Friday, March 8
Fullerton, Calif.
12:30 PM
UC Irvine
at
Ben Brown Invitational
UC Irvine Heads to Fullerton for Ben Brown Invite
March 07, 2024 | Women's Track & Field
at Ben Brown Invitational
Date: March 8-9 (Friday-Saturday)
Location: Titan Track Complex - Fullerton, Calif.
Meet Schedule
IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine women's track & field team is back in action this weekend when it makes the short trip to Cal State Fullerton for the Ben Brown Invitational, March 8-9. The hammer, long jump, pole vault and javelin will be contested Friday afternoon, while the distance events are slated for the evening. The remainder of the meet will take place on Saturday with both the track and field events getting underway at noon.
QUICK HITS
• The Anteaters will compete at the Ben Brown Invitational for the first time since 2021.
• Two throwers combined for three top-10 marks in the season opener at Long Beach State last weekend.
• Nyla Baker set PRs in the shot put (6th) and discus (10th), while DeAna Davis did the same in the hammer (10th).
• Jolie Robinson (Heptathlon) & Sameen Andar (10K) are the reigning Big West champions in their respective events.
• Robinson was named the 2023 Big West Women's Field Athlete of the Year and Field Athlete of the Meet.
• Andar qualified for the NCAA First Round where she clocked a personal-record 33:20.89.
• Reyna Johnson also advanced to the 2023 NCAA First Round in the long jump.
AT A GLANCE
The Anteaters welcome back 35 letterwinners from last year's team that finished fourth at the Big West Championships. They return nearly 70% of their conference scoring from 2023, including both of their Big West champions in Jolie Robinson (Heptathlon) and Sameen Andar (10K). UCI also brings in 18 newcomers who will add depth to the already solid foundation that has been built.
"I am excited about the diversity of our team when it comes to the ability to contribute to the vast array of events and the depth we have," said head coach Jeff Perkins. "The level of experience we have returning is important to bestow upon our younger group, allowing them to understand the pathway to success."
THROWS
Senior Deandra Tyler will once again anchor the throws squad. Tyler, a three-time conference scorer and two-time Big West runner-up in the shot put, started off the season with an individual victory at the Beach Opener. She topped the field by over four feet with a toss of 15.25m (50-0.5). Tyler ranks third in program history in the shot put (15.38m/50-5.5) and sixth in the hammer (53.44m/175-4). Sophomore Nyla Baker was the runner-up in the shot put (13.89m/45-7) and discus (47.55m/156-0) last Saturday. Both marks were PRs and rank among the top-10 in program history. Sophomore DeAna Davis was UCI's top performer in the hammer throw, coming in third with a lifetime-best 53.32m (174-11).
MULTIS
UC Irvine returns the 2023 Big West Women's Field Athlete of the Year in junior Jolie Robinson. Robinson won the conference title in the heptathlon, while also finishing second in the long jump and seventh in the javelin at the Big West meet last season. She ranks among the top-10 in program history in all three events. UCI also added junior Jazzmine Davis in the multis. As a sophomore at Cerritos College, Davis was the 2023 California Community College Athletic Association state champion in the heptathlon.
DISTANCE
Junior Sameen Andar is UC Irvine's top returner in the distance events. Andar is the reigning Big West champion in the 10K and was third in the 5K last season. Andar broke a 37-year-old school record in the 5K with a time of 16:13.12 at the 2023 Steve Scott Invitational. Junior Malia Gay also earned All-Big West honors in the 800m, while classmate Anna Vogtmann scored in the 1500m after claiming runner-up honors in 2022.
SPRINTS & HURDLES
Senior Mia Marquez leads the sprinters after scoring in the 400m at the 2023 Big West Championships. She ran a personal-record 55.52 in the conference finals to move up to No. 6 in program history. Senior Alexis Alexander was also fourth in the 800m at last year's Big West meet and ranks sixth in school history, while freshman Hallena Sutherland is coming off an impressive indoor season in the short sprints. Junior Reyna Johnson and freshman Kailah McKenzie anchor the hurdles crew.
JUMPS
A trio of long jumpers headline the jumps group. Jolie Robinson was the Big West runner-up last season, while Reyna Johnson qualified for the 2023 NCAA First Round. Johnson ranks third in program history with a best of 6.12 meters and Robinson is right behind her in fourth at 5.97m. Kailah McKenzie is expected to make an immediate impact after advancing to the 2023 CIF State Finals in both the long jump and high jump at Orange Vista High School.
