University of California-Irvine Women's Cross Country

Jeff Perkins began his tenure as the director of UC Irvine cross country/track & field on Jan. 1, 2014. He has been a member of the Anteater staff since 2007...

Calla Nelson joined UC Irvine in 2018 as the Anteaters' assistant cross country/distance coach. Since Nelson’s arrival on campus, the ‘Eaters have produced eight All-Big West awards in cross country and eight in track & field. They have boasted two of the last four women’s 10,000-meter champions. This past season, Sameen Andar and Lukas Amare made the All-Big West Cross Country Team for the second year in a row. Andar, Amare and Anna Vogtmann also received Big West Athlete of the Week honors during the season. On the track, Andar had a podium finish in the 10,000m at the conference meet, while Vogtmann (1500m), Amare (10K) and Joshua Schuld (Steeplechase) also scored in their respective events. Andar qualified for her second career NCAA West Preliminary in the 10K. In 2022-23, the Anteaters produced three All-Big West Track & Field awards and two NCAA qualifying marks in the distance events. Sameen Andar was the 2023 Big West champion in the women's 10,000-meter and finished third in the 5,000-meter. Hannah Chau also placed third in the steeplechase. Andar and Evelin Meza both advanced to the NCAA West Regional meet in the 10K. During the fall, the UCI women's cross country squad took second at the Big West Championships, coming in one point behind Cal Poly. Anna Vogtmann, Andar and Chau earned all-conference honors on the women's side, while Lukas Amare was an All-Big West performer on the men's side. In 2022, the women's distance crew totaled 31 points to help the 'Eaters t

Casey Kear is in his sixth season as UC Irvine's cross country/distance coach after joining the staff in August 2019. Last year, Kear saw two of his student-athletes - Sameen Andar and Lukas Amare - make the All-Big West Cross Country Team for the second year in a row. Andar, Amare and Anna Vogtmann also received Big West Athlete of the Week honors during the season. On the track, Andar had a podium finish in the 10,000m at the conference meet, while Vogtmann (1500m), Amare (10K) and Joshua Schuld (Steeplechase) also scored in their respective events. Andar qualified for her second career NCAA West Preliminary in the 10K. During the 2023 track & field season, Kear’s distance squad produced three All-Big West awards and two NCAA qualifying marks. Sameen Andar set a meet record to win the women's 10,000m title at the Big West Championships, while she was third in the 5,000m. Hannah Chau added a third-place finish in the steeplechase. As a team, the UCI women scored 33 points in the distance events at the conference meet. Andar and Evelin Meza both advanced to the NCAA West Preliminary in the 10K. Earlier in the season, Andar broke a 37-year-old school record in the 5K with a time of 16:13.12, and Chau bettered her own standard in the steeplechase at 10:20.11. Andar also set program bests in the indoor 3,000m and 5,000m. During the fall, Kear was named the 2022 Big West co-Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year after leading the Anteaters to a runner-up finish. They came in one