (34:30.59) and Evelin Meza (35:04.48) also scored in the 10K as they placed fifth and seventh, respectively. Chau's time was a personal best and ranks sixth in program history.
 
Five hours earlier, Chau made her way onto the podium in the steeplechase as she was third in 10:31.40.
 
One week after winning the Big West heptathlon, Jolie Robinson made her way back to the podium with a runner-up showing in the long jump. Robinson had a best of 5.78m (18-11.75) in Flight 2 before kicking off the finals with a leap of 5.96m (19-6.75) to climb five spots in the standings. Reyna Johnson also scored in the event, coming in seventh at 5.85m (19-2.5).
 
Deandra Tyler put points on the board in the hammer throw where she was sixth overall with a toss of 52.92m (173-7). Sydney Gontang was unable to move on to the final but notched a personal-record 49.88m (163-7).
 
Nyla Baker was just out of scoring position in the discus, finishing ninth at 42.73m (140-2).
 
The Anteaters had eight qualifying times in Friday's preliminary track events.
 
Anna Vogtmann won Heat 1 of the 1500m with the second-fastest prelim time at 4:35.32.  
 
Mia Marquez shaved over a second off her 400m PR, clocking in at 55.64 seconds to advance to tomorrow's final. She entered UCI's all-time top-10 at No. 9.
 
All four 'Eaters in the 800m moved on to Saturday's final. In the prelims, Malia Gay (2:09.97), Alexis Alexander (2:10.29) and Cathy Salazar-Gasca (2:13.06) went 1-2-3 in Heat 1. Emma McCarthy was also a time qualifier out of Heat 2, crossing the finish line in 2:13.08.
 
For the third year in a row, Amari Fraser is a Big West finalist in both hurdle events. She was a time qualifier in the 100H with a personal-best 13.91, which is sixth among the program's all-time leaders. Fraser came back later in the day to win her 400H heat at 61.66.
 
Through seven scored events, UC Irvine sits in second with 45 points, just 7.5 behind Long Beach State. The conference meet continues tomorrow, starting with the javelin at 11:30 a.m. Action on the track is slated for a 1 p.m. start and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.