UCLA
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Collegiate Invitational
Bruin Field Athletes Win Three Events to Cap MLK Invite
January 19, 2019 | Track & Field
Albuquerque, N.M. โ The UCLA track and field team finished up a strong weekend at the MLK invite Saturday, taking home nine top-3 finishes and three field event victories.
The UCLA throwers continued an epic start to the 2019 indoor season, headlined by Alyssa Wilson's second event win of the weekend. Wilson followed her victory in the weight throw Friday night with a first-place finish in the shot put, launching a mark of 17.57m (57-07.75). Senior Ashlie Blake was the runner-up, tossing the shot 17.05m (55-11.25).
The Bruin male throwers showed similar prowess, as redshirt senior Dotun Ogundeji and redshirt sophomore Nate Esparza went 2-3 in the men's shot put competition. Ogundeji posted a mark of 18.53m (60-09.50), while Esparza threw a season-best 18.35m (60-02.50).
Redshirt senior Elleyse Garrett opened her final collegiate pole vault campaign in style, clearing 4.15m (13-07.25) to secure a lifetime-best indoor mark and the event victory. Senior Melissa Maneatis finished in ninth place with a clearance of 3.50m (11.05.75).
CJ Alumbres took home the Bruins' third field event victory of the day, bounding 14.93m (48-11.75) to secure the men's triple jump win. Freshman debutant Hawa Kamara took eighth place in the women's competition, posting a mark of 11.74m (38-06.25) on her final attempt. Junior transfer Jazmin Moss won the first flight of the event with a leap of 11.54m (37-10.50), good for 10th overall.
Redshirt junior Millen Trujillo and redshirt sophomore Chris Morzenti went 2-3 in the men's mile, clocking times of 4:13.61 and 4:13.75, respectively. Freshman Sophie Scott took 12th place in the women's competition with a time of 5:21.21.
Senior transfer Cameron Stone led the way for the Bruin men in the 400m, crossing with a time of 48.16 to take second place in the collegiate competition. Senior Joe Herrera finished seventh overall, crossing at 50.04.
Senior duo Suzie Acolatse (7.70) and Schuyler Moore (7.78) represented the Bruins in the women's 60m dash, finishing 11th and 14th, respectively, in the preliminary round. Junior Jesse Audelo crossed at 7.10 to take fifth in the men's qualifiers, moving on to finish 20th in the subsequent preliminary heats.
Freshman Nyree Brown (9.25) and senior Christina Chenault (9.40) finished in eighth and 10th place, respectively, in the women's 60m hurdle qualifiers. Brown moved on to the preliminary rounds and finished eighth in her heat.
In the final event of the day, the UCLA women's 4x400m teamโconsisting of Chenault and freshmen Dakota Stanly, Kyrah Johnson, and Jaylah Herronโwon its heat with a time of 3:50.00. The foursome took fifth overall in the relay.
The Bruins will head to New York for the Dr. Sander Columbia Challenge, with the competition held at the Armory Track & Field Center. The two-day meet will kick off on Friday, January 25.
Players Mentioned
