IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine women's track & field team will bring in 26 newcomers for the 2024-25 season.
 
"With the addition of some major talent, this could be one of the better women's teams we have had in some time here at UC Irvine," head coach Jeff Perkins said. "This incoming class allows us to continue to push for a team championship."
 

Jayla Addison | Freshman | Distance | Carondelet HS
Jayla Addison lettered in cross country and track & field at Carondelet High School. As a senior, she was a CIF State Championship qualifier in the 800m. Addison won the event at the East Bay Athletic League Finals, was the runner-up at the NCS Tri-Valley Area Championship and took third at the CIF North Coast Section Meet of Champions. She also ran a personal-record 2:14.36 in an individual victory at the 2024 Sacramento Meet of Champions.
 
Addison's Personal Bests
400m = 58.50
800m = 2:14.36
 
 
Danielle Brotcke | Freshman | Distance | Newbury Park HS
Danielle Brotcke lettered in cross country and track all four years at Newbury Park High School. In cross country, Brotcke had three top-eight showings at the Marmonte League Finals with a high finish of sixth in 2023. She also competed in the CIF State Cross Country Championships as a sophomore, junior and senior. On the track, Brotcke advanced to the CIF-Southern Section Division I meet in the 800m and 1600m.
 
Brotcke's Personal Bests
800m = 2:19.54
1500m = 4:50.64
1600m = 5:08.11
 
 
Nicole Contreras | Junior | Distance | CSUN (Kennedy HS)
Nicole Contreras competed two years on the cross country and track & field teams at fellow Big West member CSUN. As a sophomore in 2024, she ran a personal-record 2:15.85 in the 800m at the Trojan Invite. During the indoor season, Contreras scored at the MPSF Championships with a sixth-place showing in the mile. She also scored in the 1500m at the 2023 Big West Championships (8th), while coming in fourth at the UCSB Invitational with a lifetime-best 4:34.49.
 
Contreras lettered in cross country, track & field and soccer at Kennedy High School. On the track, she was the 2018 and 2019 Mission League runner-up in the 1600m. She was also a member of the relay team that won the 4x800 at the L.A. City Final.
 
Contreras' Personal Bests
800m = 2:15.85
1500m = 4:34.49
3000m = 10:12.68
5000m = 17:29.99
 
 
Esmeray Demirbas | Junior | Sprints/Hurdles/Jumps | Orange Coast College (Earl Marriott Secondary School)
Esmeray Demirbas made a big impact in one season at Orange Coast College. She competed in four events at the 2024 3C2A State Championships, highlighted by a first-place finish in the high jump. She was also the runner-up in the 400m hurdles, third in the 400m and helped the 4x400 relay to an eighth-place showing. At both the Southern California Championships and Orange Empire Conference Championships, Demirbas won the 400H and high jump.

Prior to her time at OCC, Demirbas played basketball at Westcliff University in Irvine. She prepped at Earl Marriott Secondary School in Surrey, British Columbia.
 
Demirbas' Personal Bests
400m = 55.76
400m Hurdles = 61.89
High Jump = 1.65m (5-5)
 

Cynthia Herrera | Freshman | Distance | Canyon HS
Cynthia Herrera lettered four years in cross country and track & field at Canyon High School. As a senior, Herrera claimed the Foothill League individual cross country title. She went on to place eighth at the CIF-Southern Section Division Finals and 16th at the CIF State Championships. Herrera was also among the top-six at the league meet in 2021 and 2022. On the track, Herrera was the 2024 league runner-up in the 1600m and took third in the 3200m. She established a 3200m personal-record 10:53.38 at the CIF-Southern Section Finals.
 
Herrera's Personal Bests
1600m = 5:06.73
3200m = 10:53.38
 
 
Arden Keeton | Freshman | Distance | Calabasas HS
Arden Keeton graduated from Calabasas High School where she was a member of both the cross country and track & field teams. As a senior, Keeton advanced to the CIF State Championships in the 800m. She was also the Marmonte League runner-up and placed seventh at the CIF-Southern Section Finals. In addition, Keeton broke the school record in the 1600m and 3200m. Keeton previously attended Golden Valley High School where she was a member of the Foothill League champion 4x400 relay and an all-league performer in cross country.
 
