2025-26 Year in Review: Fall
6/26/2026
Men's Soccer
Head Coach: Yossi Raz, 9th Year
2025 Record: 11-4-6 (4-0-5, T-1st Big West)
UC Irvine brought home some hardware in 2025 following an 11-4-6 season that featured an 11-match unbeaten streak. UCI's regular season was highlighted in non-conference play by wins over UCLA and Cornell who each reached the NCAA Tournament. In Big West play, the ‘Eaters earned a three-way share of the regular season title along with UCSB and Cal Poly with an unbeaten 4-0-5 mark for the program’s sixth regular season crown. UCI went on the road to win the Big West Championship, 2-1, in a rainy Santa Barbara to claim the team's sixth championship title and earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament for an eighth time in program history. The Anteaters would fall, 2-0, to Denver in the First Round match.
Anteater honors would begin with head coach Yossi Raz named Big West Coach of the Year for a third time in addition to the team's third NCAA trip under his tenure. Under Raz, a program record five were named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Far West Region Team with Brady Treinen and Misael Gonzalez Lopez on the First Team and Agaton Pourshahidi, Isaac Powell, and Nolan DiCenzo on the Second Team. That same quintet also earned All-Big West honors joined by sixth member, goalkeeper Joe O'Shaughnessy, who produced an 0.88 goals-against-average to go with 11 wins and eight shutouts. Gustavo Gonzalez was represented on the Big West All-Freshman Team and was named to the U.S. under-10 national team following the season. DiCenzo was honored as Big West Championship MVP joined by Powell, Treinen, and Travis Babineau on the Big West All-Tournament Team.
The top five in scoring on the team were also the five named CSC Academic All-District led by top scorer Misael Gonzalez Lopez with seven goals and 16 points. Gage Lyons scored five times with three game-winners including one in the Big West semifinal while totaling 11 points. Nine points each from Babineau, who led the team with five assists, and Agaton Pourshahidi, scoring four goals and making the academic squad for a third time. Marcus Lee rounded out the quintet with two goals, four assists, and eight points while scoring one Big West weekly honor.
Women's Soccer
Head Coach: Scott Juniper, 19th Year
2025 Record: 8-5-7 (5-2-3, T-4th Big West)
UC Irvine completed an 8-5-7 season finishing fourth in the Big West with a 5-2-3 record. The ‘Eaters earned a 14th berth in the Big West Championship in head coach Scott Juniper’s 19th season falling in the first round. Non-conference play was highlighted by a draw with Washington of the Big Ten and wins over the likes of Washington State and Grand Canyon for its 3-2-4 mark.
Anteater honors featured senior Mia Colombini who earned Big West Midfielder of the Year status, the second in program history, as she received the Golden Boot for the Big West's top scorer with five conference goals and topping the team with seven goals, three game-winners, and 15 points in total. She was part of the United Soccer Coaches All-West Region team along with Suus de Bakker who added five goals to lead all defenders in the Big West as she returned from injury. The duo were honored on the All-Big West First Team joined by seven honorable mention - Clara Samson, Ella Colombini, Laurynn Ziller, Mihaela Perez, Trinity Morales, Hailey Clingan, and Ivy Williams. Fiona Shin rounded out the honors on the Big West All-Freshman squad as UCI led everyone in the Big West with 10 all-conference winners despite no weekly awards during the season.
Both Colombini sisters were also recognized on the CSC Academic All-District Team. With them were UCI's captain, Ivy Williams, and keeper Laurynn Ziller who spearheaded UCI outstanding defensive effort. The 'Eaters allowed just 11 goals this season earning 10 shutouts and finishing eighth in the nation in goals-against-average.
Women's Cross Country
Director: Jeff Perkins, 12th Year
Cross Country/Distance Coach: Casey Kear, 7th Year
2025 Big West Finish: 2nd
UC Irvine women’s cross country claimed runner-up honors at the 2025 Big West Championship at Queen Kapi‘olani Regional Park in Honolulu. It was the third time in the last four seasons the Anteaters placed among the top three at the conference meet. Junior Kaia Schmidt led the way as she covered the 6K course in 21:13.2 to place fourth overall. Freshman Grace Baxter (14th, 21:50.8), senior Makena Castillo (17th, 21:56.0), and sophomore Liana Lee (19th, 21:59.7) added top-20 showings. The ‘Eaters went on to finish 14th at the NCAA West Regional in Sacramento.
UCI opened the regular season with a team victory at the Vanguard Invitational 5K. The Anteaters took the top five spots for a perfect score of 15 points. Lee was the individual champion with a lifetime-best 17:43.4. Three weeks later, the ‘Eaters came in third out of 24 teams at the UC Riverside Invitational 6K. Schmidt was UC Irvine’s top runner in seventh at 20:38.4, while junior Emma Hadley wasn’t far behind in 11th at 20:47.6. Both of their times were personal records and landed among the top-10 in program history. Senior Nicole Contreras had UCI’s third-fastest 6K of the season, running a PR 20:53.2 at the Highlander Invitational.
