The UCLA men’s track and field team became a little smaller on Monday when it was announced that sophomore hurdler Darius Reed had been dismissed from UCLA for academic reasons.
“They are really concerned about the academics here,” coach Art Venegas said. “There’s not much else to say.”
According to a UCLA spokesperson, the details of the dismissal will not be released.
In 2007, Reed finished second in the Pac-10 in the 110-meter high hurdles and competed at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Though Reed’s departure will be felt, the team and coaching staff are going to do their best not to let it affect them.
“The good teams get tough,” Venegas said. “You go with what you got.”
Reed was dismissed for the winter quarter, and while it is possible for him to reenroll at UCLA for the spring quarter, he would not be able to compete with the track and field team.
Despite the loss of Reed, the team climbed to No. 4 in the rankings this week, behind Tennessee, Florida and Arkansas.
NOT PUSHING TOO HARD: Even though there are no major injuries on the women’s team, coach Jeanette Bolden will not be taking any risks with some of her top athletes this indoor season.
“Right now we are just working back into shape,” Bolden said.
The main focus for the team will be the outdoor season, which will begin in March.
Junior Rhonda Watkins has yet to compete in the meet this year in order to protect her ankle after an injury at the NCAA Championships last season. Last year’s NCAA indoor and outdoor long jump champion, Watkins had a long summer qualifying for the world championship team for her native Trinidad and Tobago. She did not compete in the world championships due to the injury.
Junior Nicole Leach is also taking things slowly after winning last year’s NCAA 400m hurdles championship. During the indoor season she has only run in the 4x400m relay and will do the same in two weeks at the Tyson Invitational.
IN NO HURRY: Though the men’s team has been staying healthy in the past meets, two athletes have yet to compete in the indoor season: freshman distance runner Michael Cybulski and junior hurdler Kevin Craddock.
Cybulski comes to UCLA with an impressive high school resume. He was the 2006 California state cross country champion, 2005 and 2006 3200m CIF-SS champion, and he ran on a cross country team that won the state title two times.
Craddock, a 2006 All-American, was ranked No. 2 in the nation in the 110m high hurdles in 2007 and won the Pac-10 title. He also holds the U.S. 18-year-old age group record in the high hurdles. In 2007, his season ended abruptly when he suffered a hamstring injury.
Venegas said that both athletes are “recovering nicely,” but neither will perform in the indoor season. Venegas does not want to push the athletes too soon and has decided to let them continue progressing in their rehab through the indoor season to get them ready to compete in the outdoor season.