Keeton's Personal Bests
800m = 2:13.41
1600m = 5:06.88
3200m = 11:22.84
 
 
Breckyn Kornachuk | Freshman | Distance | Lakeridge HS
Breckyn Kornachuk lettered in cross country and track at Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego, Oregon. In cross country, she was a two-time OSAA 6A State Championship qualifier, posting a high finish of 17th as a junior. She also placed third at the 6A-5 Three Rivers League Championship in 2022 and was 10th in 2023. On the track, Kornachuk was a state qualifier in the 1500m.
 
Kornachuk's Personal Bests
800m = 2:20.81
1500m = 4:45.52
3000m = 10:17.21
 
 
Kailey Lai | Freshman | Distance | Minnetonka HS
Kailey Lai lettered in cross country, track & field and swimming at Minnetonka High School in Minnesota. As a junior, she won the 1600m at the Lake Conference Championships. Lai went on to finish fifth in the 1600m and sixth in the 3200m at the MSHSL Section 2AAA Championships. Her team won the AAA State Championship in track & field.
 
Lai's Personal Bests
1600m = 5:12.73
3200m = 11:23.81
 
 
Hailey Lauifi | Freshman | Throws | Helix HS
Hailey Lauifi was a four-year letterwinner in track & field at Helix High School. As a senior, Lauifi qualified for the CIF State Championships in the shot put after finishing third at the CIF-San Diego Section meet with a personal-best 12.09 meters (39-8). She placed among the top-four at the Grossmont Conference Finals all four years with a high showing of second in 2023. Lauifi was also a three-time league champion in the discus.
 
H. Lauifi's Personal Bests
Shot Put = 12.09m (39-8)
Discus = 37.54m (123-2)
 
 
Leilah Lauifi | Freshman | Throws | Helix HS
Leilah Lauifi lettered four years in track & field at Helix High School. She was the 2024 Grossmont Conference runner-up in both the shot put and discus. She went on to place fourth in the shot put at the CIF-San Diego Section Championships. As a junior. Lauifi took third at league and fourth at the CIF-SDS meet in the shot put.
 
L. Lauifi's Personal Bests
Shot Put = 11.97m (39-3.5)
Discus = 35.05m (115-0)
 
 
Liana Lee | Freshman | Distance | Dougherty Valley HS
Liana Lee was a four-year letterwinner in cross country and track & field at Dougherty Valley High School. Lee competed at the CIF State Cross Country Championships in three consecutive seasons with a high finish of 31st as a senior. She also claimed the 2023 East Bay Athletic League individual title and was the runner-up at the CIF North Coast Section Championship. On the track, Lee finished third in the 1600m and 3200m at the EBAL Championships as a junior. In addition, she placed among the top-seven in the 1600m at the CIF North Coast Section Meet of Champions in 2023 and 2024.
 
Lee's Personal Bests
1600m = 5:05.68
3200m = 10:57.70
 
 
Mikah Longcob | Freshman | Sprints | Trabuco Hills HS
Mikah Longcob competed on the track & field team at Trabuco Hills High School. As a senior, she led the Mustangs to the South Coast League championship with individual titles in the 200m, 400m, 4x100 and 4x400. Longcob advanced to the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 meet in the 400m in 2023 and 2024.
 
Longcob's Personal Bests
200m = 25.19
400m = 57.40
 
 
Marjourie Lopez | Sophomore | Distance | USC (Shadow Hills HS)
Marjourie Lopez was a member of the cross country and track & field team at USC in 2023-24. In her first collegiate season, she finished third in the 10000m at the Mt. SAC Relays and was the 5000m runner-up at the 44 Farms Team Invitational.
 
Lopez prepped at Shadow Hills High School. She was the 2021 and 2022 Desert Empire League cross country 3-mile champion. She ran a 3-mile school-record 17:06.2 at the ASICS Temecula Twilight Meet. Lopez went on to finish ninth at the 2022 CIF State Cross Country Championships. On the track, she won the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 title in the 3200m.
 
