UCLA
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational
UCLA Off the Blocks in 2018 Indoor Season
January 19, 2018 | Track & Field
Albuquerque, N.M. โ The UCLA track and field team made its first appearance on the oval Friday, impressing in the first day of competition of the Martin Luther King Junior Collegiate Invite.
The men's high jump saw sophomore Isaiah Holmes kick his season off with a bang, jumping 6-11.50 (2.12m) to win the collegiate competition. Junior Michael Burke was fourth collegiately with a clearance of 6-07.50 (2.02m). Sophomore Mikella Lefebvre-Oatis led the way for the Bruins in the women's competition, finishing second collegiately with a mark of 5-07.25 (1.71m). Lilianna Hebert followed in a tie for fourth in the collegiate competition with a clearance of 5-05.25 (1.66m). Senior Kaelin Davis (5-03.25, 1.61m) and junior Christina Chenault (5-01.25, 1.56m) rounded out UCLA's vertical jumps lineup, finishing 10th and 14th overall, respectively.
Junior Justin Stafford dominated the men's field in the weight throw competition, winning with a mark of 63-04.25 (19.31m). Stafford's mark moves him into seventh all-time in UCLA history in the event. Freshman Alyssa Wilson got her UCLA career underway, finishing fourth collegiately with a throw of 59-01.25 (18.01m). This mark already places her ninth in school history in the weight throw.
Making his freshman debut in the long jump was Matthew DeRoos, who finished 16th overall with a leap of 22-05.00 (6.83m). The women's competition saw senior Kendall Gustafson finish 30th overall with a mark of 17-05.50 (5.32m). Junior Meghan Tucker jumped 16-00.50 (4.89m) to finish in 54th place.
A trio of Bruins won their heats in the 600m races. Sophomore Riley Kelly (12th overall) and redshirt freshman Chris Morzenti (16th overall) won back-to-back heats with times of 1:20.40 and 1:22.32, respectively. In her first meet since the 2016 outdoor season, junior Chloe Jenkins posted a strong performance in the women's 600m competition, winning her heat with a time of 1:37.53.
Senior Darnell Roberson won his heat of the men's 200m, clocking a time of 22.16 to finish 21st overall. In the women's competition, senior Jelvon Butler led the way for UCLA with an eighth-place finish and an indoor-best time of 24.36. Junior Schuyler Moore (25.16), senior Katelyn Jackson (25.24), and senior Ashley Lewis (25.36) all crossed the line within a second of Butler, finishing 21st, 26th, and 32nd overall, respectively.
The Bruins featured senior Reed Scale and junior transfer Michael Fancey in the pole vault competition. Scale tied for sixth place in the collegiate competition, posting a clearance of 15-04.25 (4.68m). In his UCLA debut, Fancey finished tied for 18th place with a mark of 14-05.50 (4.38m).
The Bruins will be back in action Saturday for Day 2 of the competition, with the women's shot put getting the action underway at 8:30am PT. The women's 60m hurdle prelims will be the first event on the track at 9:15am PT.
Players Mentioned
