The UCLA women’s track and field team will begin the indoor season at the Illinois Invitational in Champaign, Ill., on Saturday. The Bruins will look to improve their No. 14 preseason ranking against Illinois, Texas and Miami.
Entering her 15th year as coach, Jeanette Bolden will be sending a large group of athletes looking to qualify for a spot at the Indoor Nationals.
Despite the excitement to finally get the season going, Bolden will be cautious not to overexert any athletes.
“Our goal this year is to bring everyone on at a slow pace,” Bolden said.
With the NCAA Indoor Championships in March and Outdoor Championships in June, the long season can wear down an athlete’s body.
Especially with a team that has a good shot to win a championship, health will be a huge concern for everyone. Some athletes will sit out this weekend and use other events for preparation, such as junior All-American Rhonda Watkins, the 2007 indoor and outdoor long jump NCAA champion.
While Watkins will not compete, two other All-Americans will lead the Bruins in Illinois. Junior Nicole Leach, who won the NCAA championship last year in the 400-meter hurdles, will participate in the 200m and the 4 x 300m relay. Senior pole vaulter Ingrid Kantola will also compete and vie to remain as one of the nation’s elite.
“My personal goal is to defend my title and to get a personal record,” Leach said. “I try to do that every season.”
A few freshmen will be making their UCLA debuts this weekend, hoping to make an early impression on the team. Ke’Nyia Richardson, Track and Field News Girls Prep Athlete of the Year in 2007, will highlight the group in the triple jump.
Pole vaulter Tori Anthony, hurdler Lindsay Rowe, sprinter Ashley McLaughlin and distance runner Shannon Murakami round out the highly touted group.
Bolden assembled the No. 2 recruiting class last year according to Track and Field News. With all the hype surrounding the athletes, she knows what immediate impact they will have.
“The expectation is already there,” Bolden said. “It’s my job to let them just relax, have a good time and assimilate into the team.”
Relaxing will be one of the emphases for this weekend, and good results on the track are not the only thing the Bruins hope to take away from the trip. Bolden hopes the team will use the time to bond and spend some time together.
“The team goal is to stay healthy and grow in the sport,” Leach said. “In my eyes, we have such a young team; that’s all we could ask of the team.”
With a strong start this weekend, the Bruins hope to set the tone for another successful season with the NCAA championship in their sight.