Lopez's Personal Bests
1500m = 4:50.89
3000m = 10:07.19
5000m = 17:31.71
10000m = 36:32.25
 
 
Cocome McKamey | Junior | Heptathlon | Cal Poly Humboldt (Santa Rosa HS)
Cocome McKamey spent the last two years at Cal Poly Humboldt. She was the 2024 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) champion in the heptathlon. McKamey also finished third in the 4x400 relay, ninth in the long jump, 10th in the high jump and 10th in the 100m hurdles at the conference meet. McKamey prepped at Santa Rosa High School where she was the 2022 league and NCS Redwood Empire Area champion in the 100m hurdles and 4x400.
 
McKamey's Personal Bests
100m Hurdles = 14.68
High Jump = 1.61m (5-3.25)
Long Jump = 5.60m (18-4.5)
Heptathlon = 5,075 points
 
 
Luz Mercado | Graduate Student | Distance | Saint Mary's (Eastlake HS)
Luz Mercado competed in cross country and track & field at Saint Mary's in 2023-24. She was previously at Cal State San Marcos where she earned her undergraduate degree. During her time with the Cougars, Mercado was an NCAA Division II Track & Field Championship qualifier in the 800m. She was also a three-time all-league performer and was named the 2022-23 CSUSM Women's Track & Field Student-Athlete of the Year. Mercado matched the school record in the 800m (2:09.68) and broke San Marcos' indoor mile record (4:58.36).
 
Mercado prepped at Eastlake High School where she was the 2018 cross country league champion and MVP as well as the 2019 league champion in the 800m, 1600m and 4x400.
 
Mercado's Personal Bests
400m = 56.40
800m = 2:07.53
1500m = 4:34.29
 
 
Rachel Moen | Freshman | Distance | Campolindo HS
Rachel Moen was a two-year letterwinner in cross country and track at Campolindo High School. She was a member of the Cougars' cross country squad that competed at the 2022 and 2023 CIF State Championships as well as the 2022 NXN Nike Cross Nationals. Moen had a high finish of 13th at the state meet and sixth at the Diablo League Championships as a junior. On the track, she competed primarily in the 3200m where she was seventh at league and fifth at the NCS Tri-Valley Area Championships in 2024.
 
Moen's Personal Bests
1600m = 5:18.38
3200m = 11:10.11
 
 
Ihe Okoh | Freshman | Sprints | Franklin HS
Ihe Okoh was a four-year letterwinner at Franklin High School in Elk Grove, California. As a senior, she defended her 400m title at the CIF-Sac Joaquin Section Division I Championships and Masters Meet. She advanced to the CIF State Championships in the 400m and 4x400 relay. As a junior, Okoh finished 14th in the 400m at the state meet. She also brought home the Delta League title in the 200m, 4x100 and 4x400.
 
Okoh's Personal Bests
200m = 25.06
400m = 55.38
 
 
Kathleen Overbaugh | Graduate Student | Sprints | Boston U (Northwood HS)
Kathleen Overbaugh graduated from Boston University with a bachelor's degree in business administration and management. She competed primarily in the 200m, 400m and 4x400 for the Terriers. Overbaugh ran an outdoor 400m personal-best 61.76 in a runner-up showing at the UMass Lowell Invitational. She prepped at Northwood High School in Irvine where she was a CIF-Southern Section Division 2 qualifier in the 200m, 400m, 4x100 and 4x400.
 
Overbaugh's Personal Bests
200m = 26.97
400m = 61.76
 
 
Jacqueline Pan | Freshman | Distance | Mills HS
Jacqueline Pan competed in both cross country and track & field at Mills High School in Millbrae, California. She was a two-time CIF Division 4 State Cross Country Championship qualifier with a high finish of 13th as a senior. She was also the Peninsula Athletic League runner-up and took third at the CIF Central Coast Section Championships. On the track, Pan was the 2024 league champion in the 3200m, while she placed third in the 1600m and 4x400. She went on to take fourth in the 3200m at the CIF-Central Coast Section meet.
 
Pan's Personal Bests
1600m = 5:07.71
3200m = 10:53.66
 
 
Daisy Penney | Freshman | Distance | Campolindo HS
Daisy Penney was a member of the Campolindo High School cross country team that won back-to-back CIF Division 3 State Championships in 2021 and 2022, and that claimed runner-up honors in 2023. As a senior, Penney had a top-20 individual showing at the state meet. She was an All-NorCal honorable mention selection and earned her third career all-league honor. On the track, Penney took fifth in the 1600m and 3200m at the 2024 Diablo Athletic League Finals.
 
