Vanguard Invitational
Date: Friday, Sept. 5
Event: 8K
Time: 8:45 a.m. (PDT)
Location: Mason Regional Park - Irvine, Calif.

IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine men's cross country team is staying local for its 2025 season opener as it is set to compete in the Vanguard Invitational on Friday, Sept. 5. The men's 8,000-meter race is scheduled for an 8:45 a.m. start at Mason Regional Park in Irvine.

QUICK HITS
• UCI returns four letterwinners, while adding three true freshmen in 2025.
• The Anteaters placed fourth at the 2024 Big West Championships.
• Juan Chantaca led the way with a top-15 showing at the conference meet.
• Last year, the 'Eaters made their way into the USTFCCCA Division I West Region Rankings for the first time since 2012.

"We have seven on the men's side so it's a small group, but decent experience," seventh-year UCI distance coach Casey Kear said. "Then all three freshmen had pretty good high school cross country and track careers. They will have to come in and adjust quickly, but can make an impact too."
 
LEADING THE PACK
Sophomore Juan Chantaca leads the returning group as he was the Anteaters' top finisher in four of his five meets last year, including at the Big West Championships where he placed 14th overall. Chantaca also had a pair of top-five showings during the regular season as he came in second at the Irvine Invitational (Sept. 6, 2024) and fourth at the Charles Bowles Invitational (Oct. 5, 2024). In addition, Chantaca cracked UCI's all-time top-10 in the 8K with his career-best 23:51.4 at the UCR Invitational ranking third in program history.

"When Juan is at his best, he should be able to compete with just about anybody in the conference," Kear said. "He now has a full year under his belt since he's only a sophomore in cross, so I think he's ready to go."

ON THE RISE
The 'Eaters also welcome back junior Jimmy Markowicz, and sophomores Angel Cordero and Omar Reyes. Reyes had a strong finish to his freshman cross country season, running an 8K season-best 24:44.9 at the Big West Championships. He was also UCI's No. 3 runner at the NCAA West Regional. Cordero is looking to build off a standout season on the track where he was an NCAA qualifier and the Big West runner-up in the 800m. 

ENTERING THE MIX
UC Irvine adds three true freshmen in Ziyad Abdallah, Mark McAleenan Jr., and Javin Schmitt. Abdallah was a three-sport athlete at Trabuco Hills High School, competing in cross country, track, and soccer. In cross, Abdallah finished eighth at the 2024 CIF State Championships with a 5K personal-record 15:19.4. McAleenan prepped at Clovis East High School where he had back-to-back top-10 league finishes. Schmitt also had a standout senior season at Saint Mary's College High School, finishing 16th at the CIF State Cross Country Championships and claiming runner-up honors at the Tri-City Athletic League Championships.

UP NEXT
UC Irvine will be idle for three weeks before making its way to the Inland Empire for the UC Riverside Invitational at UCR Ag/Ops Course on Saturday, Sept. 27.