Saturday, May 30
Fayetteville, AR
11:00 AM PT
UC Irvine
vs
NCAA West First Round
Photo by Brendan Maloney
UC Irvine Closes out NCAA Regional Action
May 30, 2026 | Women's Track & Field
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The UC Irvine women's track & field team wrapped up action at the NCAA West First Round Saturday at John McDonnell Field on the campus of the University of Arkansas.
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Senior Nyla Baker hadΒ a solid series in the discus with an improvement in each round. She finished with a best of 52.64 meters (172-8) to put her 17th overall, placing just five spots outside of an NCAA Championship bid. This was Baker's first NCAA regional in the discus, while she also made her second-straight appearance in the shot put on Thursday. Baker capped an exceptional career in which she was a three-time All-Big West performer. Two weeks ago, she won the conference title in the shot put and placed third in the discus with a personal-record 55.01m (180-5). She ranks second in school history in the discus and third in the shot put.
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Senior Zharia Taylor tied for 37th in the high jump with a clearance of 1.71 meters (5-7.25). Taylor won the 2026Β Big West high jump title and earned All-America honors in the event last year. SheΒ also ranks second among UCI's all-time leaders with a lifetime-best 1.81m (5-11.25).
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On the track, graduate studentΒ Aoife Hernon, junior Halle Sutherland, senior Samantha Bartz, and junior Catalina Teran placed 16th in the 4x100 relay. The quartet clocked in at 44.88, which was just .31 seconds behind the final time qualifier. Hernon ran her first 4x100 of the season, taking the place of senior Jazzmine Davis, who was competing in the 100m hurdles an hour later. Davis, Sutherland, Bartz, and Teran were the 2026 Big West champions and registered a season-best 44.60.
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Davis took 23rd in the 100m hurdle quarterfinal (13.41). She has had an illustrious career as a two-time NCAA regional qualifier and six-time All-Big West performer. She was also the 2025 Big West Women's Field Athlete of the Meet. This year, Davis was the conference runner-up in the 100H with a wind-aided personal-record 13.31. Her wind-legal best of 13.36 that she set in the Big West heptathlon ranks second in program history.
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Junior Kaia Schmidt was 29th in the steeplechase, crossing the finish line in 10:41.17. Schmidt was making her NCAA West First Round debut after winning the event at the Big West Championships on May 15. Earlier in the year she broke the school record with a lifetime-best 10:16.88.
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UC Irvine has two NCAA Championship qualifiers in the heptathlon as freshman Joy Anderson and senior Jolie Robinson will represent the Anteaters in Eugene, Oregon, June 12-13.
Β
Senior Nyla Baker hadΒ a solid series in the discus with an improvement in each round. She finished with a best of 52.64 meters (172-8) to put her 17th overall, placing just five spots outside of an NCAA Championship bid. This was Baker's first NCAA regional in the discus, while she also made her second-straight appearance in the shot put on Thursday. Baker capped an exceptional career in which she was a three-time All-Big West performer. Two weeks ago, she won the conference title in the shot put and placed third in the discus with a personal-record 55.01m (180-5). She ranks second in school history in the discus and third in the shot put.
Β
Senior Zharia Taylor tied for 37th in the high jump with a clearance of 1.71 meters (5-7.25). Taylor won the 2026Β Big West high jump title and earned All-America honors in the event last year. SheΒ also ranks second among UCI's all-time leaders with a lifetime-best 1.81m (5-11.25).
Β
On the track, graduate studentΒ Aoife Hernon, junior Halle Sutherland, senior Samantha Bartz, and junior Catalina Teran placed 16th in the 4x100 relay. The quartet clocked in at 44.88, which was just .31 seconds behind the final time qualifier. Hernon ran her first 4x100 of the season, taking the place of senior Jazzmine Davis, who was competing in the 100m hurdles an hour later. Davis, Sutherland, Bartz, and Teran were the 2026 Big West champions and registered a season-best 44.60.
Β
Davis took 23rd in the 100m hurdle quarterfinal (13.41). She has had an illustrious career as a two-time NCAA regional qualifier and six-time All-Big West performer. She was also the 2025 Big West Women's Field Athlete of the Meet. This year, Davis was the conference runner-up in the 100H with a wind-aided personal-record 13.31. Her wind-legal best of 13.36 that she set in the Big West heptathlon ranks second in program history.
Β
Junior Kaia Schmidt was 29th in the steeplechase, crossing the finish line in 10:41.17. Schmidt was making her NCAA West First Round debut after winning the event at the Big West Championships on May 15. Earlier in the year she broke the school record with a lifetime-best 10:16.88.
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UC Irvine has two NCAA Championship qualifiers in the heptathlon as freshman Joy Anderson and senior Jolie Robinson will represent the Anteaters in Eugene, Oregon, June 12-13.
Players Mentioned
Heptathlon/High Jump
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Heptathlon/Hurdles
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Heptathlon
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Heptathlon/High Jump
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
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