UC Irvine Hosts Steve Scott Invitational This Weekend

Friday, May 1

Irvine, CA

11:00 AM

UC Irvine

Steve Scott Invitational

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Esmeray Demirbas running on the track at Anteater Stadium

UC Irvine Hosts Steve Scott Invitational This Weekend

April 30, 2026 | Women's Track & Field

Steve Scott Invitational
Date: Friday-Saturday (May 1-2)
Location: Anteater Stadium - Irvine, Calif.
Meet Program | Meet Schedule | Live Results | Anteater Stadium Venue Regulations

IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine women's track & field returns home for its final regular-season meet as it is set to host the Steve Scott Invitational, May 1-2, at Anteater Stadium.

Both days will be ticketed with adults at $12 and youth at $8. A valid parking permit is required at all times when parking on campus. Parking permits can be pre-purchased for $16 through ParkbyPlate. Upon successful registration and payment, your license plate serves as your permit. Parking is available in the General (unmarked) stalls in the Mesa Parking Structure and parking Lot 14A. Parking at the Mesa Structure may be impacted with multiple events taking place at the UCI athletic complex this weekend.

RECORD-BREAKING SEASON
It has been a record-breaking season for UC Irvine women's track & field in 2026. The Anteaters combined to top the charts in six events during the indoor season. They carried that momentum into the outdoor campaign where they have broken seven school records in five events. The 'Eaters also won the program's first MPSF Indoor Track & Field team championship in March, less than 10 months after claiming their first Big West Women's Outdoor Track & Field title in 2025.

HERNON IS HER
Graduate transfer Aoife Hernon broke UC Irvine's 400m record twice during the outdoor season. On April 10, she won the event at the Challenge Cup in 54.05 to beat Shelly Tochluk's 54.32 that stood at the top of UCI's charts since 1991. One week later, Hernon broke her own record with a time of 53.88 at the Mt. SAC Relays. It was the Anteaters' first sub-54-second race. Hernon also owns the best indoor 400m in program history at 54.23, which she clocked at the Battle Born Classic in Reno, Nevada, on Feb. 14.

SPRINTING TO THE TOP
Senior Samantha Bartz broke the 100-meter school record at the Pacific Coast Invitational on April 16. Bartz was the runner-up in a field of 85 sprinters with a lifetime-best 11.43. She shaved .17 seconds off her PR and topped UC Irvine's previous standard of 11.48 that was set by Olympian Persis William-Mensah in 2018. Bartz also registered the Anteaters' fifth-fastest 200m (23.91) at the Challenge Cup. In addition to Bartz's and Hernon's performances, the 'Eaters have established seven other marks that rank among the program's all-time leaders in the sprints and hurdles this year. Junior transfer Catalina Teran is second in the 200m (23.61), fifth in the 100m (11.64), and seventh in the 400m (55.32). Freshman Joy Anderson also cracked the top-10 in multiple events, ranking sixth in the 200m (23.98) and eighth in the 100m hurdles (13.89). Rounding out the group with top-10 times in 2026 are senior Jazzmine Davis in the 100H (3rd, 13.40) and junior Ihe Okoh in the 400m (4th, 54.86).

RELAY ON REPEAT
In UCI's first 4x400 relay of the season, Aoife Hernon, Catalina Teran, Esmeray Demirbas, and Mikah Longcob ran a program-record 3:40.83 at the Ben Brown Invitational (March 13). Two weeks ago, Hernon, Ihe Okoh, Teran, and Demirbas bettered that mark with a new school-record 3:39.01 at the Mt. SAC Relays. In the 4x100, Jazzmine Davis, Halle Sutherland, Samantha Bartz, and Catalina Teran ran a season-best 44.82 at the Triton Invitational. The quartet ranks second in program history as their time was .31 seconds off the school record.

