UCLA Caps Off a Solid Weekend at Texas A&M

Friday, February 3

College Station, Texas

All Day

UCLA

Charlie Thomas Invitational

Rai Benjamin posted an impressive double on Saturday, setting two new indoor personal bests.

UCLA Caps Off a Solid Weekend at Texas A&M

February 04, 2017 | Track & Field

Results Results (Charlie Thomas)

LOS ANGELES – The UCLA track and field team wrapped up the second weekend of the indoor season with another step in the right direction. The Bruins posted numerous indoor personal bests and had 13 top-3 finishes, Saturday at the Charlie Thomas Invitational at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium.

Sophomore Rai Benjamin led the way for the Bruins with a victory in the 200m and a third-place showing in the 400m. Benjamin clocked an indoor collegiate personal best of 21.03 to take sole possession of second all-time in UCLA indoor history. His PR of 47.11 in the 400m moved him to fifth all-time in UCLA indoor history as well.

The Bruins finished 1-2 in the men's shot put as sophomore Dotun Ogundeji won the event with a throw of 60-4. Junior Braheme Days was second at 59-0. In the women's shot put, senior Torie Owers was second at 52-11 while sophomore Ashlie Blake was third with a throw of 51-3.50.

Sophomore Greta Wagner cleared a new indoor personal best to finish second in the pole vault. Wagner posted a mark of 13-8.25 to improve her seventh place ranking on the UCLA all-time indoor list. Sophomore Elleyse Garrett was fourth at 12-2.50.

In the men's long jump, senior Austin Hazel was third with a leap of 24-0.75. In the men's high jump senior Sage Stone was third at 6-8.25. Freshman Isaiah Holmes followed in fourth also with a height of 6-8.25. In the women's competition, freshman Mikella Lefebvre-Oatis was third at 5-6.

After a solid leg on the DMR last night, freshman Cassandra Durgy was the runner-up in the mile with a time of 4:47.76. That time is the sixth fastest in UCLA indoor history. Senior Emily Scharmann was firth at 4:51.45. Junior Daniel De La Torre was also second in the men's mile, clocking a time of 4:08.93. Freshman John Carter Blunt was fourth at 4:10.11.

In the hurdles, sophomore Pattriana Perry was seventh with a time of 8.87. She clocked a best of 8.75 in the prelims. Junior Misana Viltz's day went the same as he finished sixth with a time of 8.20 but posted an 8.03 in the prelims.

Also on the short straightaway, freshman Celera Barnes improved from a solid opener last week to clock a 7.36 to finish third overall. Junior Leon Powell was fourth in his return to his home state with a time of 6.82.

The Bruins will split the squad the next weekend as the majority of the team will head to Albuquerque, N.M., for the Don Kirby Invitational while the distance squad travels north to Seattle for the Husky Invitational. Both two-day meets will begin on Friday, Feb. 10.