University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Bruins Compete At NCAA Track And Field Championships
May 31, 2000
There were only four finals today - w hammer, m discus, m long jump, w 10,000m
Scores after first day:
Women BYU 18, SMU 10, Nebraska 8, Wyoming and Arkansas 6, California, UCLA and Colorado 5, Wisconsin 4, USC and Michigan State 3.
Men Auburn 16, Mississippi 10, Wyoming and Arizona State 8, LSU 6, Texas A&M and Arkansas 5, Colorado State and Alabama 4, Boise State, Northern Arizona and Prairie View A&M 3.
(The meet concludes Saturday)
The UCLA women, under head coach Jeanette Bolden, have placed second at this meet the last two years behind Texas, are looking to capture their first NCAA Outdoor title since 1983. The Bruins also won the women's outdoor crown in 1982. The UCLA women won the 2000 NCAA Indoor held last March in Fayetteville, AR.
UCLA Women
Field Events:
Hammer (final) - junior Christina Tolson, the Pac-10 champion and Pac-10 record holder (208-11), placed fifth (203-6) and freshman Cari Soong was eighth (197-7, personal best, No. 3 in school history, No. 2 all-time U. S. Junior). UCLA picked up five team points (Tolson 4/Soong 1) and both athletes earn All-America honors. For Tolson, a transfer from CS Northridge who sat out last year, it was her third All-American honor while at UCLA (at the 2000 NCAA Indoor, she was third in the shot put and eighth in the weight throw). On Friday, Tolson will compete in the finals of the women's shot put (Tolson is the current collegiate leader in the event, 56-10), with defending champion UCLA senior Seilala Sua.
Track Events:
4 X 100m Relay (semis-final on Friday) - UCLA (senior Tamar Cherebin, junior Michelle Perry, sophomore Ysanne Williams, junior Shakedia Jones) placed sixth (44.91) in heat two and did not advance to Friday's final. UCLA, second at the Pac-10 in this event, came into the meet with the No. 10 time (44.64) on the collegiate chart, so the Bruins were not favored to earn a final (top eight) position.
400m Hurdles (semis-final on Friday) - junior Michelle Perry, who placed third at the Pac-10, was second (57.06, personal best, No. 6 in school history) in heat two and qualified for Friday's final (her time was the fifth fastest of the day (best time, Ohio State's Dominque Calloway, 56.32).
200m (prelims, semis on Friday) - junior Shakedia Jones, fourth at the Pac-10, was third (23.26, season best and ninth best time of the day) in heat one and advanced to Friday's semis.
Looking To Thursday - senior Seilala Sua competes in the women's discus final. If she wins, it will be her fourth consecutive title and only the second woman in NCAA Outdoor history to win four straight individual crowns (Suzy Hamilton, Wisconsin, 1500m, 1987-90). She would be the first to do it in the field events.
In another important event for the Bruins, sophomore Keyon Soley competes in the long jump final. Soley, who won this event at the 2000 NCAA Indoor, hyperextended her right knee during the long jump competition at the Pac-10 meet (did not get a mark) and has been in rehabilitation since May 21.
UCLA Men
Field Events:
Discus (final) - sophomore Scott Moser, who placed third at the Pac-10, was 17th (183-7).
Track Events:
400m Hurdles (semis-final on Friday) - junior John Hall, who placed second at the Pac-10, was third in heat three (50.44, personal best, tied for No. 9 in school history). His time was the ninth best of the day, just missing (top eight, Clemson's Fred Sharpe had the eighth fastest time, 50.43) qualifying for Friday's final.
800m (semis-final on Friday) - senior Jess Strutzel, who leads the collegiate ranks (1:46.03), was second at the Pac-10 and won this event at the 2000 NCAA Indoor, placed third (1:47.13, seventh best time of the day) in heat two and qualified for Friday's final. Also in Strutzel's heat were Pac-10 champion Arizona's Patrick Nduwimana (first place and second best time of the day, 1:46.43) and defending NCAA Outdoor champion Derrick Peterson (second place and fourth best time of the day, 1:46.48). Brown's Trinity Gray had the best time of the afternoon (1:46.40).