'Eaters Prepare for Busy Week

Wednesday, April 16

Azusa, Calif.

4:45 PM

UC Irvine

Bryan Clay Invitational

'Eaters Prepare for Busy Week

April 15, 2025 | Men's Track & Field

Meet Notes

Bryan Clay Invitational
Date: Wednesday-Friday (April 16-18)
Location: Cougar Stadium - Azusa, Calif.
Watch (Subscription Required) | Live Results

Mt. SAC Relays
Date: Thursday-Saturday (April 17-19)
Location: Hilmer Lodge Stadium - Walnut, Calif.
Live Results

Pacific Coast Intercollegiate
Date: Thursday, April 17
Location: Jack Rose Track - Long Beach, Calif.
Live Results

Beach Invitational
Date: Friday-Saturday (April 18-19)
Location: Jack Rose Track - Long Beach, Calif.
Live Results

IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine men's track & field has a busy week with four local meets. The Anteaters will be in action at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, April 16-18, and at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, April 17-19. The 'Eaters are also set to make the short drive to Long Beach for the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate (April 17) and the Beach Invitational (April 18-19).

LAST TIME OUT
UCI had a small contingent of primarily field athletes compete at the Titan Friday Night Lights meet in Fullerton last Friday, April 11. Roman Mendoza was the only Anteater in action on the track where he took first in the 400m hurdles in a season-best 53.93. Jake Reed was the top finisher in the pole vault (4.60m/15-1), while Garren Haynes won the long jump with a mark of 7.13m (23-4.75). Kenechukwu Okonkwo also led the way in the triple jump with a leap of 14.97m (49-1.5). Jacob Hawkins finished ahead of the pack in the discus with a toss of 55.32m (181-6), and claimed runner-up honors in the shot put (17.26m/56-7.5).

BIG WEST ACCOLADES
Senior Liam Miksic was named the Big West Men's Field Athlete of the Week on April 8. Miksic took second overall, and was the top collegiate finisher, in the javelin at the Triton Invitational. The Spring Lake, New Jersey, native threw for over 200 feet in all six rounds with a season-best 67.51 meters (221-6) on his third attempt. His mark ranks second in The Big West, 19th in the West Region and 38th in all of NCAA Division I. It was his first career weekly award and the first for UCI men's track & field this year.

MAKING THE LEAP
Junior Kenechukwu Okonkwo joined the Anteaters as a mid-year transfer in 2024 and made an immediate impact as a Big West scorer and NCAA West First Round qualifier in the triple jump. In just his second meet at UCI, he cracked the program's all-time top-10 with a lifetime-best of 15.33 meters (50-3.5). In his second meet of the 2025 season, Okonkwo set a new PR with a leap of 15.83 meters (51-11.25) for his first collegiate victory at the Challenge Cup. Okonkwo's mark is tops in The Big West, sixth in the West Region and 13th in all of NCAA Division I this season. He also moved past Mike Powell for No. 2 in program history.

WINNING WAYS
Seniors Liam Miksic (Javelin) and Jacob Hawkins (Discus), who were the Big West champions in their respective events last year, have both continued their winning ways to start the 2025 campaign. Miksic placed among the top-two in all four of his meets with individual victories at the Beach Opener, Challenge Cup and Vince O'Boyle Classic. Miksic is a three-time NCAA West First Round qualifier and two-time Big West champion in the javelin. Hawkins led wire-to-wire in his season-opening discus win at the Ben Brown Invitational. He was also a double champion in the shot put and discus at both the UCR Spring Classic and Vince O'Boyle Classic.

FRESHMAN SENSATION
Freshman Angel Cordero is undefeated in his three collegiate 800m races. He kicked off his Anteater career by beating out a field of 45 athletes with a time of 1:52.18 at the Astro AI Distance Classic in Fullerton on March 7. The Chula Vista native continued to impress at the Challenge Cup (March 15) where he clocked a personal-record 1:48.88 for his second event win. His time leads The Big West and ranks 23rd in the West Region. Cordero is also fifth in program history as he became the first 'Eater to crack the top-10 in the men's 800m since 2017. He added another 800m victory at the Triton Invitational on April 5 (1:50.76).

HEAD START
Joshua Schuld started his senior season with a statement in the steeplechase at the Beach Opener. Schuld ran a lifetime-best 8:54.14 to win the event by over 29 seconds. His nearly 12-second PR ranks sixth in program history. Schuld added a 5000m personal-record 14:17.79 at the Mangrum Invitational and a lifetime-best 3:50.04 in a 1500m victory at the Triton Invitational.

OUT OF THE BLOCKS
Senior Bryce Bushnell and freshman Justin Johnson are both out to a fast start. At the Challenge Cup on March 15, Bushnell crossed the 100m finish line in a season-best 10.54 seconds to move into a tie for third in program history. Johnson was right on his heels at 10.56 seconds to rank seventh among UCI's all-time leaders. Johnson also posted the Anteaters' fifth-fastest 200m at 21.04 in his collegiate debut at the Ben Brown Invitational. In addition, junior AJ Taylor owns the squad's top 110H time of the season at 14.55 seconds, while sophomore Roman Mendoza leads the way in the 400H (54.04).

AT A GLANCE
The 'Eaters are coming off a 2024 season in which they had four Big West individual champions and six NCAA West First Round qualifiers. UCI welcomes back four student-athletes from that group, including Jacob Hawkins (Discus) and Liam Miksic (Javelin) who broke the school record in their respective events last year. The Anteaters also bring in 10 newcomers with five junior college transfers and five true freshmen.

UP NEXT
UCI will have a week off before hosting the Steve Scott Invitational, May 2-3.