UCLA
Oklahoma Throws Series
Bruins Finish Up at Oklahoma Throws Series
April 13, 2025 | Track & Field
RAMONA, Okla. – The UCLA track and field team concluded a four-day stint at the Oklahoma Throws Series on Sunday, with the teams' throwers putting in a number of notable performances.
Headlining them was junior Michael Pinckney, who notched the No. 6 mark in school history in the men's discus on Sunday.
Pinckney accomplished the feat on his second attempt in the D section early in the morning, hitting 62.28m (204-4). It was over a two-meter improvement from his previous PR, and made him just the sixth Bruin all-time to clear 62 meters. His mark was ultimately good for a fifth-place finish in his section.
It was the second time that Pinckney competed in the discus over the week, as he also led the Bruins with a mark of 59.74m (196-0) on Thursday. At the time, the mark was a collegiate-best for him. Also on Thursday, Jake Stafford (54.89m / 180-1) and Derek Smith (50.65m / 166-2) recorded their third-best marks of the year.
Lyvante Su'emai competed on the women's side of the discus on Thursday, notching a season-best mark at 55.10m (180-9).
Friday's competition for the Bruins was highlighted by a runner-up finish in the women's javelin by Jana van Schalkwyk, who notched her second-best mark of the year at 55.06m (180-7).
Derek Smith led UCLA in the men's javelin, posting a mark of 51.74m (169-9) in his first-collegiate outing in that event.
Friday also saw Bruin entries in the men's and women's hammer, with Su'emai (59.89m / 196-6) and Kris Emig (68.61m / 225-1) leading UCLA. Emig's mark was an inch short of matching his season-best.
Saturday was a lighter day for the Bruins, as Smith was the lone Bruin to compete. He notched a seventh-place finish in the men's shot put with a long throw of 16.12m (52-10.75).
UCLA returns to competition next week with a pair of meets. The bulk of the squad will compete at the Mt. SAC Relays from Apr. 16-19, while the distance group will also take part in the Bryan Clay Invitational on Apr. 17-18.
Players Mentioned
