Friday, September 5
Irvine, Calif. / Mason Regional Park
8:45 AM
UC Irvine
at
Vanguard Invitational
September 05, 2025 | Men's Cross Country
Results
IRVINE, Calif. โ UC Irvine men's cross country took home both the team and individual titles at the season-opening Vanguard Invitational 8K Friday at Mason Regional Park.
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Five Anteaters placed among the top-10, led by sophomore Juan Chantaca who was the individual champion with a meet-record 24:05.8. In his first race of the season, Chantaca was just under 15 seconds shy of his 8K personal record that he set at the 2024 Big West Championships.
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Freshman Ziyad Abdallah had an impressive collegiate debut, placing fourth in his first career 8K. Abdallah crossed the finish line in 24:57.4. Sophomore Jimmy Markowicz added a PR 25:01.7 to come in fifth, while freshman Mark McAleenan Jr. was sixth at 25:18.1. Sophomore Omar Reyes rounded out UCI's top-five in ninth with a time of 25:34.6.
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Sophomore Angel Cordero, who was the 2025 Big West Men's Track & Field Freshman of the Year, clocked a personal-record 26:13.5 (13th). Freshman Javin Schmitt took 17th (26:42.8).
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This was UC Irvine's first team victory since 2017, and first individual win since Lukas Amare finished ahead of the pack at the 2022 Anteater Opener.
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The 'Eaters will be back in action at the UC Riverside Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 27.
IRVINE, Calif. โ UC Irvine men's cross country took home both the team and individual titles at the season-opening Vanguard Invitational 8K Friday at Mason Regional Park.
ย
Five Anteaters placed among the top-10, led by sophomore Juan Chantaca who was the individual champion with a meet-record 24:05.8. In his first race of the season, Chantaca was just under 15 seconds shy of his 8K personal record that he set at the 2024 Big West Championships.
ย
Freshman Ziyad Abdallah had an impressive collegiate debut, placing fourth in his first career 8K. Abdallah crossed the finish line in 24:57.4. Sophomore Jimmy Markowicz added a PR 25:01.7 to come in fifth, while freshman Mark McAleenan Jr. was sixth at 25:18.1. Sophomore Omar Reyes rounded out UCI's top-five in ninth with a time of 25:34.6.
ย
Sophomore Angel Cordero, who was the 2025 Big West Men's Track & Field Freshman of the Year, clocked a personal-record 26:13.5 (13th). Freshman Javin Schmitt took 17th (26:42.8).
ย
This was UC Irvine's first team victory since 2017, and first individual win since Lukas Amare finished ahead of the pack at the 2022 Anteater Opener.
ย
The 'Eaters will be back in action at the UC Riverside Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 27.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
Tuesday, November 18
Saturday, September 20
Wednesday, September 03
Wednesday, August 27
