LONG BEACH & FULLERTON, Calif. – UC Irvine women's track & field closed out the Beach Opener and Ben Brown Invitational with five event wins on Saturday.
 
Sophomore Kaia Schmidt kicked off the Beach Opener with an individual victory in the steeplechase. In her first career steeple race, Schmidt clocked a winning time of 10:50.78, which ranks sixth in program history. Senior Montgomery Allison was also third at 10:55.72.
 
Sophomore Kailah McKenzie took first in the high jump. She was the only athlete in the competition to clear the bar at 1.71 meters (5-7.25), and continued with a third-attempt clearance of 1.76m (5-9.25).
 
Senior Reyna Johnson came in third in the long jump with a wind-aided personal-record 6.23m (20-5.25). Johnson was sitting in fifth before hitting a PR on her sixth and final attempt to climb into the top-three. McKenzie also matched her lifetime best at 6.10m (20-0.25) to place fourth overall.
 
Over in Fullerton, junior Nyla Baker posted a 13-foot victory in the discus. In a field of 30 competitors, Baker took the lead on her first attempt of Flight 3 at 48.80m (160-1) before seeing an improvement on her second throw with a personal-record 49.19 meters (161-4). That stood as the best of the day and moved her up two spots to No. 8 in school history.
 
Freshman Pinkie Schnayer led the Anteaters in the shot put where she was the runner-up with a toss of 14.08m (46-2.5). Schnayer's mark ranks seventh in program history. Baker was also third at 14.05m (46-1.25).
 
Junior Zharia Taylor won the high jump at 1.71m (5-7.25). Her height was an outdoor personal best and is eighth among UCI's all-time leaders.
 
On the track, junior Esmeray Demirbas was the fastest out of 21 competitors in the 400m hurdles. Her winning time of 60.22 was a PR and puts her at No. 8 in school history. Sophomore Savannah Duke added a lifetime-best 65.36 for a top-10 showing.
 
Senior Jazzmine Davis was the top collegiate finisher and overall runner-up in the 100m hurdles with a time of 14.02 seconds. Sophomore Sarah Ajayi also took third with a personal-record 14.15.
 
Sophomore Halle Sutherland crossed the finish line in a wind-aided 11.69 seconds to place third out of 54 in the 100m.
 
Junior Samantha Bartz paced a trio of 'Eaters in the 200m with a personal-record 24.78. Junior Lauren Aquino also registered a 400m personal-best 56.63 to come in ninth out of 45.
 
Davis, Aquino, Ihe Okoh and Amelia Trautman closed out the meet with a second-place effort in the 4x400 relay (3:48.68).
 
UC Irvine will make its home debut next Friday, March 14, when it hosts the Challenge Cup.