California Irvine Athletics

Results

IRVINE, Calif. – 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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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).
 
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.
 
The 'Eaters will be back in action at the UC Riverside Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 27.