Friday, April 12, 1996
W. track focused on improving times in best individual events By
Scott Yamaguchi
Daily Bruin Staff
Approaching that time of the season when it has traditionally
posted its strongest marks, the UCLA women’s track and field team
will host UC Irvine, Cal State Northridge and Houston Saturday in a
quadrangular meet at Drake Stadium.
Field events are scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. with the long
jump while track events start at 1 p.m. and conclude at 4 p.m. with
the 1,600-meter relay.
"My group has been doing a lot of strength work this year, and
we’re just now getting into some speed work," UCLA head coach
Jeanette Bolden said. "This is very typical for us  not
hitting the big marks until late in the season."
Bolden, who is still nursing some of her key athletes back from
injuries, will focus her healthy runners on fast times in their
specialty events, with only a few individuals running multiple
races.
Not competing at all will be juniors Erin Blunt and Cicely
Scott, among the nation’s premiere athletes in the 400-meter
hurdles and open 400, respectively. Blunt, an All-American in 1993,
and Scott, an All-American last season, are both suffering from
foot injuries.
The Bruins are nevertheless stacked in the sprints, what with
Darlene Malco, Joanna Hayes and Andrea Anderson having all earned
provisional qualifications to the NCAA meet, and Mame Twumasi,
Charlene Baldwin and Camille Noel all with realistic potential to
qualify.
In recent years, UCLA has been especially strong in the 1,600
relay, and especially weak in the 400 relay. Now, with a healthy
squad, Bolden has the luxury of an endless combination of relay
teams, some of which could threaten for the national title.
"I’ve got the opportunity to use six or eight people, and with
both relays, I have people who are capable of running both," Bolden
said. "One of my biggest goals this year is to get a team qualified
in the 400 relay."
Expected individual winners are, as usual, Valeyta Althouse in
the shot put, Suzy Powell in the discus and Amy Acuff in the high
jump.
The Bruins’ competition, meanwhile, is relatively weak, with
only Northridge boasting an athlete on the current list of NCAA
qualifiers.