Anteaters Head to Mt. SAC Relays

Thursday, April 18

Walnut, Calif.

10:00 AM

UC Irvine

Mt. SAC Relays

jacob-hawkins-mtrack-2024-mt-sac-preview

Anteaters Head to Mt. SAC Relays

April 17, 2024 | Men's Track & Field

Live Results Live Stream Meet Notes

Mt. SAC Relays
Date: Thursday-Saturday (April 18-20)
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Location: Hilmer Lodge Stadium - Walnut, Calif.
Meet Info

Chris Rinne Invitational
Date: Saturday, April 20
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Location: UCR Track Facility - Riverside, Calif.
Meet Info

IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine men's track & field team makes its way to Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut for the 2024 Mt. SAC Relays this week. The Anteaters will be in action from Thursday through Saturday (April 18-20). They will also send a pair of triple jumpers to the Chris Rinne Invitational in Riverside on Saturday, April 20.

QUICK HITS
• Josh Farmer finished with a PR and Big West-leading 7,703 points in the decathlon at the Bryan Clay Invitational.
• Farmer, a two-time All-American, improved on his No. 2 mark in program history.
• Justin Willingham has broken the school record in the shot put three times this season.
• On April 6, he topped his own standard with a program-best 18.68 meters (61-3.5) at the Triton Invite.
• 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.

DECATHLON DUO
Senior Josh Farmer and junior Max Daniels both established personal bests in the decathlon at the Bryan Clay Invitational, April 11-12. Farmer finished with 7,703 points, which ranks first in the conference, second in school history, third in the region and fourth in the nation. The two-time All-American, who redshirted last season, was named The Big West Men's Field Athlete of the Week after his first decathlon since 2022. Daniels established a lifetime-best 7,435 points, which is third in the conference, 11th in the region and 12th in the nation. He ranks fifth on UCI's all-time charts in the decathlon and eighth in the long jump (7.39m/24-3).

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. On April 6, 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-three in seven of his eight 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).

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. Last weekend at the Beach Invitational, Pickett clocked a wind-aided best of 14.01 seconds. 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 returns to Anteater Stadium to host the Steve Scott Invitational, April 26-27.