IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine men's cross country team is headed to the Inland Empire for the UC Riverside Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 16. Ten Anteaters are entered in the 8K Invitational which is slated for a 7:50 a.m. start at the UCR Ag/Ops Course.

QUICK HITS
• UCI is making its seventh consecutive appearance in the UCR Invitational.
• Last year, the Anteaters finished fifth overall.
• It was their best showing since 2016 when they also cracked the top-10.
• Joshua Schuld led the way as he was 19th out of 266 runners with an 8K personal-record 24:15.0.
• UCI's roster features eight returners and three incoming freshmen.

LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine kicked off the 2023 campaign with a third-place finish at the Big West Preview in Nipomo, California (Sept. 1). Junior Lukas Amare led the Anteaters with his fourth career top-10 showing. Amare completed the 6K course in a personal-best 18:23.9 to take seventh in a field of 109 athletes. Junior Joshua Schuld was next across the line for the 'Eaters, clocking in at 18:44.8 to come in 24th. Classmate Zeid Hussain wasn't far behind in 25th with a lifetime-best 18:49.0. Juniors Cameron Smith (18:54.7) and Juan Sanchez (18:54.8) rounded out UCI's top five.

BUILDING BLOCKS
Junior Lukas Amare is looking to build off an impressive 2022 campaign. Last fall, Amare was the first Anteater to earn All-Big West men's cross country honors in five years. He finished seventh at the conference championships in an 8K personal-record 23:56.0, which ranks third in program history. He continued to run at an elite level at the NCAA West Regional where he shattered his 10K PR at 29:51.3. That mark is tied for third among UCI's all-time leaders, making him the first 'Eater to enter the program's top-10 at that distance since 1987. 

RIDING THE MOMENTUM
In addition to Amare, UC Irvine has a handful of returners who had breakthrough moments last year. During the 2022 cross country season, Zeid Hussain tied the 8K school record with a personal-best 23:47.0 at the Bronco Invitational. Joshua Schuld also placed among the top-25 at the conference meet and ran the sixth-fastest 8K in school history (24:15.0). On the track, Jacob Bustamante took fourth in the 10K at the Big West Championships, while Cameron Smith scored in the steeplechase and 5000m. Smith also cracked UCI's all-time top-10 with a PR 8:58.24 in the steeple.

THE ROOKIES
UC Irvine has three incoming freshmen with impressive high school credentials. Juan Chantaca was a CIF State Championship qualifier in both cross country and track at San Clemente High School. Jimmy Markowicz, who prepped at St. Augustine High School in San Diego, was the 2022 Eastern League cross country champion, while he also won three league titles in the 1600m on the track. Caleb McDaniel was Mission Viejo High School's Distance Athlete of the Year after finishing second at the Sea View League Finals and advancing to the CIF State Cross Country Championships.

UP NEXT
UC Irvine will be back in action at the Bronco Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 14.