UCI’s Olvera seeks title

Senior Laura Olvera isn’t the only UC Irvine women’s cross country runner eyeing a title at the Big West Conference championships today at 8:30 a.m. at UC Riverside.

Olvera, who has twice finished second and was also third individually at her previous conference finals, will attempt to earn the top prize, while also leading Coach Vince O’Boyle’s senior-led squad to the team crown.

Senior Nick Mosey will lead the UCI men, battling for second place, according to O’Boyle, in the men’s 8,000-meter race at 9:30.

“It should be a great race,” O’Boyle said of the women’s event. “There are five girls who have run better than 16 minutes, 30 seconds in the 5,000 on the track, which a first in conference history. It’s going to be interesting to see how that unfolds.”

Olvera is healthy and in top form, said O’Boyle, who believes his team, picked to finish second in the preseason coaches poll, can pull off a victory.

“We still haven’t put together the best race we can,” O’Boyle said.

Seniors Candice Chavez, 10th at last year’s conference finals, Samantha Constantini (11th), Lauren Chramosta (38th) and Kendall Bruton (44th), will be joined by senior teammates Erinn Kim and Megan Fairley, as well as juniors Emily Romo and Gabriela Santana in today’s meet.

Kim is coming off an individual victory in the Titan Invitational Oct. 24 at Cal State Fullerton.

Mosey was 19th at last year’s Big West finals and has established himself as the top runner for the ’Eaters this season.

Junior Colin Hacker (26th last year), senior Rusty Whisman (48th) and sophomore Victor Bonilla (53rd) are the veteran performers for the UCI men, who will also be represented by five freshmen.

Newport Harbor High product Rex Nelson leads a rookie crop that O’Boyle has said has the potential to be the best recruiting class in his 27 seasons at the school.

Sam Hyams, who won at Cal State Fullerton, Nick Osborne and Chris Proffitt are the other freshmen, who O’Boyle believes give UCI a chance to lead a chase pack behind heavily favored Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

“Cal Poly should win it,” O’Boyle said of the men’s team title. “But [second place] should come down to the UC campuses of UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, UC Riverside and us.

— Barry Faulkner