UC Irvine Set for Busy Week with Four Local Meets

Thursday, April 11

Long Beach, Calif.

8:00 AM

UC Irvine

Pacific Coast Intercollegiate

UC Irvine Set for Busy Week with Four Local Meets

April 10, 2024 | Men's Track & Field

Bryan Clay Invitational
Date: Thursday-Saturday (April 11-13)
Location: Cougar Stadium - Azusa, Calif.
Watch on FloTrack | Live Results | Meet Info/Schedule

Pacific Coast Intercollegiate
Date: Thursday, April 11
Location: Jack Rose Track - Long Beach, Calif.
Live Results | Meet Info/Schedule

Leopard Distance Carnival
Date: Friday, April 12
Location: Ortmayer Stadium - La Verne, Calif.
Live Results | Meet Info/Schedule

Beach Invitational
Date: Friday-Saturday (April 12-13)
Location: Jack Rose Track - Long Beach, Calif.
Live Results | Meet Info/Schedule

Meet Notes

IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine men's track & field team has four local meets on the docket this week. The Anteaters are set to compete in the decathlon and select distance events at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, April 11-13. The sprints, hurdles, jumps and throws will make their way to Long Beach for the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate (April 11) and Beach Invitational (April 12-13). The 'Eaters will also send a contingent to La Verne for the Leopard Distance Carnival Meet on Friday, April 12.

QUICK HITS
• Justin Willingham has broken the school record in the shot put three times this season.
• Last Saturday, he topped his own standard with a program-best 18.68 meters (61-3.5).
• Jacob Hawkins took down a 41-year-old discus school record with a toss of 59.03m (193-8) at the Challenge Cup.
• Liam Miksic, the reigning Big West champion in the javelin, established a PR 65.85 (216-0) at the Beach Opener.
• Miksic is a two-time all-conference performer and NCAA Regional qualifier.
• Josh Farmer is a two-time All-American in the decathlon and is back for his senior season after redshirting in 2023.
• Max Daniels concluded his first decathlon as an Anteater with a PR 7,196 points at the UCR Spring Classic.

LETTING IT FLY
Senior Justin Willingham broke a nine-year-old school record in the shot put at the Ben Brown Invitational where he had a then personal-best 18.62 meters (61-1.25). He bettered that mark at the Vince O'Boyle Classic with a toss of 18.65m (61-2.25), which earned him Big West Men's Field Athlete of the Week honors. Last Saturday, Willingham saw another improvement, hitting 18.68m (61-3.5) at the Triton Invitational. He is the second Anteater to surpass 60 feet, joining Mason Miller, who had a best of 18.44m (60-6) in 2015. Willingham has placed among the top-two in each of his six shot put competitions with three individual victories. He also established a PR 54.87m (180-0) to rank seventh in program history in the discus.

MAKING HISTORY
At the Challenge Cup on March 15, junior Jacob Hawkins broke a 41-year-old school record in the discus with a personal-best 59.03 meters (193-8). He topped the previous standard of 58.44m, which was set by Ken Mills back in 1983. At the same meet, Hawkins also established a lifetime-best 17.83m (58-6) in the shot put, which ranks fifth in program history. He won both events and was named The Big West Men's Field Athlete of the Week for his effort. Hawkins added an individual victory in the discus at the Vince O'Boyle Classic (March 29) and Aztec Invite (March 23).

DECATHLON DUO
Senior Josh Farmer and junior Max Daniels are entered in the decathlon at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Daniels completed his first decathlon as an Anteater at the UCR Spring Classic Multis, March 21-22. He finished with a personal-record 7,196 points, which ranks eighth in program history. He also cracked UCI's all-time top-10 in the long jump, notching a lifetime-best 7.34m (24-1). Farmer is back from a redshirt season after qualifying for the NCAA Championships and earning second-team All-America honors in 2021 and 2022.

REIGNING CHAMP
At the Beach Opener on March 1, junior Liam Miksic, who won the Anteaters' first Big West men's javelin title last year, improved on his No. 2 mark in program history with a PR 65.85m (216-0). Junior transfer Logan Peyton also threw for 63.40m (208-0), which ranks third among UC Irvine's all-time leaders. Peyton was a 2023 NCAA Division II All-American at Azusa Pacific.

OUT OF THE BLOCKS
Senior Drew Pickett and junior Jarel Sayles both have earned All-Big West honors in their careers and rank among the top-10 in program history in the 110m hurdles. At the Vince O'Boyle Classic, Sayles ran a 110H personal-record 14.23 (No. 9), while Pickett's PR of 14.08 from last season sits at No. 6. Freshman Roman Mendoza, who was the 2023 CIF-Southern Section champion in the 110H at Santa Margarita Catholic High School, leads UCI in the 400H with a season-best 53.48.

GOING THE DISTANCE
The Anteaters have a seasoned distance crew, returning all four conference scorers from a year ago. Junior Jacob Bustamante had a fourth-place finish in the 10K, while senior Cameron Smith placed among the top-eight in the steeplechase and 5K. Junior Joshua Schuld was also fifth in the steeple and junior Zeid Hussain was seventh in the 10K. In addition, UCI welcomes back junior Lukas Amare, who redshirted the 2023 campaign. Entering the mix are freshmen Juan Chantaca and Jimmy Markowicz.

AT A GLANCE
The 'Eaters return 16 letterwinners from last year's team that finished sixth at the Big West Championships. UCI also welcomes back three key members of the squad who redshirted the 2023 campaign and brings in 12 newcomers to bolster its roster.

UP NEXT
UC Irvine will compete in the Mt. SAC Relays (April 18-20) and the Chris Rinne Invitational (April 20).