Editor’s note: This article was republished on Feb. 3 following an updated website transfer that caused it to be removed. The article was originally published on Jan. 26.
The UC Irvine Women’s Outdoor Track and Field team will travel to Long Beach, Calif. for the Beach Opener on March 6.
UCI made an appearance on the first day of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) West First Round meet at E.B. Cushing Stadium in College Station, Texas, last year on May 29, 2025. During this meet, a number of key athletes for the Anteaters in 2026 competed.
Junior DeAna Davis threw 54.3 meters in the hammer, which was good enough for 42nd place. DeAna Davis is set to return to UCI for her senior year in 2026.
In the long jump, three athletes competed for the Anteaters. Senior Reyna Johnson jumped 5.77 meters, which placed her in 44th. Junior Jolie Robinson jumped 5.78 meters, putting her in 42nd. Sophomore Kailah McKenzie jumped 6.05 meters, enough to place 33rd. Both Robinson and McKenzie are set to return to UCI for the 2026 season.
Junior Nyla Baker threw 13.9 meters in the shot put, which placed her at 44th. Baker will return to UCI for the 2026 season.
In the 100-meter hurdles event, junior Jazzmine Davis finished in 13.53 seconds, which placed her in 35th place. Jazzmine Davis, who will be returning for her senior year in 2026, won the 2025 Big West Women’s Track Athlete of the Meet for the 2025 championship meet.
In the 800-meter event, graduate student Luz Mercado finished in 2:09.16, which placed her in 37th place. Senior Malia Gay finished in 2:05.72 — fast enough to continue Gay’s individual season by qualifying her for the final in the West First Round. Neither Mercado nor Gay will compete for UC Irvine this season.
In the 400-meter hurdles event, junior Esmeray Demirbas finished with a time of 58.96 and finished in 29th place. Jazzmine Davis finished with a time of 58.66 seconds and continued her season in the 400-meter hurdles on May 31 in the final of the West First Round.
At the end of the season, the University of Georgia of the Southeastern Conference won the national championship on June 14.
Although the Anteaters’ hopes of a team championship were lost during the first day of the meet, athletes who helped earn a Big West team championship and an NCAA West appearance are going to be the foundation of UC Irvine’s upcoming season.
The Beach Opener will last until March 7, when the Eaters will prepare for their second meet of the year at the Ben Brown Invitational in Fullerton, Calif., which will take place on March 12 and 13.
Jack Fedor is the 2025-2026 Sports Editor. He can be reached at jfedor@uci.edu.
Edited by Benjamin Flores and Kailee Kim
