Even though only a small number of athletes from the UCLA women’s track and field team are attending the University of Washington Invitational this weekend, they’re expecting to do big things.
The Bruins will only take 12 athletes to Seattle, but of those 12, five are pole vaulters.
“The reason we are taking so many girls is that they are all jumping really well right now,” pole vault coach Anthony Curran said. “It will be good seeing what they can do and who is ready for competing at a national level.”
Despite the recent rain, the distance team has been able to keep up with its normal practices.
“UCLA has great facilities,” coach Eric Peterson said. “It hasn’t had much of an impact on their training because we’ve adapted well to it.”
Likewise, the pole vaulters did not let the rain stop their preparation.
“We are ahead of the game with strength and conditioning,” senior Ingrid Kantola said. “We changed our workouts to focus on speed and getting faster on the runway.”
Kantola, who placed second at the Illinois Invitational two weeks ago, hopes to improve her own mark this weekend against broader competition.
“We are a deep team with a lot of new talent,” Kantola said. “We are looking to make a big impact on the national level.”
Among the new talent competing this weekend will be freshman Tori Anthony, who will be making her highly anticipated collegiate debut. Anthony brings an accomplished resume to the Bruin squad, which includes the national high school record in both the indoor and outdoor pole vault, two California state championships, and two USA Track and Field Junior National Championships.
“We are really excited about the debut of Tori Anthony,” Peterson said.
The meet will give the coaches a good chance to assess not just Anthony but all the athletes participating and see how far along they are in their training.
“We are sending a focused group of athletes that need to keep competing,” Peterson said. “We have competitors who need the experience.”
Absent from the lineup going to Seattle are the Bruin sprinters and hurdlers, who will be continuing their training in Westwood.
In addition to the pole vault, there will only be three other events in which UCLA will be represented: the mile, the 800 meters and the shot put. Junior Lauren Jirges will be the lone Bruin in the mile, junior Gabrielle Bournes and sophomores Krishna Curry and Rosa Magana will run the 800m, and senior Mary Hanley will lead freshmen Alexa Berg and Catherine White in the shot put.