SEATTLE, Wash. – The UCLA track and field team wrapped up the MPSF Championships with more lifetime bests and two event victories, Saturday afternoon at Dempsey Indoor on the campus of the University of Washington.
The shot put highlighted the final day for the Bruins. Sophomore Dotun Ogundeji on his final attempt launched a two-foot lifetime best of 64-11.50 to win the event. The throw moves Ogundeji to fifth on the UCLA indoor all-time list. Junior Braheme Days was 10th at 57-5.75. The Bruins have claimed the men's MPSF shot put title for four years straight.
Senior Torie Owers heaved an indoor personal best of 56-0.50 to win the event in impressive fashion. Sophomore Ashlie Blake followed in fourth with a throw of 52-6.75.
In her first ever collegiate triple jump competition, junior Jessie Maduka leaped to a runner-up finish with a mark of 42-1.25 (12.83m). The performance ranks fourth on the UCLA indoor list and is ninth on the all-time list.
Also in the field events, junior Sage Stone placed fifth in the high jump with a leap of 6-11. Freshman Michael Burke followed in seventh at 6-9. Senior Cody Crampton and freshman Isaiah Holmes also cleared 6-9, to finish ninth and 10th, respectively.
In the women's high jump, freshman Mikella Lefebvre-Oatis was sixth with a leap of 5-7. Lillianna Hebert and Kaelin Davis both cleared 5-5.
Sophomore Scott Snow continues to improve on a weekly basis as he posted another personal best in the mile in consecutive weeks. Snow finished sixth with a time of 4:04.02, the eighth fastest in UCLA indoor history.
Freshman Cassandra Durgy clocked another personal best in the mile as she finished 15th with a 4:45.15. Senior Emily Scharmann closely followed in 16th at 4:45.47. The two times rank fifth and sixth on the UCLA indoor list, respectively.
Scharmann wasn't done on the day though as she came back to finish 15th in the 3,000m with a personal-best time of 9:29.38. The performance ranks sixth on the indoor list. In the men's 3,000m sophomore Daniel De Torre was 11th with a personal best time of 8:05.63. That time ranks 10th on the indoor list.
Arturo Sotomayor continued his solid sophomore indoor campaign by placing third in the 800m with a time 1:50.17. Freshman Riley Kelly was 10th with a 1:52.11.
In the sprints, junior Joe Herrera equaled his indoor personal best to place fifth with a time of 46.98. Sophomore Rai Benjamin followed in sixth at 47.06. Junior Leon Powell placed sixth in the 60m with a time of 6.82.
The men capped off the meet by finishing fifth in the 4x400m relay with a season-best time of 3:12.50. The time ranks seventh on the indoor list. The women clocked a 3:48.64 to place eighth.
UCLA will open the outdoor season in a meet at CSU Long Beach on March 4. The NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas will begin on March 10.