Nicole Leach has had a busy summer.
In June the UCLA track and field star won her first national title in the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA championships in Sacramento.
Later that month Leach was in Indianapolis, where she qualified for the upcoming World Championships.
Then last week Leach, who will be a junior next year at UCLA, traveled to Brazil to compete on the United States team in the Pan American Games. She didn’t dominate like she had at the NCAA championships, but still claimed a bronze medal with a time of 54.97 seconds.
“It was cool,” Leach told uclabruins.com. “Lane six really isn’t my lane, it’s a lot harder not having anyone in front of me to chase. I did well, hit all my steps. I’m not upset at all.”
Sheena Johnson, a former Bruin, won the gold with a time of 54.64.
Days after the 400m hurdles race, Leach anchored the U.S. relay team in the 4x400m hurdles. The team won the bronze medal with a time of 3:27.84.
UCLA jumper Rhonda Watkins was in Brazil for the games, as well, but she was competing for Trinidad and Tobago. Watkins, who also won a national title in June, finished fifth in the long-jump at 21 feet, 3/4 inches.
Next up for Leach and Watkins is the World Championships in late August in Osaka, Japan.
CURTIS STARS ON THE CAPE: Jermaine Curtis, UCLA’s third baseman, has had a fantastic summer at the Cape Cod Baseball League, one of the nation’s top amateur summer leagues. The league is known for its use of wooden bats and the vast number of Major League players who have played there.
Curtis, who will be a junior next season, has had no problem switching to the wooden bat. He is leading the Chatham A’s in batting at .324. His eight doubles also lead the team.
On Friday Curtis hit a three-run home run to lead Chatham to a 5-4 victory over division-rival Orleans.
The Fontana native was named the starting third baseman in the league’s All-Star game held Saturday. The Cape Cod Times called Curtis one of the top-10 players in the league this year.
Gavin Brooks and Charles Brewer, two UCLA pitchers, are playing with Curtis on the A’s this summer. Three other Bruins, catcher Ryan Babineau, second baseman Alden Carrithers and shortstop Brandon Crawford, are playing in the Cape Cod League this summer on other teams.
Curtis’ stellar play could earn him a paycheck next summer. Major League scouts have flocked to the Cape for years to watch college stars there, and as a junior Curtis will be eligible for the league’s 2008 draft.
CHENEY LEADS U.S.: Lauren Cheney, the leading scorer on the UCLA women’s soccer team last season, starred on the U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team last week at the Pan American games in Brazil.
Cheney scored both of the team’s goals in its 2-1 semifinal victory over Canada. Canada’s lone goal was scored by another Bruin, sophomore Kara Lang. The U.S. team, led by UCLA coach Jillian Ellis, reached the final before falling to Brazil, 5-0 in the gold medal game. Three other Bruins, Kylie Wright, Lauren Barnes and Lauren Wilmoth played on the team with Cheney.
While the under-20 team fell in Brazil, the under-21 team was victorious in Finland at the Nordic Cup.
The United States women claimed their ninth Nordic Cup win with a 4-0 win over rival Germany. UCLA stars Danesha Adams and Christina DiMartino both scored in the final. The win at Hietalahti Stadium last week gave the U.S. a bit of redemption after losing the Nordic Cup to Germany last year.
The host of Bruins will soon return to Westwood to prepare for their upcoming season, which starts Aug. 31 against Houston.