LOS ANGELES – The UCLA track and field team will split squads for its final regular season indoor competitions this weekend. The majority of the team will be returning to the Albuquerque Convention Center for the Don Kirby Invite in New Mexico. A contingent of distance runners will head to the University of Washington in Seattle for the Husky Classic, held at the Dempsey Indoor.
The Bruins will see their first action at the Don Kirby Invite on Friday, Feb. 9 at 4:00pm MT/ 3:00pm PT with the women's weight throw and long jump. The preliminary rounds for the women's 60m hurdles will open Saturday's meet program at 8:00am PT.
The Husky Classic will also begin Friday with the women's 200m at 4:00pm PT. UCLA will toe the line for the women's DMR at 4:40pm. The Bruins will get going at 3:30pm PT Saturday with the women's mile.
The Bruins enter the weekend coming off a strong performance at the Columbia Challenge at the Armory, a competition highlighted by senior Kendall Gustafson's new school record in the pentathlon (4,065 points). This is already the second school record shattered this season, with senior Jessie Maduka jumping 13.74m (45-01.00) at the MLK Invite for the UCLA indoor triple jump crown.
The UCLA throwers also continued their strong 2018 indoor campaign, with freshman Alyssa Wilson (16.75m, 54-11.50) and junior Ashlie Blake (16.62m, 54-06.50) going 1-2 in the shot put competition. Sophomore Mikella Lefebvre-Oatis cleared 1.77m (5-09.75) in the high jump, good for an indoor-best mark and third in the collegiate competition.
The men's competition saw the UCLA track debut for junior transfer Robert Brandt, who finished 12th overall in the 3,000m. His time of 8:01.89 was good for sixth all-time in UCLA Indoor history. UCLA also ran its first relay of the season in the men's DMR, with Scott Snow, Riley Kelly, Logen Casavant, and Carter Blunt combining to run 9:51.12, currently 20th in the nation in the event. Junior Justin Stafford posted his second consecutive lifetime best in the weight throw, launching 19.41m (63-08.25) to finish second overall.
UCLA's entries for the Don Kirby Invite include the freshman debuts for Tyler Asemota (100m and 200m) and Andy Ehrenberg (mile). Sophomore Isaiah Holmes will be quadrupling in Albuquerque, competing in the 60m dash, 60m hurdles, high jump, and long jump. Sophomore Cassandra Durgy will make her first appearance in the mile this season at the Husky Classic. She posted the Bruins' best time of the 2017 indoor season in the event, crossing the line at 4:45.15 at the MPSF Championships, good for 15th overall and fifth in UCLA indoor school history.
Fee-based livestreams of the Don Kirby Invite and Husky Classic will be available on FloTrack.org.