With seven NCAA qualifiers already obtained, the Bruins are looking to expand that number at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational in Lincoln, Neb. this weekend.
“The reason we are going to the meet is great competition opportunities and to get our standards up to get people to nationals,” coach Art Venegas said.
UCLA will be taking a smaller group of their top athletes to the meet, including senior hurdler Kevin Craddock.
“There is some big competition in the hurdles for Kevin,” Venegas said. “There are some great local Nebraska kids, so that’s always tough; when you’re going to their own home, it’s a challenge.”
At the University of Washington Invitational, Craddock was only .02 seconds off the NCAA provisional qualifier in the 60-meter hurdles and will be looking to nab a qualifier this weekend.
Also traveling to Nebraska will be the throws team. With the national shot put leader scheduled to compete at the meet, there will be tough opponents.
“I think the throwers were really looking sharp but they didn’t get the big throws,” Venegas said. “So this is a good week to step up a little bit more.”
Leading the way for the Bruins will be redshirt senior Boldizsar Kocsor and redshirt sophomores Bo Taylor and Nick Robinson. All three have already achieved an NCAA qualifying mark and will be looking to improve on that.
Likewise, two of the pole vaulters have already achieved NCAA qualifiers. Redshirt senior Dustin DeLeo and redshirt sophomore Johnny Quinn will be looking to improve their marks and hopefully see a few more Bruin pole vaulters qualify. Quinn is coming off a weekend where he took home first place, a lifetime best and a top-five ranking in the NCAA for his 17-7 clearance.
“We were thrilled with Johnny Quinn’s vaulting this past weekend,” Venegas said. “We are hoping that continues. Some of the other guys now are starting to get hot and catch up to him; we want that.”
The one-mile race will be a featured event at the Husker Invitational and will be senior Laef Barnes’ first mile race of the season. The 1-mile is no longer an NCAA-contested race, having switched to the 1500 meter.
Last season Barnes became only the fourth Bruin to ever break the four-minute mile mark, joining an elite group of athletes to have ever done so.
Opening up for the Bruins this weekend will be freshman Jamal Alston, who will compete in the 60-meter and 200-meter races.
As a senior in high school, Alston placed top-10 in both the 100-meter and 200-meter at the 2008 California State Meet.
In the jumps, sophomore Jonathon Clark and freshman Nelson Rosario will highlight for the Bruins.
“We were really happy with the opening effort by Jonathon Clark,” Venegas said. “He hasn’t jumped in a while because he’s been injured, so we thought it was very encouraging.
“There have been some nice, good, solid long jumps by Nelson Rosario. He just kept missing the board a little, fouling out, but he’s ready to do some decent jumps.”
With the NCAA Indoor Championships just over a month away, every meet is crucial.
“Everyone has to step up and evaluate where they want to be,” Venegas said. “This meet is a great opportunity.”