Penney's Personal Bests
1600m = 5:05.50
3200m = 11:01.54
 
 
Lauren Scarpelli | Freshman | Pole Vault | Sage Creek HS
Lauren Scarpelli was a four-year letterwinner in track & field at Sage Creek High School in Carlsbad. As a senior, she was the North County Conference Coastal League runner-up in the pole vault. She went on to place fifth at the CIF-San Diego Section Championships. Scarpelli also made it onto the podium at the league meet and advanced to the CIF-SDS Finals in 2023. She competed in gymnastics for eight years.
 
Scarpelli's Personal Bests
Pole Vault = 3.58m (11-9)
 
 
Pinkie Schnayer | Freshman | Throws | Campolindo HS
Pinkie Schnayer lettered in track & field and football at Campolindo High School. In 2024, she won the shot put at the CIF State Championships and went on to compete at the Nike Outdoor Nationals. Schnayer was also a three-time league champion and two-time CIF-North Coast Section champion in the shot put. She added a league and CIF-NCS title in the discus as a senior. Schnayer set a school record in the shot put at 14.75 meters (48-5). 
 
Schnayer's Personal Bests
Shot Put = 14.75m (48-5)
Discus = 41.12m (134-11)
 
 
Kayla Smith | Freshman | Throws | Clovis North HS
Kayla Smith prepped at Clovis North High School. As a senior, she finished 10th in the discus at the CIF State Championships and had a top-20 showing at the Nike Outdoor Nationals. Smith was also third at the Three Rivers Athletic Conference Finals, the runner-up at the CIF Central Section Division I Championship and third at the CIF-Central Section Masters Championship. She added a top-five performance in the shot put at both the league and Central Section meets.
 
Smith's Personal Bests
Shot Put = 10.66m (35-0)
Discus = 41.63m (136-7)
 
 
Anna Soares | Freshman | Distance | Placer HS
Anna Soares lettered in cross country and track & field at Placer High School. She was a two-time league and CIF-Sac Joaquin Section champion in cross country. She competed in three CIF State Championships with a high finish of 19th as a junior in 2022. On the track, Soares defended her title in the 1600m and 3200m at the Foothill Valley League Finals as a senior. In 2023, she was also the CIF-SJS Division 3 champion in the 1600m.
 
Soares' Personal Bests
1600m = 5:09.59
3200m = 11:03.84
 
 
Tatiana Sprock | Junior | Sprints | Mt. SAC (Diamond Bar HS)
Tatiana Sprock was a member of the Mt. SAC women's track & field team that won the 3C2A State Championship in 2023 and 2024. As a freshman, she finished sixth in the 400m and was part of the 4x400 relay that placed third overall at the state meet. Sprock was also the 2023 South Coast Conference champion in the 400m and 4x400. This past year, she helped the Mounties defend their title in the 4x400, while coming in third in the 400m at the league meet. Sprock prepped at Diamond Bar High School where she was a league champion in the 200m, 400m, 4x100 and 4x400.
 
Sprock's Personal Bests
200m = 25.34
400m = 57.04
 
  
Zharia Taylor | Junior | Heptathlon/High Jump | Cerritos College (Long Beach Poly HS)
Zharia Taylor competed in the heptathlon and jumps at Cerritos College in 2024. She was the runner-up in the heptathlon at the 3C2A State Championships, helping the Falcons to a second-place team finish. Taylor established a personal-record 4,528 points at the state meet. She was also third at the Southern California Championships, while placing second in the high jump and heptathlon at the South Coast Conference Championships. Prior to her time at Cerritos College, Taylor spent one year at Southern Miss where she cleared a personal-record 1.75 meters (5-8.75) in the high jump.
 
Taylor prepped at Long Beach Poly High School. As a senior, she finished eighth in the high jump at the CIF State Championships. In addition, she was the 2021 CIF-Southern Section Division I high jump champion.
 
Taylor's Personal Bests
High Jump = 1.75m (5-8.75)
Heptathlon = 4,528