October 13, 2026 | Women's Cross Country
Senior earns conference recognition following season debut at Bill Dellinger Invitational
IRVINE, Calif. โ UC Irvine senior Kaia Schmidt has been named The Big West Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week following a standout performance at the Bill Dellinger Invitational, the conference announced Tuesday.
Making her season debut, Schmidt led the Anteaters with a 16th-place finish in a competitive field of 105 runners, clocking a 6K time of 21:00.8. She was the top Big West finisher in a field that featured nationally ranked No. 7 Oregon and programs from the ACC, Big Sky and Mountain West.
Schmidt's performance helped UC Irvine secure fourth place in the 12-team field with 118 points.
A returning All-Big West performer, Schmidt earns her second career Big West Athlete of the Week honor after previously receiving the recognition in September 2025.
The honor follows a strong opening performance for Schmidt, who immediately established herself at the front of the Anteaters' lineup in her first competition of the 2026 season.
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Making her season debut, Schmidt led the Anteaters with a 16th-place finish in a competitive field of 105 runners, clocking a 6K time of 21:00.8. She was the top Big West finisher in a field that featured nationally ranked No. 7 Oregon and programs from the ACC, Big Sky and Mountain West.
Schmidt's performance helped UC Irvine secure fourth place in the 12-team field with 118 points.
A returning All-Big West performer, Schmidt earns her second career Big West Athlete of the Week honor after previously receiving the recognition in September 2025.
The honor follows a strong opening performance for Schmidt, who immediately established herself at the front of the Anteaters' lineup in her first competition of the 2026 season.
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Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
Tuesday, November 18
Saturday, September 20
Wednesday, September 03
Wednesday, August 27
