UC Irvine Women Granted Berth in Cross-Country Championships

The UC Irvine women’s cross-country team was awarded one of four at-large berths Monday to the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. championships Nov. 23 at Charlottesville, Va.

Irvine finished second to top-ranked Oregon at the NCAA Region 8 Championships Saturday in Woodward Park at Fresno. UCI scored 68 points; Oregon, which scored 29 points, automatically qualified for the Nov. 23 final.

Irvine, ranked eighth, is led by sophomore Buffy Rabbitt, who finished the 5,000-meter race fifth in 16 minutes 45 seconds; Jill Harrington (seventh, 16:57); Judy McLaughlin (14th, 17:25); Beth McGrann (19th, 17:35); and Lori Wilson (24th, 17:39).

The Anteater men, ranked 17th, finished third at the regional meet with 119 points. Irvine automatically qualified for the NCAA championships with regional champion Arizona (72 points) and Washington (116).

Senior Gus Quinonez led Irvine Saturday, finishing the 10,000-meter race sixth in 30:29. Also helping the Anteaters were Richard Graves (20th, 30:57); Scott LaForce (29th, 31:10); Greg Houlgate (30th, 31:11); and freshman Pete Vicencio (38th, 31:18).