SEATTLE, WASH. – The UCLA track and field team sent a large contingent to the UW Indoor Preview on Saturday and came away with strong performances across the board. It was the season debut for almost everyone competing for the Bruins, and the team secured five field event victories and a pair of wins on the track.
Junior Alyssa Wilson continued her impressive start to the 2020 campaign with her second and third event victories of the year. She took the women's weight throw and shot put titles with throws of 20.73m (68-00.25) and 17.43m (57-02.25), respectively. Wilson has now won three of the four competitions she has entered this season. The men's shot put saw Nate Esparza win the collegiate men's competition with a mark of 19.22m (63-00.75). Jacob Wilson was the collegiate runner-up, throwing 18.27m (59-11.25).
Shae Anderson impressed in her UCLA debut, winning the women's 600m competition in a time of 1:30.57. The redshirt sophomore made her first appearance as a Bruin after transferring from Oregon and sitting out last season. The men's competition saw senior Riley Kelly finish second overall with a time of 1:19.89, while redshirt freshman Jett Charvet took sixth (1:21.43) in his UCLA track debut.
Sophomore Sean Lee hit also the ground running in his season debut, winning the men's high jump with a clearance of 2.16m (7-01.00).
The women's 4x400m relay saw UCLA's A-squad –Makenzy Pierre-Webster, Meleni Rodney, Chinyere Okoro, and Anderson—take the victory with a time of 3:42.50, over nine seconds ahead of Washington in second place. The Bruins' second women's team—Kyrah Johnson, Jade Hinds, Maddy Doane, and Isa Videler—took third place overall with a time of 3:52.88. The Bruin men's squad, comprised of Ismail Turner, Mason Ratkovich, Chase Wells, and Cameron Stone, took second place with a time of 3:14.66.
The Bruins posted some strong performances in the men's long jump competition. Senior Harrison Schrage led the way with leap of 7.22m (23-08.25), the top collegiate mark of the day. Junior Matthew DeRoos followed in fifth place overall, clearing 6.95m (22-09.75) on his fifth attempt. Redshirt freshman Alex Enos (22-07.00) was right behind in sixth, securing a collegiate-best mark of 6.88m.
Sophomore Kenroy Higgins II led the way for the Bruin men in the 60m dash, posting the top qualifying time of the day (6.64) en route to a runner-up finish in the final (6.66). Junior Myles Webb finished eighth in the final, clocking a time of 6.85 in his season debut. Pierre-Webster ran 7.55 for the fastest preliminary mark in the women's competition and went on to finish third in the final with a time of 7.45. Fellow first-year Okoro (7.47) and sophomore Kenyla Miles (7.55) finished sixth and eighth, respectively.
Senior Michael Fancey took second place in the men's pole vault competition, posting an indoor-best clearance of 5.21m (17-01.00). Camryn Thompson led a group of five Bruin freshmen in the women's field, finishing ninth overall with a clearance of 3.81m (12-06.00).
Wells finished third overall in the men's competition with a time of 48.93. The women's competition saw Johnson (57.48) and Nyree Brown (59.09) take 13th and 22th overall, respectively.
A trio of Bruins posted career-best performances in the mile. Junior Chris Morzenti clocked a collegiate-best time of 4:05.75, good for 14th place in the men's competition. The women's mile saw junior Paige Carter (17th) and senior Jackie Garner (20th) similarly notch career-best times of 4:59.30 and 5:01.58, respectively. Freshman Emma Tavella finished 23rd overall in her UCLA track debut, crossing the line at 5:02.39.
UP NEXT
The Bruins are headed to New York City for the Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge. The meet will take place at The Armory and kick off on Friday, Jan. 24.
Junior Alyssa Wilson continued her impressive start to the 2020 campaign with her second and third event victories of the year. She took the women's weight throw and shot put titles with throws of 20.73m (68-00.25) and 17.43m (57-02.25), respectively. Wilson has now won three of the four competitions she has entered this season. The men's shot put saw Nate Esparza win the collegiate men's competition with a mark of 19.22m (63-00.75). Jacob Wilson was the collegiate runner-up, throwing 18.27m (59-11.25).
Shae Anderson impressed in her UCLA debut, winning the women's 600m competition in a time of 1:30.57. The redshirt sophomore made her first appearance as a Bruin after transferring from Oregon and sitting out last season. The men's competition saw senior Riley Kelly finish second overall with a time of 1:19.89, while redshirt freshman Jett Charvet took sixth (1:21.43) in his UCLA track debut.
Sophomore Sean Lee hit also the ground running in his season debut, winning the men's high jump with a clearance of 2.16m (7-01.00).
The women's 4x400m relay saw UCLA's A-squad –Makenzy Pierre-Webster, Meleni Rodney, Chinyere Okoro, and Anderson—take the victory with a time of 3:42.50, over nine seconds ahead of Washington in second place. The Bruins' second women's team—Kyrah Johnson, Jade Hinds, Maddy Doane, and Isa Videler—took third place overall with a time of 3:52.88. The Bruin men's squad, comprised of Ismail Turner, Mason Ratkovich, Chase Wells, and Cameron Stone, took second place with a time of 3:14.66.
The Bruins posted some strong performances in the men's long jump competition. Senior Harrison Schrage led the way with leap of 7.22m (23-08.25), the top collegiate mark of the day. Junior Matthew DeRoos followed in fifth place overall, clearing 6.95m (22-09.75) on his fifth attempt. Redshirt freshman Alex Enos (22-07.00) was right behind in sixth, securing a collegiate-best mark of 6.88m.
Sophomore Kenroy Higgins II led the way for the Bruin men in the 60m dash, posting the top qualifying time of the day (6.64) en route to a runner-up finish in the final (6.66). Junior Myles Webb finished eighth in the final, clocking a time of 6.85 in his season debut. Pierre-Webster ran 7.55 for the fastest preliminary mark in the women's competition and went on to finish third in the final with a time of 7.45. Fellow first-year Okoro (7.47) and sophomore Kenyla Miles (7.55) finished sixth and eighth, respectively.
Senior Michael Fancey took second place in the men's pole vault competition, posting an indoor-best clearance of 5.21m (17-01.00). Camryn Thompson led a group of five Bruin freshmen in the women's field, finishing ninth overall with a clearance of 3.81m (12-06.00).
Wells finished third overall in the men's competition with a time of 48.93. The women's competition saw Johnson (57.48) and Nyree Brown (59.09) take 13th and 22th overall, respectively.
A trio of Bruins posted career-best performances in the mile. Junior Chris Morzenti clocked a collegiate-best time of 4:05.75, good for 14th place in the men's competition. The women's mile saw junior Paige Carter (17th) and senior Jackie Garner (20th) similarly notch career-best times of 4:59.30 and 5:01.58, respectively. Freshman Emma Tavella finished 23rd overall in her UCLA track debut, crossing the line at 5:02.39.
UP NEXT
The Bruins are headed to New York City for the Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge. The meet will take place at The Armory and kick off on Friday, Jan. 24.