UC Irvine concluded the campaign ranked 14th in the final USTFCCCA West Region Poll. The Anteaters entered the top-15 on Sept. 29 and stayed there for the remainder of the season. Kaia Schmidt was named the Big West Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week on Sept. 30 and Oct. 14. She also garnered All-Big West honors by way of her top-10 conference finish. The ‘Eaters excelled in the classroom as well with eight student-athletes receiving Big West Fall All-Academic honors. In addition, the squad was recognized as a USTFCCCA All-Academic Team for the seventh-straight year.
Men's Cross Country
Director: Jeff Perkins, 12th Year
Cross Country/Distance Coach: Casey Kear, 7th Year
2025 Big West Finish: 8th
UC Irvine men’s cross country finished eighth at the Big West Championship at Queen Kapi‘olani Regional Park in Honolulu. Sophomore Juan Chantaca led UCI for the fourth time in as many meets, covering the 8K course in 25:24.9. Chantaca was also one of three Anteaters to compete at the NCAA West Regional in Sacramento where he shaved over a minute off his 10K personal record, crossing the finish line in 30:09.4 to place 32nd out of 203 runners. It was the best individual regional finish by an ‘Eater since 1999, while his time ranked seventh in program history. Junior Jimmy Markowicz (32:17.0) and freshman Ziyad Abdallah (32:26.7) joined Chantaca at the regional meet.
UC Irvine opened the regular season by winning the Vanguard Invitational 8K on Sept. 5. Chantaca was the individual champion at 24:05.8. Abdallah (24:57.4) and Markowicz (25:01.7) were fourth and fifth, respectively. Three weeks later, Chantaca finished fourth out of 224 at the UC Riverside Invitational where he clocked an 8K school-record 23:38.4. He was named the Big West Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week on Sept. 9 and Sept. 30.
Off the course, the Anteaters earned USTFCCCA All-Academic Team recognition for the eighth year in a row, while Chantaca and Markowicz garnered Big West Fall All-Academic honors.
Women's Volleyball
Head Coach: Ashlie Hain, 9th Year
2025 Record: 13-18 (8-10, T-6th Big West)
UC Irvine women's volleyball finished the regular season 13-18 with a league record of 8-10, tying Hawaii for sixth place. UCI qualified for the championship by way of a head-to-head tiebreaker with the Rainbow Wahine. In the lone meeting of the year, the Anteaters swept Hawaii in Irvine.
For the second consecutive year, UCI had to have a big win to end the season. The Anteaters took down second place Cal Poly, 3-0 on Senior Night.
Libero Campbell Jensen was once again a star, earning second team All-Big West honors. She led the Big West in digs overall with a 4.59 average, recording 20 or more digs seven times this season, including a season-best 30 versus UC Davis on Oct. 4. The senior was fourth among Division I active players in career digs with 1,901, ending her career second all-time at UC Irvine. Jensen was honored as Big West Defensive Player of the Week three times in 2025, logging six overall career accolades (4 Defensive, 2 Freshman of the Week).
Outside hitter Kendra Duffey was a Big West honorable mention selection after leading the Anteater offense. The senior ranked 11th in kills (2.98) and points (3.48) among Big West players.
The Anteaters were once again a good defensive team, ranking second in digs (15.10), third in opponents hitting percentage (.186) and fourth in blocks (2.36). UCI had a conference best 18 blocks against UC San Diego. Middle blocker Sydnee Rowe led the conference in blocking (1.19) and was sixth in hitting percentage (.326). Junior Nicole Feliciano, who was seventh in set assists with a 7.65 mark, posted 60 set assists versus CSUN, the most by a Big West player in 2025.
Men's Water Polo
Head Coach: Dan Klatt, 4th Year
2025 Record: 15-12 (2-3, T-4th Big West)
UC Irvine went 15-12 overall, marking its fourth-straight winning season under head coach Dan Klatt. The Anteaters started the year on a six-game win streak. In conference play, the two-time defending Big West champions saw their reign come to an end as they tied for fourth.
Several 'Eaters recorded career bests in 2025. Johann Thrall established a new single-season best with 60 goals on the year, passing the 54 mark that he set last year. Ethan Spoon netted a single-game career-high six goals in a 23-7 victory over Occidental on Sept. 27. Wyley Dale and Jack Stevens each set career bests in a 21-10 win over Wagner on Oct. 3 with Dale recording six tallies and Stevens adding five.
Four Anteaters earned All-Big West honors. Luka Krstic and Cole Francisco both landed on the All-Big West Second Team, while Johann Thrall and Wyley Dale received honorable mention distinction. UC Irvine also took home three Big West Player of the Week awards. Cole Francisco (Oct. 22) earned his second career honor, Ethan Spoon (Oct. 1) received his first, and Luka Krstic (Sept. 17) garnered his fifth weekly recognition.
The ‘Eaters were 16th in the final CWPA Poll and were ranked as high as seventh during the regular season. The 2025 squad averaged 13.5 goals per game, recording 364 tallies in 27 games played. That was the second highest scoring total in the program’s single season history, only falling short of the 400 mark set in the 2024 season.
