Anteater Update: September 29

September 29, 2025

National Rankings
Men's Water Polo - No. 15
Men's Soccer - Receiving Votes

• Women's soccer went 1-1 last week as Big West play continued on. The week closed on a 1-0 victory at Cal State Bakersfield to hand them their first home loss thanks to a great play by Trinity Morales setting up Mia Colombini's goal in the 17th minute, and Laurynn Ziller stopping two shots for the team's six shutout of the season. UCI is up to six points in three Big West matches currently putting them in second place in the standings. Another challenge week ahead with UCI hosting UC Davis Thursday night in Anteater Stadium before a trip to Long Beach State for a rivalry matchup Sunday, October 5

• Men's soccer finished non-conference play last week with a record of 5-3-1. The ‘Eaters are led by the defense and Joe O’Shaughnessy in goal and his 0.82 goals-against-average. On the agenda is a week in Anteater Stadium hosting UC San Diego Wednesday, October 1, followed by a Saturday night meeting with the defending Big West champions Cal Poly in Anteater Stadium.

• The 15th-ranked men's water polo team went 4-0 at The Joust in Riverside, defeating Concordia (17-10), No. 14 California Baptist (17-11), Occidental College (23-7), and Biola (16-7). Sophomore Ethan Spoon led the Anteaters to a season-high 23 goals with a career-best six tallies against Oxy. This week, the 'Eaters will head to Claremont for two games at the Gary Troyer Invitational on Friday, Oct. 3. It will be their final tune-up before their Big West opener.

• Women’s Volleyball is on the road this week, traveling to UC Riverside Thursday (Oct. 2) at 5:00 p.m. then on to UC Davis Saturday (Oct. 4) at 1:00 p.m. 

• The Anteaters (5-8, 0-2) recorded a Big West season-high tying 18 blocks versus UC San Diego last Saturday. Freshman Abby Pekrul and graduate student Sydnee Rowe each totaled a career-high seven total blocks against the Tritons.

• Sophomore Juan Chantaca ran an 8K school-record 23:38.4 to finish fourth out of 224 at the UCR Invitational. Chantaca, who improved his PR by 13 seconds, beat UC Irvine's previous standard of 23:47.0. Juniors Kaia Schmidt and Emma Hadley led the Anteater women to a third-place showing in the UCR Invitational 6K. Schmidt came in seventh in a personal-record 20:38.4, while Hadley was 11th (20:47.6). Schmidt moved up one spot to No. 8 in program history, while Hadley's time ranks 10th among UCI's all-time leaders.

• Men's golf kicks off the season this week at the Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational, Sept. 29-30. The fall tournament season for men's and women's tennis also starts with the Big West Fall Qualifier, Oct. 2-5. The Anteater men have individuals set to compete at the San Diego Veterans Tennis Classic (Oct. 3-5) as well.

• Women's golf competes at the Molly Collegiate Invitational Monday and Tuesday (Sept. 29-30) at the Trysting Tree Golf Golf Course in Corvallis, Ore.

• The Anteaters opened the season in a tie for 7th place at the Golfweek Red Sky Classic. Graduate student Jenny Chang had a career-low 69 on the second round and led UCI finishing in a tie for 25th place (217).

September 15, 2025

National Rankings
Men's Soccer - No. 22
Men's Water Polo - No. 8

• UC Irvine men's soccer has started the season out hot with five wins and one tie in their six-match stretch in Anteater Stadium including wins over UCLA (2-0), Cornell (1-0), Yale (1-0), and North Florida (3-0). The run has vaulted the ‘Eaters into the national rankings for the first time since 2019 at No. 22 as of last week. UCI has claimed a pair of weekly awards as well with Big West Offensive Player of the Week honors going to redshirt junior Isaac Powell and senior Misael Gonzalez Lopez. Gonzalez Lopez has netted four goals to lead the team in goals and points as the Anteaters' 12 goals are tops in the Big West. The Anteaters’ strength has been its defense allowing one goal through its first six matches led by sophomore goalkeeper Joe O'Shaughnessy helping in all five shutout wins.

• Women's soccer scoring a big win to close out non-conference play Sunday topping Washington State, 2-0. Clara Samson scored the game-winner right out of the halftime break and fifth-year senior Suus de Bakker headed home the dagger in the 82nd minute. UCI's stern defense has carried them to a 3-2-4 mark through the first half of the season allowing a grand total of four goals while earning wins over programs like Grand Canyon and San Francisco and drawing with Washington, Northern Arizona, and San Diego.

• The eighth-ranked men's water polo team is 6-2 after No. 1 UCLA and No. 2 USC handed UC Irvine its first two losses of the season last week. The Anteaters head to the MPSF Invitational this weekend, which will be held at UCLA's Spieker Aquatics Center and USC's Uytengsu Aquatics Center, Sept. 19-21. Senior Luka Krstic leads the UCI offense with a team-high 15 goals on the season, while senior Zayd Mahmoud has seen most of the action in the cage, compiling 51 saves and an 11.20 goals against average.

• Redshirt freshman women's volleyball player Jessica Bates made her season debut last weekend at Oregon State’s Asics Invitational and was impressive in UCI’s victory over Montana State doing what only a handful of players in the NCAA have done this season - posting a triple-double. She recorded a career-high 13 kills and 10 digs to go with 11 set assists. Bates is the first Big West player to record the feat since Nov. 11, 2023.

The team remains on the road for a three-match swing in Nashville, Tenn. The Anteaters will take on Lipscomb Thursday (Sept. 17), Vanderbilt on Friday (Sept. 18) and Belmont on Saturday (Sept. 20) before opening Big West play hosting Long Beach State at the Bren Events Center Sept. 26.

• Men's and women's cross country are idle this week after opening the season with victories at the Vanguard Invitational on Sept. 6. The Anteater women took home the team title with a perfect score of 15 points. Sophomore Liana Lee led the way, winning the 5K in a personal and meet-record 17:43.4. On the men's side, sophomore Juan Chantaca led the ‘Eaters to their first team victory since 2017. Chantaca finished ahead of the pack in an 8K meet-record 24:05.8. He was named the Big West Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week on Sept. 9.