NCAA West Regional
Date: Friday, Nov. 14
Event: 10K
Time: 10 a.m. (PST)
Location: Haggin Oaks Golf Complex - Sacramento, Calif.

IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine men's cross country will send three student-athletes to the NCAA West Regional in Sacramento on Friday, Nov. 14. Ziyad Abdallah, Juan Chantaca, and Jimmy Markowicz are entered in the 10K that is scheduled for a 10 a.m. start at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex.

STARTING LINE
• Juan Chantaca broke the 8K school record at the UCR Invite on Sept. 27.
• His time of 23:38.4 is tied for the third-fastest in The Big West this season.
• Chantaca won two Big West Athlete of the Week awards in 2025.
• The Anteaters' seven-man roster is comprised of four returners (no seniors) and three true freshmen.

GETTING THEIR FEET WET
Sophomore Juan Chantaca and junior Jimmy Markowicz are set for their second career NCAA West Regional 10K, while freshman Ziyad Abdallah will be competing in his first cross country race at that distance. Last year in Colfax, Washington, Chantaca was UCI's second runner, coming in 105th with a time of 31:31.0. Markowicz also has one 10K under his belt as he crossed the finish line in 31:54.9 at the 2023 NCAA West Regional in Sacramento.

BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP
UC Irvine placed eighth at the Big West Championships in Honolulu on Friday, Oct. 31. Juan Chantaca was the Anteaters' top finisher for the fourth time in as many meets this season. Chantaca covered the 8K course at Queen Kapi'olani Regional Park in 25:24.9 to come in 23rd. He pulled out front early but was unable to hold on, dropping back in the lead pack midway through the race. Jimmy Markowicz was next across the line for the 'Eaters in 32nd with a time of 25:41.0. It was a career-best placing for Markowicz at the conference meet. Ziyad Abdallah was 54th at 26:12.1

RACKING UP THE AWARDS
Juan Chantaca was named the Big West Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Week after two of his three regular-season races. Chantaca earned his second honor on Sept. 30 after breaking the 8K school record with a personal-best 23:38.4 at the UC Riverside Invitational. He notched his second-straight top-five showing with a fourth-place finish (out of 224). The San Clemente native was previously recognized following his first individual collegiate victory at the Vanguard Invitational (Sept. 5). Chantaca led wire-to-wire, clocking a meet-record 24:05.8 for a 35-second win. 

SEASON-OPENING WIN
UC Irvine took home both the team and individual titles at the season-opening Vanguard Invitational at Mason Regional Park in Irvine on Sept. 5. Five Anteaters placed among the top-10, led by Juan Chantaca, who was the individual champion with a meet-record 24:05.8. Ziyad Abdallah had an impressive collegiate debut, placing fourth in his first career 8K. Abdallah crossed the finish line in 24:57.4. Jimmy Markowicz added a PR 25:01.7 to come in fifth, while freshman Mark McAleenan Jr. was sixth at 25:18.1. Sophomore Omar Reyes rounded out UCI's top-five in ninth with a time of 25:34.6.

UP NEXT
The top two teams and first four individual finishers (not from an automatic qualifying or at-large team) from each regional site will secure a bid to the NCAA Championships in Columbia, Missouri, on Nov. 22.