California Irvine Athletics

IRVINE, Calif. – The UC Irvine women's indoor track & field team is just under two weeks away from their season-opening meet.
 
The Anteaters will head to the Pacific Northwest to kick off the 2026 campaign at the Spokane Indoor Challenge, Jan. 16-17. They then make their way back to the state of Washington for the UW Invitational, Jan. 30-31, before traveling to Reno, Nevada, for their next three meets, including the MPSF Championships, March 1-2.
 
UCI is looking to continue its success from the 2025 outdoor season when the Anteaters won the program's first Big West Women's Track & Field Championship.
 
"Right now, we're a complete team with balance and depth across every event," head coach Jeff Perkins said. "I'm really excited about the indoor season – our overall strength will put a number of school records well within reach."
 
Below is a breakdown of each event area.
 

THROWS
UC Irvine once again has a strong core group of returners in the throws. Senior DeAna Davis is hoping to build off an impressive outdoor season in which she was the Big West runner-up and an NCAA West First Round qualifier in the hammer throw. She enters the 2026 indoor campaign ranked seventh in school history in the weight throw with a best of 15.71 meters (51-6.5). Senior Nyla Baker and sophomore Pinkie Schnayer will also be looking to improve on their top-10 marks in the shot put. Baker took third in the event at the MPSF Championships in each of the last two years.
 
"DeAna has become quite the hammer thrower, and although the weight throw is a totally different event indoors, I'm really excited to see what she can achieve," Perkins said. "I think she has the potential to go for the school record. Pinkie and Nyla have worked really hard in the offseason and this fall to put themselves in a place where we know they can push those boundaries in the shot put as well."
 
JUMPS
The high jump will be a strength for the 'Eaters again this year. They return senior Zharia Taylor, junior Esmeray Demirbas, and junior Kailah McKenzie, while bringing in freshman Joy Anderson. Taylor was a second-team All-American last outdoor season. During the indoor campaign, she finished third in the high jump at the MPSF Championships and established the second-best mark in program history at 1.79m (5-10.5). Demirbas and McKenzie are also tied for fourth among UCI's all-time top-10. In the long jump, the Anteaters will rely on McKenzie and senior Jolie Robinson, who set the school record at 6.04m (19-9.75) in 2025.
 
UC Irvine has a young and talented contingent in the pole vault with freshman Jessie Condliff, junior college transfer Kaylee Tan, and sophomore Alana Sugue. Sugue missed last season with an injury after setting a personal-best 3.75m (12-03.5) to rank second in indoor school history as a true freshman in 2024.
 
"Esmeray, Zharia, Kailah, and now the addition of Joy will really cement our status in regard to being a power in the high jump," Perkins stated. "We also have Jolie and Kailah back in the long jump, while we added depth in the pole vault, which is something we didn't have last year."
 
MULTIS
UC Irvine returns all three of its multi-event athletes that scored in the pentathlon at the 2025 MPSF Championships. Jolie Robinson was the conference runner-up, while Zharia Taylor placed fourth and Jazzmine Davis took seventh. In addition, the trio occupies three of the top-five spots in program history. Joy Anderson is also expected to contribute in the multis.
 
"Obviously having Jazzmine and Jolie back for an extra year helps us tremendously," Perkins said. "We are also excited to see Zharia's development and are looking forward to seeing what Joy can do."
 
SPRINTS/HURDLES
Seniors Halle Sutherland and Samantha Bartz are expected to lead the way in the short sprints. Sutherland ran UCI's second-fastest times in both the 60m (7.51) and 200m (24.35) last year. The 'Eaters also welcome Catalina Teran, a transfer from Riverside City College, who will add depth in the sprints. Junior Esmeray Demirbas is back in the 400m where she ranks second in program history with a best of 55.36. She is joined by graduate transfer Aiofe Hernon, and sophomores Ihe Okoh and Mikah Longcob. In the 60m hurdles, Jazzmine Davis and Kailah McKenzie are the Anteaters' top returners.
 
"We're really looking forward to seeing what Halle and Samantha can do in the 60m," Perkins said. "Halle is committed to her range and can contribute in the 4x4 as well. In the 400, Aiofe is already on pace for our school record based on her fitness and testing."
 
DISTANCE
Despite losing two key pieces with the graduation of Malia Gay and Luz Mercado, UC Irvine is in a good position with its distance crew. The Anteaters have strong senior leadership in Kaia Schmidt and Makena Castillo, while they also bring in junior Emma Hadley, a transfer from Colorado. Schmidt leads the way as an All-Big West performer in both cross country and outdoor track & field. She also ranks third in indoor school history in the mile (4:57.72). In addition, UCI has a handful of freshmen who are expected to contribute right away.
 
"With Kaia, Emma, and Makena driving the distance group, I'm really looking forward to seeing what they can do indoors and leading into outdoors," Perkins stated. "They will be somewhat limited after coming off cross country, but I'm still excited to see this group develop."