Highlander Invitational
Date: Saturday, Oct. 19
Event: 6K
Time: 8:40 a.m. (PDT)
Location: UCR Ag Ops Course - Riverside, Calif.

IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine women's cross country team will compete in the Highlander Invitational this Saturday, Oct. 19 at UC Riverside's Agricultural Operations Course. The women's 6K is slated for an 8:40 a.m. start.

Fourteen Anteaters are entered in Saturday's race - Montgomery Allison, Abby Binder, Danielle Brotcke, Stella Knobbe, Breckyn Kornachuk, Liana Lee, Olivia Liuson, Marjourie Lopez, Elizabeth Melcher, Rachel Moen, Kaitlene Ofilan, Anna Soares, Roxane Thomas and Laura Yontz.

QUICK HITS
• Anna Vogtmann owns the top 6K time in The Big West at 19:58.2.
• The Anteaters checked in at No. 11 in the latest USTFCCCA West Regional Rankings.
• The 'Eaters have 17 returners, including their top seven from the 2023 Big West and NCAA Regional meets.
• UCI also brings in a large incoming group with 13 newcomers (11 freshmen).

REGIONAL RANKINGS
UC Irvine came in at No. 11 in the latest USTFCCCA West Regional Rankings released on Oct. 7. It is the program's highest ranking in the current regional system that dates back to 2009. The Anteaters have been featured in all four West Region polls this season.

TWICE AS NICE
Senior Anna Vogtmann has been named the Big West Athlete of the Week following each of her two races this season. On Oct. 15, Vogtmann earned her second weekly award for her performance at the Bill Dellinger Invitational. Running in an elite field of 154 athletes, she clocked in at 20:51.6 to take 30th. The Folsom, California, native was also recognized after her season debut at the UC Riverside Invitational (Sept. 21), where she covered the 6K course in 19:58.2 to place third out of 223. That time is tops in The Big West in 2024, and was just under six seconds shy of her personal and school-record 19:52.8, which she set in 2022.

IN THE TOP-10
Four current Anteaters rank among the top-10 in 6K program history. Anna Vogtmann (19:52.8) and Sameen Andar (19:57.6) own the top-two spots with their personal records that were established at the 2022 Big West Championship. Makena Castillo (20:42.6) and Kaia Schmidt (20:52.6) also entered the mix this year at No. 8 and No. 10, respectively.

LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine finished seventh at the Bill Dellinger Invitational last Friday, Oct. 11, at Pine Ridge Golf Club in Springfield, Oregon. The Anteaters combined for 224 points to place among the top half of a field that featured two nationally-ranked and six regionally-ranked programs. Anna Vogtmann covered the 6K course in 20:51.6 to lead the 'Eaters for the second meet in a row. She was 30th out of 154 athletes. Kaia Schmidt was UCI's No. 2 runner, clocking in at 21:07.1 to place 44th overall. Makena Castillo was next across the line at 21:19.7 (53rd). Malia Gay (21:23.8) and Daisy Penney (21:54.7) rounded out the Anteaters' top-five scorers, while Maggie Sczupak was a few seconds behind at 21:57.4.

UP NEXT
UC Irvine will make its way back to the UCR Ag Ops Course for the third time this season as it is the host site of the 2024 Big West Championship. The women's 6K race is scheduled for a 9:15 a.m. start on Saturday, Nov. 2.