Saturday, September 19
Riverside, Calif. / Ag/Ops Cross Country Course
7:50 AM
UC Irvine
at
UC Riverside Invitational
Photo by: Regents of the University of California
UCI Makes Short Trip to Riverside for UCR Invitational
September 17, 2026 | Men's Cross Country
UCR Invitational
Date: Saturday, Sept. 19
Event: 8K Invitational
Time: 7:50 a.m. (PDT)
Location: UCR Ag Ops Course - Riverside, Calif.
Live Results
IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine men's cross country team makes its way to the Inland Empire for the UC Riverside Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 19. The Anteaters are entered in the men's 8K Invite, which is scheduled for a 7:50 a.m. start at UCR Ag/Ops Course.
QUICK HITS
• Juan Chantaca ran an 8K school record at last year's UCR Invitational.
• UCI has competed in each of the last 10 UCR Invites.
• The UCR Ag/Ops Course is also the site of the 2026 Big West Championship.
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine kicked off the 2026 campaign at the Aztec Coastal Classic in San Diego on Sept. 3. Sophomore Javin Schmitt and senior Jimmy Markowicz led the 'Eaters with top-10 finishes. Schmitt covered the 7K course at SDSU Mission Valley River Park in 22:06.9 to place eighth overall. Markowicz wasn't far behind in 10th at 22:12.0. Three Anteaters were within 18 seconds of Markowicz, starting with freshman Nathan Wilber, who was 11th with a time of 22:19.3. Freshman Owen Souther also came in 12th (22:25.4), and sophomore Ziyad Abdallah was 13th (22:29.8).
CONTINUING THE MOMENTUM
Junior Juan Chantaca is set to make his season debut on Saturday after an impressive 2025-26 campaign. Last fall, he led the Anteaters in all five of his cross country races, including at the UC Riverside Invitational where he placed among the top-five in an 8K school-record 23:38.4. Chantaca also ran a 10K personal-best 30:09.4 to place 32nd at the NCAA West Regional. It was UCI's best individual regional finish since 1999, while his time ranked seventh in program history. During the 2026 track season, Chantaca was a Big West scorer in the 5000m (5th) and 10000m (8th). He was the only student-athlete not from conference champion Cal Poly to place among the top-eight in the 5K.
EXPERIENCED CORE
The 'Eaters also welcome back senior Jimmy Markowicz, junior Omar Reyes, and sophomores Ziyad Abdallah and Javin Schmitt. Abdallah and Markowicz were among UC Irvine's top-three finishers in every race last year. Abdallah ran an 8K personal-record 24:52.9 at the UCR Invitational, while Markowicz clocked a best of 25:01.7 at the Vanguard Invitational. The duo also joined Chantaca at the 2025 NCAA West Regional in Sacramento.
FAB FIVE
Half of the Anteaters' 10-man roster is comprised of first-year freshmen. Braulio Castillo prepped at West Ranch High School where he was the 2025 Foothill League cross country individual champion, finished seventh at the CIF Division 3 State meet, and qualified for the Brooks Cross Country National Championship. Nathan Wilber (Cathedral Catholic HS) was also a two-time league champion, won the 2025 CIF-San Diego Section Division 3 meet, and placed eighth at the state championships. Aiden Zavala (Woodbridge HS) and Owen Souther (Canyon HS) were both two-time CIF State qualifiers, and Nolan Calder (San Juan Hills HS) was a CIF-Southern Section finalist as a senior.
UP NEXT
UCI will travel to Springfield, Oregon, for the Bill Dellinger Invitational on Friday, Oct. 9.
Date: Saturday, Sept. 19
Event: 8K Invitational
Time: 7:50 a.m. (PDT)
Location: UCR Ag Ops Course - Riverside, Calif.
Live Results
IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine men's cross country team makes its way to the Inland Empire for the UC Riverside Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 19. The Anteaters are entered in the men's 8K Invite, which is scheduled for a 7:50 a.m. start at UCR Ag/Ops Course.
QUICK HITS
• Juan Chantaca ran an 8K school record at last year's UCR Invitational.
• UCI has competed in each of the last 10 UCR Invites.
• The UCR Ag/Ops Course is also the site of the 2026 Big West Championship.
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine kicked off the 2026 campaign at the Aztec Coastal Classic in San Diego on Sept. 3. Sophomore Javin Schmitt and senior Jimmy Markowicz led the 'Eaters with top-10 finishes. Schmitt covered the 7K course at SDSU Mission Valley River Park in 22:06.9 to place eighth overall. Markowicz wasn't far behind in 10th at 22:12.0. Three Anteaters were within 18 seconds of Markowicz, starting with freshman Nathan Wilber, who was 11th with a time of 22:19.3. Freshman Owen Souther also came in 12th (22:25.4), and sophomore Ziyad Abdallah was 13th (22:29.8).
CONTINUING THE MOMENTUM
Junior Juan Chantaca is set to make his season debut on Saturday after an impressive 2025-26 campaign. Last fall, he led the Anteaters in all five of his cross country races, including at the UC Riverside Invitational where he placed among the top-five in an 8K school-record 23:38.4. Chantaca also ran a 10K personal-best 30:09.4 to place 32nd at the NCAA West Regional. It was UCI's best individual regional finish since 1999, while his time ranked seventh in program history. During the 2026 track season, Chantaca was a Big West scorer in the 5000m (5th) and 10000m (8th). He was the only student-athlete not from conference champion Cal Poly to place among the top-eight in the 5K.
EXPERIENCED CORE
The 'Eaters also welcome back senior Jimmy Markowicz, junior Omar Reyes, and sophomores Ziyad Abdallah and Javin Schmitt. Abdallah and Markowicz were among UC Irvine's top-three finishers in every race last year. Abdallah ran an 8K personal-record 24:52.9 at the UCR Invitational, while Markowicz clocked a best of 25:01.7 at the Vanguard Invitational. The duo also joined Chantaca at the 2025 NCAA West Regional in Sacramento.
FAB FIVE
Half of the Anteaters' 10-man roster is comprised of first-year freshmen. Braulio Castillo prepped at West Ranch High School where he was the 2025 Foothill League cross country individual champion, finished seventh at the CIF Division 3 State meet, and qualified for the Brooks Cross Country National Championship. Nathan Wilber (Cathedral Catholic HS) was also a two-time league champion, won the 2025 CIF-San Diego Section Division 3 meet, and placed eighth at the state championships. Aiden Zavala (Woodbridge HS) and Owen Souther (Canyon HS) were both two-time CIF State qualifiers, and Nolan Calder (San Juan Hills HS) was a CIF-Southern Section finalist as a senior.
UP NEXT
UCI will travel to Springfield, Oregon, for the Bill Dellinger Invitational on Friday, Oct. 9.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
Tuesday, November 18
Saturday, September 20
Wednesday, September 03
Wednesday, August 27
