Friday, May 2
Irvine, Calif.
1:00 PM
UC Irvine
vs
Steve Scott Invitational
Men's Track & Field Hosts Steve Scott Invitational
May 01, 2025 | Men's Track & Field
Vince O'Boyle Classic
Date: Friday-Saturday (May 2-3)
Location: Anteater Stadium - Irvine, Calif.
Meet Info
IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine men's track & field returns to Anteater Stadium this weekend to host the Steve Scott Invitational, May 2-3. On Friday, a handful of field events get underway at 1 p.m., while the distance events on the track are slated for a 6:45 p.m. start. The 'Eaters will be back on Saturday with a full day of action starting at 12 p.m., and a Senior Day recognition scheduled for 4:15 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine's distance crew had an impressive week in their last outing at the Bryan Clay Invitational, April 16-18. Joshua Schuld established personal records in both the steeplechase (8:51.28) and 1500m (3:48.63). His steeple time ranks fifth in school history. Juan Chantaca clocked a lifetime-best 14:09.52 in the 5000m, which sits ninth on UCI's all-time charts. He is the first Anteater to crack the program's top-10 in the 5K since 2007. Angel Cordero also notched an 800m PR 1:48.69, trimming .19 seconds off his No. 5 time in program history.
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, 21st in the West Region and 41st 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 entered 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, 12th in the West Region and 21st 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 in 2025. Miksic placed among the top-three in all five 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 won his first 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 then personal-record 1:48.88 for his second event win. Cordero trimmed .19 seconds off that time at the Bryan Clay Invitational with an impressive 1:48.69, which leads the Big West. Cordero ranks fifth in program history as he is 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).
SENIOR STATEMENT
Senior Joshua Schuld has run a personal record in all five of his races this season. In the steeplechase, Schuld opened the campaign with a 12-second lifetime-best 8:54.14 before bettering that mark at the Bryan Clay Invitational where he crossed the finish line in 8:51.28. His PR ranks fifth in program history. Schuld added a 5000m personal-best 14:17.79 at the Mangrum Invitational, while setting 1500m personal-records of 3:50.04 at the Triton Invitational (April 5) and 3:48.63 at the Bryan Clay Invitational (April 18).
OUT OF THE BLOCKS
Senior Bryce Bushnell and freshman Justin Johnson both got out to a fast start this year. 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 (53.93).
AT A GLANCE
In 2024, the 'Eaters 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 have 10 newcomers with five junior college transfers and five true freshmen.
UP NEXT
UCI will head to Long Beach for the first weekend of the Big West Championships where it will compete in the decathlon, May 9-10.
Date: Friday-Saturday (May 2-3)
Location: Anteater Stadium - Irvine, Calif.
Meet Info
IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine men's track & field returns to Anteater Stadium this weekend to host the Steve Scott Invitational, May 2-3. On Friday, a handful of field events get underway at 1 p.m., while the distance events on the track are slated for a 6:45 p.m. start. The 'Eaters will be back on Saturday with a full day of action starting at 12 p.m., and a Senior Day recognition scheduled for 4:15 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine's distance crew had an impressive week in their last outing at the Bryan Clay Invitational, April 16-18. Joshua Schuld established personal records in both the steeplechase (8:51.28) and 1500m (3:48.63). His steeple time ranks fifth in school history. Juan Chantaca clocked a lifetime-best 14:09.52 in the 5000m, which sits ninth on UCI's all-time charts. He is the first Anteater to crack the program's top-10 in the 5K since 2007. Angel Cordero also notched an 800m PR 1:48.69, trimming .19 seconds off his No. 5 time in program history.
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, 21st in the West Region and 41st 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 entered 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, 12th in the West Region and 21st 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 in 2025. Miksic placed among the top-three in all five 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 won his first 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 then personal-record 1:48.88 for his second event win. Cordero trimmed .19 seconds off that time at the Bryan Clay Invitational with an impressive 1:48.69, which leads the Big West. Cordero ranks fifth in program history as he is 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).
SENIOR STATEMENT
Senior Joshua Schuld has run a personal record in all five of his races this season. In the steeplechase, Schuld opened the campaign with a 12-second lifetime-best 8:54.14 before bettering that mark at the Bryan Clay Invitational where he crossed the finish line in 8:51.28. His PR ranks fifth in program history. Schuld added a 5000m personal-best 14:17.79 at the Mangrum Invitational, while setting 1500m personal-records of 3:50.04 at the Triton Invitational (April 5) and 3:48.63 at the Bryan Clay Invitational (April 18).
OUT OF THE BLOCKS
Senior Bryce Bushnell and freshman Justin Johnson both got out to a fast start this year. 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 (53.93).
AT A GLANCE
In 2024, the 'Eaters 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 have 10 newcomers with five junior college transfers and five true freshmen.
UP NEXT
UCI will head to Long Beach for the first weekend of the Big West Championships where it will compete in the decathlon, May 9-10.
Players Mentioned
Sprints
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Distance
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Middle Distance
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Throws
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Sprints
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Hurdles
/ Men's Track & Field
Javelin
/ Men's Track & Field
Jumps
/ Men's Track & Field
Distance
/ Men's Track & Field
Hurdles
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