Womenβs Track & Field Takes Home Two Big West Awards
June 18, 2026 | Women's Track & Field
IRVINE, Calif. -Β Joy Anderson has been named the Big West Women's Track & Field Freshman of the Year while Jeff Perkins won his second-straight Big West Women's Coach of the Year award the conference office announced Thursday afternoon.
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Perkins led UC Irvine to a successful Big West title defense in 2026. The Anteaters started strong, scoring 29 points with the conference's first podium sweep in the heptathlon since 2015. The following weekend, the 'Eaters continued their dominance with six more individual titles (200m, 1500m, steeple, 4x100 relay, high jump, shot put). They ended up shattering a program record with 187.5 points. UCI held a 61.5-point margin over runner-up Cal State Fullerton.
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Perkins saw 13 of his student-athletes advance to the NCAA West First Round on the women's side, while he mentored two NCAA Championship qualifiers in the heptathlon. Both Jolie Robinson and Joy Anderson earned All-America honorable mention recognition with their respective finishes at nationals. In addition, UC Irvine women's track & field broke school records in five outdoor events this year.
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Anderson was an NCAA qualifier and Big West champion in the heptathlon as a true freshman. She placed 19th at the national meet to earn All-America honorable mention recognition. At the conference championship, Anderson broke her own school record with 5,750 points. She originally took down the Anteaters' 17-year-old standard with a score of 5,572 in her first career heptathlon at the Bryan Clay Multis. Anderson also made her way into the top-10 in program history in the high jump (T4th, 1.78m/5-10), 200m (6th, 23.98), and 100m hurdles (8th, 13.89). She was named the Big West Women's Field Athlete of the Week on April 14.
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Anderson joined Kailah McKenzie (2024) as UCI women's track & field's second Big West Freshman of the Year.
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Perkins led UC Irvine to a successful Big West title defense in 2026. The Anteaters started strong, scoring 29 points with the conference's first podium sweep in the heptathlon since 2015. The following weekend, the 'Eaters continued their dominance with six more individual titles (200m, 1500m, steeple, 4x100 relay, high jump, shot put). They ended up shattering a program record with 187.5 points. UCI held a 61.5-point margin over runner-up Cal State Fullerton.
Β
Perkins saw 13 of his student-athletes advance to the NCAA West First Round on the women's side, while he mentored two NCAA Championship qualifiers in the heptathlon. Both Jolie Robinson and Joy Anderson earned All-America honorable mention recognition with their respective finishes at nationals. In addition, UC Irvine women's track & field broke school records in five outdoor events this year.
Β
Anderson was an NCAA qualifier and Big West champion in the heptathlon as a true freshman. She placed 19th at the national meet to earn All-America honorable mention recognition. At the conference championship, Anderson broke her own school record with 5,750 points. She originally took down the Anteaters' 17-year-old standard with a score of 5,572 in her first career heptathlon at the Bryan Clay Multis. Anderson also made her way into the top-10 in program history in the high jump (T4th, 1.78m/5-10), 200m (6th, 23.98), and 100m hurdles (8th, 13.89). She was named the Big West Women's Field Athlete of the Week on April 14.
Β
Anderson joined Kailah McKenzie (2024) as UCI women's track & field's second Big West Freshman of the Year.
Players Mentioned
Heptathlon/High Jump
/ Women's Track & Field
Hurdles/Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Heptathlon
/ Women's Track & FieldWednesday, January 21
Tuesday, October 28
Tuesday, March 18
Wednesday, March 05
