After the final invitational of the season last weekend, the
UCLA cross country team’s focus this week has turned to the
Pac-10 Championships, hosted by the University of Arizona on the
Dell Urich Golf Course.
Following last Friday’s Fullerton Titan Invitational,
coach Eric Peterson finalized his roster for this weekend’s
important race, deciding to bring seven men and women along to
represent UCLA in Tuscon, Ariz.
Specifically, senior Lori Mann’s performance at Fullerton
convinced Peterson she had fully recovered from her leg injury and
was fit enough to compete in this prestigious race.
“Lori was competitive this weekend. I hope she will be as
valuable to our team at the Pac-10 meet,” Peterson said.
The team includes five freshmen who will be running in their
first Pac-10 competition. For other runners, however, the
Championships symbolizes an entirely different stepping stone in
their career.
“For seniors such as Lori, this race represents their last
opportunity in their cross country college career,” Peterson
said. “I am sure they will give it their best
shot.”
The challenge presented to the UCLA cross country team in Tucson
this weekend does not frighten Peterson, who is confident the team
will be able to do well there. After the Fullerton race, in which
the Bruins finished 10th, Peterson was especially pleased to see
the good state of the team’s fitness and health.
“Health-wise, we are doing very well. The team members
know it and can feel it, which is a crucial advantage. I could
spend months trying to convince them of their physical abilities
without success. I am very pleased with that,” he said.
Their advantage does not stop there, Peterson said, and the
effects of their preparation can also be seen on the stopwatch.
“The team seemed to be strong in training ”“
especially the men’s squad, which recorded impressive
performances in the past few days. I just hope we will be able to
do the same in race conditions,” he said.
Minor concerns, however, have risen regarding individual racers.
Freshman Lindsay DelaMontaigne has showed signs of minor
mononucleosis, an illness she has apparently suffered from in the
past.
“We are taking good care of her,” Peterson said.
“She is training about two-thirds of what would normally be
expected of her, but she has responded well to the adjustment. The
intensity of her work has not decreased, and we are pleased with
her performance.”
On the national level, the men’s team ranks 43rd, earning
its first point this week. This is due to results recorded two
weeks ago at the Pre-NCAA Invitational. The women’s squad is
ranked 41st with two points.
The women’s squad finished fourth in the Pac-10
Championships last year, and ended up finishing sixth at NCAA West
Regional, qualifying for the NCAA Championships for the fourth
consecutive year.