Thursday, May 23
Fayetteville, Ark.
3:30 PM PT
UC Irvine
at
NCAA West First Round
UCI Set for NCAA West First Round This Week
May 21, 2024 | Women's Track & Field
NCAA West First Rounds
Dates: Thursday, May 23 & Saturday, May 25
Location: John McDonnell Field - Fayetteville, Ark.
Meet Information
IRVINE, Calif. -Β UC Irvine women's track & field is sending three student-athletes to Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the NCAA West First Round, May 22-25. All of the women's events will be contested Thursday and Saturday at John McDonnell Field on the University of Arkansas campus.
Β
The top-12 finishers in each individual event will advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, June 5-8, in Eugene, Oregon.
Β
QUICK HITS
β’ The Anteaters claimed runner-up honors at the Big West Championships for their best conference finish since 1996.
β’ It was a close race as they were only 11.75 points behind team champion Cal Poly.
β’ Kailah McKenzie was tabbed the Big West Women's co-Freshman of the Year, a first for the UCI women's program.
β’ McKenzie won the conference title in the high jump and made her way onto the podium in the long jump (3rd).
β’ Deandra Tyler was the Big West runner-up in the shot put, marking her third career all-conference performance.
β’ Sameen Andar also secured her second-straight All-Big West honor in the 10K where she took third.
β’ For the second year in a row, Jolie Robinson was named the Big West Women's Field Athlete of the Meet.
β’ Robinson defended her title in the heptathlon, whileΒ taking second in the long jump and fifth in the javelin.
Β
SAMEEN ANDAR // 10,000mΒ // Junior // 5-2 // San Ramon, Calif. // Major: Biological Sciences
β’ Sameen Andar is making her second trip to the NCAA West First Round in the 10K.
β’ As a sophomore in 2023, Andar ran a then personal-record 33:20.89 to place 18th in the region.
β’ In her first 10K of the 2024 campaign, she clocked a new PR of 33:07.48 at the Bryan Clay Invitational (April 11).
β’ She made a 13-second improvement on her No. 2 time in UCI history and was only .38 seconds off the school record.
β’ Andar took home the Anteaters' first Big West Women's Track Athlete of the Week award since 2021 for her effort.
β’ She went on to finish third in the 10K at the Big West Championships.
β’ Last year, Andar was the Big West 10K champion and broke a 37-year-old 5K school record (16:13.12).
β’ She is also a two-time all-conference performer in cross country.
Β
KAILAH MCKENZIE // High Jump // Freshman // 5-5 // Moreno Valley, Calif. // Major: Undeclared
β’ Kailah McKenzie was named the Big West Women's co-Freshman of the Year on May 17.
β’ McKenzie won the Anteaters' first conference title in the women's high jump since 2009.
β’ She cleared the winning height of 1.76 meters (5-9.25) on her third attempt.
β’ It was just shy of her personal-record 1.77m (5-9.75), which she set at the Steve Scott Invitational on April 27.
β’ McKenzie earned Big West Women's Field Athlete of the Week honors for that performance.
β’ She has placed among the top-five in all six of her high jump competitions with four individual victories.
β’ McKenzie also garnered all-conference honors in the long jump.
β’ She took third at the Big West Championships with a lifetime-best 6.10m (20-0.25).
β’ McKenzie ranks third in school history in the high jump and fifth in the long jump.
Β
DEANDRA TYLER // Shot Put // Senior // 5-7 // Atascadero, Calif. // Major: Public Health Policy
β’ Deandra Tyler will be making her NCAA debut this week.
β’ Tyler is a three-time all-conference performer as the Big West shot put runner-up in each of the last three seasons.
β’ Two weeks ago, she tied for first at the conference championships with a toss of 14.83m (48-8).
β’ The tiebreaker came down to her second best throw where she was edged out by CSUN's Emily Hutchinson.
β’ Tyler owns six individual victories in the shot put this year, including in her first five meets of the 2024 campaign.
β’ She established a season-best and NCAA qualifying mark of 15.33m (50-3.5) at the Ben Brown Invite on March 9.
