LOS ANGELES – The UCLA track and field team opened the 2017 indoor season this past weekend. The Bruins wasted little time getting into competition mode at the Armory in New York as ten top-10 all-time indoor marks were posted, including a school record and six top-5 showings at the Columbia East/West Challenge.

Leading the way for the Bruins was the performance from Michael Burke. In his first collegiate indoor meet, he cleared a UCLA indoor record height of 7-3 to win the meet. The mark of 7-3 is also tied for fifth in all-time performances by a Bruin jumper.

Posting marks that are now ranked number two in UCLA indoor history were Rai Benjamin in the 200m with a time of 21.04 and Austin Hazel in the long jump with a leap of 24-8.25. Benjamin also posted the third best time in the 60m, crossing the short straightaway in 6.72. In her collegiate debut, freshman Celera Barned clocked a time of 7.40 for the third fastest women's 60m in UCLA history. Also in that race, junior Jessie Maduka improved her top-10 time to eighth with a 7.50.

Rounding out the Bruin top-10 performances on opening weekend was Joe Herrera in the 400m with a time of 47.32 that now ranks fifth all-time indoors. Sophomore Arturo Sotomayor crossed the line in an 800m winning time of 1:49.60 to rank eighth all-time. The freshmen duo of Mikella Lefebvre-Oatis and Tobia Bocchi notched UCLA top-10 indoor marks. Lefebvre-Oatis cleared 5-8.5 for the ninth best mark while Bocchi leaped 50-4.50 to etch his name ninth on the triple jump list.

UCLA will return to the track when the Bruins travel to College Station, Texas for the Charlie Thomas Invitational at Texas A&M on Feb. 3-4.