UCI adds track recruits

Loyd Sicard, the 2013 California state champion in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles at Gardena Serra High, tops the list of UC Irvine men’s track and field recruits announced recently.

Sicard placed fourth in the 110-meter high hurdles and ran the leadoff leg of the state championship 4x100 relay and the 4x400 relays that played a major role in his school’s team state crown.

Sicard, the South Bay Daily Breeze Athlete of the Year, has personal-best times of 13.95 seconds in the 110 hurdles and 37.06 in the 300 hurdles.

Other future Anteaters include Brandon Howard from Spring Valley Steele Canyon High. He was third in the 300 hurdles at the state meet and he anchored the 4x400 relay in the semifinals of the state championships. He has top times of 37.65 in the 300 hurdles and 48.45 in the 400.

Isaiah Thompson from Riverside Sherman Indian High finished fourth in the 800 at the state meet. He has personal-best times of 1 minute, 51.76 in the 800 and 4:18.83 in the 1,600.

Eric Enriquez from Downey High competes in the 800 and pole vault. His top time in the 800 is 1:52.99 with a personal-best mark of 15 feet, 7 inches in the pole vault.

Nolan Del Valle, who prepped Santa Clarita Golden Valley High, has top times of 4:22.68 in the 1,600 and 9:26.04 in the 3,200.

Munir Kahssay, a transfer from Cerritos Community College, finished 11th in the 10,000 at the state JC championships. His personal-best times are 14:19.47 in the 5,000 and 30:49.65 in the 10,000.

“This is one of the best all-around classes in my time here at UC Irvine, with many of the incoming class being ranked in the top 10 in the state of California,” said Jeff Perkins, the associate head coach who oversees the Anteaters’ hurdlers, sprinters and jumpers.

“We are excited to add a state champion of the caliber of Lloyd Sicard to our program, as he is an athlete of many talents who will make an immediate impact. He already possesses a championship pedigree coming from a Serra program that won the state title and is a perennial contender.

“With the diversity of the class, we are looking forward to the continued development and success of our young team, and the immediate impact these student-athletes will have in continuing to develop into Big West champions and NCAA title contenders,” Perkins said.

The UCI women’s program announced the signing of two league champions to national letters of intent.

Rebecka Miranda from Lompoc Cabrillo High enters UCI with personal-best marks of 17-11 in the long jump at 39-2 3/4 in the triple jump. She was Los Padres League champion in both events in 2013.

Megan George from Gardena Serra has top times of 14.37 in the 100 hurdles, 44.77 in the 300 hurdles and 57.70 in the 400. She won 2013 Del Rey League titles in the 100, as well as the 100 and 300 hurdles.

“Rebecka and Megan had exceptional high school careers and we are excited about the impact they will have on the UCI program,” Perkins said.

— From staff reports