β’ Tyler currently ranks third in program history with a personal-record 15.38m (50-5.5).
Dates: Thursday, May 23 & Saturday, May 25
Location: John McDonnell Field - Fayetteville, Ark.
Meet Information
IRVINE, Calif. -Β UC Irvine women's track & field is sending three student-athletes to Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the NCAA West First Round, May 22-25. All of the women's events will be contested Thursday and Saturday at John McDonnell Field on the University of Arkansas campus.
Β
The top-12 finishers in each individual event will advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, June 5-8, in Eugene, Oregon.
Β
QUICK HITS
β’ The Anteaters claimed runner-up honors at the Big West Championships for their best conference finish since 1996.
β’ It was a close race as they were only 11.75 points behind team champion Cal Poly.
β’ Kailah McKenzie was tabbed the Big West Women's co-Freshman of the Year, a first for the UCI women's program.
β’ McKenzie won the conference title in the high jump and made her way onto the podium in the long jump (3rd).
β’ Deandra Tyler was the Big West runner-up in the shot put, marking her third career all-conference performance.
β’ Sameen Andar also secured her second-straight All-Big West honor in the 10K where she took third.
β’ For the second year in a row, Jolie Robinson was named the Big West Women's Field Athlete of the Meet.
β’ Robinson defended her title in the heptathlon, whileΒ taking second in the long jump and fifth in the javelin.
Β
SAMEEN ANDAR // 10,000mΒ // Junior // 5-2 // San Ramon, Calif. // Major: Biological Sciences
β’ Sameen Andar is making her second trip to the NCAA West First Round in the 10K.
β’ As a sophomore in 2023, Andar ran a then personal-record 33:20.89 to place 18th in the region.
β’ In her first 10K of the 2024 campaign, she clocked a new PR of 33:07.48 at the Bryan Clay Invitational (April 11).
β’ She made a 13-second improvement on her No. 2 time in UCI history and was only .38 seconds off the school record.
β’ Andar took home the Anteaters' first Big West Women's Track Athlete of the Week award since 2021 for her effort.
β’ She went on to finish third in the 10K at the Big West Championships.
β’ Last year, Andar was the Big West 10K champion and broke a 37-year-old 5K school record (16:13.12).
β’ She is also a two-time all-conference performer in cross country.
Β
KAILAH MCKENZIE // High Jump // Freshman // 5-5 // Moreno Valley, Calif. // Major: Undeclared
β’ Kailah McKenzie was named the Big West Women's co-Freshman of the Year on May 17.
β’ McKenzie won the Anteaters' first conference title in the women's high jump since 2009.
β’ She cleared the winning height of 1.76 meters (5-9.25) on her third attempt.
β’ It was just shy of her personal-record 1.77m (5-9.75), which she set at the Steve Scott Invitational on April 27.
β’ McKenzie earned Big West Women's Field Athlete of the Week honors for that performance.
β’ She has placed among the top-five in all six of her high jump competitions with four individual victories.
β’ McKenzie also garnered all-conference honors in the long jump.
β’ She took third at the Big West Championships with a lifetime-best 6.10m (20-0.25).
β’ McKenzie ranks third in school history in the high jump and fifth in the long jump.
Β
DEANDRA TYLER // Shot Put // Senior // 5-7 // Atascadero, Calif. // Major: Public Health Policy
β’ Deandra Tyler will be making her NCAA debut this week.
β’ Tyler is a three-time all-conference performer as the Big West shot put runner-up in each of the last three seasons.
β’ Two weeks ago, she tied for first at the conference championships with a toss of 14.83m (48-8).
β’ The tiebreaker came down to her second best throw where she was edged out by CSUN's Emily Hutchinson.
β’ Tyler owns six individual victories in the shot put this year, including in her first five meets of the 2024 campaign.
β’ She established a season-best and NCAA qualifying mark of 15.33m (50-3.5) at the Ben Brown Invite on March 9.
β’ Tyler currently ranks third in program history with a personal-record 15.38m (50-5.5).
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Hurdles/Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Heptathlon
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & FieldWednesday, January 21
Tuesday, October 28
Tuesday, March 18
Wednesday, March 05
