PCAA Track : UC Irvine’s Men, Women Finish Second

The UC Irvine men’s and women’s track and field teams both finished second in the Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. championships, behind defending champion Fresno State, Saturday at Logan, Utah.

For the Irvine women’s team, which had 126 points to Fresno State’s 169, it was the best showing in three years. San Diego State finished third with 106 points.

The Anteater women were led by Beth McGrann, who won the 5,000 meters Saturday in 18 minutes 2.83 seconds, to add to her victory Friday in the 10,000 meters. It was the third time in four years McGrann has won the PCAA 5,000 meters. Irvine’s Jennifer Thomas finished second in the 5,000 (18:11.61) and Becki Van Zant was third (18:11.84).

Irvine’s Judy McLaughlin won the 1,500 meters in 4:33.65, teammate Buffy Rabbitt finished second (4:34.44) and Jill Harrington was third (4:35.63). Rabbitt won the 3,000 meters in 10:16.39 and McLaughlin was second (10:34.27).

The Irvine men finished second for the third straight year with 163 points. Fresno State’s 243 points gave the Bulldogs their sixth consecutive championship and a PCAA scoring record. Cal State Long Beach finished third with 88 points.

Anteater Gus Quinonez, who successfully defended his 10,000-meter title Friday, repeated as 5,000-meter champion Saturday in 15:00.27. Irvine’s Richard Hill defended his title in the 110-meter high hurdles (14:51), and teammate Walter Harris finished second (14.64). Rod Brower won the 800 meters in 1:50.80.

Fresno State’s Anthony Barnes was named the PCAA male athlete of the year, an honor Quinonez won last year. Barnes defended his 100-meter dash title, won the 200-meter dash--in which he qualified for the NCAA championships--and ran the second leg of Fresno State’s winning 440-yard relay team.