MULTIS DEPTH
All four of UC Irvine's heptathletes rank among the top-10 in program history, with three of those marks being set earlier this year at the Bryan Clay Multis (April 9-10). Joy Anderson led the way with a school-record 5,572 points, topping the 17-year-old standard of 5,549 that was set by UCI Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Lauren Collins. Anderson's score ranks first in the Big West and 21st in all of NCAA Division I this season. It has been an impressive freshman campaign for Anderson, who was the 2026 MPSF indoor champion in the pentathlon. Seniors Jazzmine Davis (5,415) and Zharia Taylor (5,185) both added lifetime bests that rank fourth and 10th, respectively, on the Anteaters' all-time charts. Senior and two-time Big West champion Jolie Robinson owns UC Irvine's No. 3 score with a PR of 5,524 points that she established in 2025.

DISTANCE DUO
Juniors Kaia Schmidt and Emma Hadley have led UCI's distance crew in 2026. Schmidt set a PR in both of her steeplechase victories this year, most recently running a school-record 10:16.88 at the Triton Invitational. Her time ranks first in the Big West and 24th in the West Region. Hadley leads the 'Eaters in the 800m (2:07.65) and 1500m (4:20.35) with both of her marks sitting at No. 6 in UC Irvine's record books.

WEEKLY TRIFECTA
The Anteaters have claimed three Big West Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Week awards this year. On April 7, Kaia Schmidt took home UCI's first honor of the season after winning the steeplechase in a school-record and 17-second personal-best 10:16.88 at the Triton Invitational. Aoife Hernon and Joy Anderson then swept the weekly honors on April 14. Hernon was named the Big West Track Athlete of the Week for her initial school record in the 400m (54.05), while Anderson earned Big West Field Athlete of the Week distinction following her program-best 5,572 points in the heptathlon at the Bryan Clay Multis.

RAISING THE BAR
The 'Eaters have built an impressive contingent in the high jump where they have four individuals ranked among the top-10 in program history. Zharia Taylor, who was a second-team All-American in the event last year, is second with a personal-record 1.81 meters (5-11.25). Esmeray Demirbas is third (1.79m/5-10.5), while Kailah McKenzie is fifth (1.77m/5-9.75). Taylor, Demirbas, and McKenzie were all 2025 Big West scorers and NCAA West First Round qualifiers. This season, Joy Anderson joined them among UCI's top-10 as her clearance of 1.73m (5-8) at the Triton Invitational is tied for sixth. McKenzie, who was also a regional qualifier in the long jump, has added the triple jump to her repertoire, making her debut in the event at the Vince O'Boyle Classic where she established the No. 4 mark in school history at 12.28m (40-3.5). The Anteaters are a threat in the pole vault this year as well with the return of junior Alana Sugue, who missed last season with an injury. Sugue set a PR 4.01m (13-1.75) on April 4 to move up to No. 2 among UC Irvine's all-time leaders.

THROWING IT OUT THERE
UC Irvine has set a top-five mark in program history in all four throwing events this season. At the Challenge Cup, senior Nyla Baker was a double champion with personal records in both the discus (52.01m/170-7) and shot put (15.78m/51-9.25). She moved up to No. 2 among the Anteaters' leaders in the discus, while improving on her No. 3 mark in the shot put. Sophomore Pinkie Schnayer also climbed to fifth in school history in the shot put with a PR 14.94m (49-0.25) at the Beach Opener. In the hammer, senior DeAna Davis has notched a lifetime best at two meets this season, most recently unleashing a toss of 58.67m (192-6) at the Challenge Cup to rank second at UCI. Giselle Rodriguez kicked off her 'Eater career with a personal-best 46.62m (152-11) at the Beach Opener to rank third in the javelin. She then topped her PR at the Vince O'Boyle Classic with a winning throw of 48.38m (158-8) to move up one spot to No. 2.

UP NEXT
UCI will kick off the Big West Championships with the heptathlon at Anteater Stadium, May 8-9. The remainder of the championship events will be held in Long Beach, May 15-16.