UP NEXT
UC Irvine returns to Fullerton next week for the Challenge Cup on Friday, March 15.
Date: March 8-9 (Friday-Saturday)
Location: Titan Track Complex - Fullerton, Calif.
Meet Schedule
IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine women's track & field team is back in action this weekend when it makes the short trip to Cal State Fullerton for the Ben Brown Invitational, March 8-9. The hammer, long jump, pole vault and javelin will be contested Friday afternoon, while the distance events are slated for the evening. The remainder of the meet will take place on Saturday with both the track and field events getting underway at noon.
QUICK HITS
• The Anteaters will compete at the Ben Brown Invitational for the first time since 2021.
• Two throwers combined for three top-10 marks in the season opener at Long Beach State last weekend.
• Nyla Baker set PRs in the shot put (6th) and discus (10th), while DeAna Davis did the same in the hammer (10th).
• Jolie Robinson (Heptathlon) & Sameen Andar (10K) are the reigning Big West champions in their respective events.
• Robinson was named the 2023 Big West Women's Field Athlete of the Year and Field Athlete of the Meet.
• Andar qualified for the NCAA First Round where she clocked a personal-record 33:20.89.
• Reyna Johnson also advanced to the 2023 NCAA First Round in the long jump.
AT A GLANCE
The Anteaters welcome back 35 letterwinners from last year's team that finished fourth at the Big West Championships. They return nearly 70% of their conference scoring from 2023, including both of their Big West champions in Jolie Robinson (Heptathlon) and Sameen Andar (10K). UCI also brings in 18 newcomers who will add depth to the already solid foundation that has been built.
"I am excited about the diversity of our team when it comes to the ability to contribute to the vast array of events and the depth we have," said head coach Jeff Perkins. "The level of experience we have returning is important to bestow upon our younger group, allowing them to understand the pathway to success."
THROWS
Senior Deandra Tyler will once again anchor the throws squad. Tyler, a three-time conference scorer and two-time Big West runner-up in the shot put, started off the season with an individual victory at the Beach Opener. She topped the field by over four feet with a toss of 15.25m (50-0.5). Tyler ranks third in program history in the shot put (15.38m/50-5.5) and sixth in the hammer (53.44m/175-4). Sophomore Nyla Baker was the runner-up in the shot put (13.89m/45-7) and discus (47.55m/156-0) last Saturday. Both marks were PRs and rank among the top-10 in program history. Sophomore DeAna Davis was UCI's top performer in the hammer throw, coming in third with a lifetime-best 53.32m (174-11).
MULTIS
UC Irvine returns the 2023 Big West Women's Field Athlete of the Year in junior Jolie Robinson. Robinson won the conference title in the heptathlon, while also finishing second in the long jump and seventh in the javelin at the Big West meet last season. She ranks among the top-10 in program history in all three events. UCI also added junior Jazzmine Davis in the multis. As a sophomore at Cerritos College, Davis was the 2023 California Community College Athletic Association state champion in the heptathlon.
DISTANCE
Junior Sameen Andar is UC Irvine's top returner in the distance events. Andar is the reigning Big West champion in the 10K and was third in the 5K last season. Andar broke a 37-year-old school record in the 5K with a time of 16:13.12 at the 2023 Steve Scott Invitational. Junior Malia Gay also earned All-Big West honors in the 800m, while classmate Anna Vogtmann scored in the 1500m after claiming runner-up honors in 2022.
SPRINTS & HURDLES
Senior Mia Marquez leads the sprinters after scoring in the 400m at the 2023 Big West Championships. She ran a personal-record 55.52 in the conference finals to move up to No. 6 in program history. Senior Alexis Alexander was also fourth in the 800m at last year's Big West meet and ranks sixth in school history, while freshman Hallena Sutherland is coming off an impressive indoor season in the short sprints. Junior Reyna Johnson and freshman Kailah McKenzie anchor the hurdles crew.
JUMPS
A trio of long jumpers headline the jumps group. Jolie Robinson was the Big West runner-up last season, while Reyna Johnson qualified for the 2023 NCAA First Round. Johnson ranks third in program history with a best of 6.12 meters and Robinson is right behind her in fourth at 5.97m. Kailah McKenzie is expected to make an immediate impact after advancing to the 2023 CIF State Finals in both the long jump and high jump at Orange Vista High School.
UP NEXT
UC Irvine returns to Fullerton next week for the Challenge Cup on Friday, March 15.
Players Mentioned
Middle Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Heptathlon
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Hurdles/Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Hurdles/Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Heptathlon
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
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