The UC Irvine men's track & field team is coming off a 2024 season in which they had four Big West individual champions and six NCAA West First Round qualifiers. The Anteaters welcome back four student-athletes from that group, while bringing in 10 newcomers, putting them in position to continue their success at the conference, regional and national levels.
 
"The expectation is always to be better than the previous year and we are on track to do that," head coach Jeff Perkins said. "That is very exciting for all involved with the program."
 
UCI will begin its 2025 slate at the Beach Opener and Ben Brown Invitational, March 7-8. The 'Eaters then host the first of three home meets as they welcome fellow Big West members Long Beach State, Cal State Fullerton and UC Santa Barbara to Anteater Stadium for the Challenge Cup on March 14.
 
UC Irvine is also set to host the Vince O'Boyle Track & Field Classic (March 28-29) and the Steve Scott Invitational (May 2-3). The 2025 Big West Championships will be held at LBSU's Jack Rose Track in May.
 
Ahead of the season opener in two weeks, we take a look at each of the event groups.
 
THROWS
The throws have consistently been a strength for UC Irvine men's track & field, and 2025 will be no different as the Anteaters return two Big West champions and three NCAA West First Round qualifiers. Leading the way is two-time defending Big West javelin champion Liam Miksic and reigning discus champion Jacob Hawkins. Miksic is a three-time NCAA regional qualifier with a high finish of 14th in 2024 when he broke the school record at 68.34 meters (224-2). Hawkins also advanced to the first round of the NCAA meet in the shot put and discus. Earlier in the season, he broke a 41-year-old school record in the discus with a toss of 59.03 meters (193-8). In addition, Logan Peyton is coming off an NCAA regional appearance.
 
"We always rely on the strength of our throws group," Perkins said. "We are looking for Jacob Hawkins and Liam Miksic to repeat as conference champions and make it to the national stage in Eugene this season. Logan Peyton is also looking to follow their trajectory in the javelin having made the NCAA West First Round last season."
 
SPRINTS/HURDLES
UCI has five returners in the sprints and hurdles, while bringing in four newcomers including junior college transfers Jake Jensen and AJ Taylor. Jensen helped Mt. SAC win back-to-back state championships in 2023 and 2024. He claimed the 3C2A state title in the 200m and 4x100 relay, while finishing second in the 100m last year. Taylor was also the 2024 junior college state champion in the 110m hurdles at El Camino College. He added a fifth-place showing in the 400m hurdles.
 
"With another year to grow, we are looking for some big things from returners Bryce Bushnell, Brandon Burns and Alex Skalmowski," Perkins said. "With the additions of Jake Jensen and Justin Johnson, our sprint group is set to have a great year.
 
"Roman Mendoza is coming off a year of injuries but is now healthy and ready to set himself apart from the rest of the 400 hurdlers in the conference, and with the addition of AJ Taylor, we should see them both have success in the short and long hurdles," Perkins added.
 
JUMPS
Kenechukwu Okonkwo returns in the triple jump after qualifying for the NCAA West First Round last year. Okonkwo joined the Anteaters as a mid-year transfer and in his second meet, he established the third-best mark in program history at 15.33 meters (50-3.5). Okonkwo, Garren Haynes (long jump) and Jake Reed (pole vault) were also Big West scorers. In addition, the 'Eaters welcome another Mt. SAC transfer in Jerry Roberts, who placed among the top-four in both the long jump and triple jump at the 2024 3C2A State Championships.
 
"This is an event area that has become really exciting," Perkins said. "Kene Okonkwo, Garren Haynes and Jerry Roberts should show well in the horizontal jumps. All three are trending in the right direction so we are in a good place with depth in those events.
 
"Jake Reed also returns as a conference scorer in the pole vault, so we are looking for him to continue to improve upon his performance last season at the Big West Championships."
 
DISTANCE
The UC Irvine distance squad is coming off a fourth-place finish at the Big West Cross Country Championships in the fall. It was their best conference showing since 2016. Leading the group is Juan Chantaca, who was the Anteaters' No. 1 runner in four of his five races. Senior Jacob Bustamante also had an impressive cross country season, while clocking UCI's fastest 5K during the 2024 track & field campaign. The 'Eaters add two freshmen into the mix in Angel Cordero and Omar Reyes.
 
"With Juan Chantaca returning and the addition of Angel Cordero and Omar Reyes, we should see some great things this year with the group as a whole," Perkins said.
 
MULTIS
UC Irvine welcomes back All-Big West performer Max Daniels in the decathlon. Daniels, who trained with three-time All-American and 2024 graduate Josh Farmer over the last two years, has his eyes set on qualifying for the NCAA Championships. Daniels enters his senior season ranked among the top-10 in program history in the 100m, long jump and decathlon.
 
"Max is one of the rawest athletes in regard to talent that I have ever worked with," Perkins said. "The decathlon can be very challenging mentally and obviously physically, but Max has enough experience now that his goals have shifted in an attempt to make it to NCAAs in the event."