UCI Is Host to PCAA Cross-Country Championship

UC Irvine is favored to continue its dominance of Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. cross-country in the conference championships today at UCI’s Crawford Field.

More than 150 athletes from 11 schools will compete in the meet, which starts with the women’s 5,000-meter race at 9:30 a.m. The men’s 10,000-meter race starts at 10:30.

The UCI women, ranked 14th in the nation, have won the conference title each year since women’s cross-country joined the PCAA in 1983. The men are looking for their third straight conference title.

The Irvine women are led by seniors Jill Harrington--the defending meet champion--and Beth McGrann, who was second in 1986, junior Lori Wilson and sophomores Amy Dabul and Buffy Rabbitt.

Other top women’s teams include Cal State Fullerton and Fresno State.

The Titans are led by Jenni Scott, a former standout at Tustin High School, who was 13th in the conference meet last year. Fresno is led by Janine Ogas.

The Irvine men, ranked 10th in the nation, are led by Gus Quinonez (who was second last year), Richard Graves, Steve Imlay and Scott LaForce.

Fresno State, New Mexico State and Cal State Long Beach are the leading challengers in the men’s division.

Top individuals include Graves and Quinonez of Irvine, Art Escobedo of New Mexico State, and David Schumacher and Patrick Green of Long Beach.