Mike Maynard’s new position as the first-ever director of UCLA Track and Field will be to unify the men’s and women’s teams and operate in a similar fashion. Changes in staff and duty assignments will occur as the two teams transition into a combined program.
In an effort to elevate the performance of the men’s and women’s track and field teams, UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero has decided to combine the leadership of the two programs under one position ““ a format that many of the top-tier track programs in the nation have adopted in recent years.
Men’s coach Mike Maynard was named UCLA’s first-ever director of Track and Field. While he will retain his coaching responsibilities, Maynard’s new position gives him added administration duties, as he now acts as the liaison between the program and the athletic administration.
Establishing a director of Track and Field will unify the men’s and women’s teams under a single vision, allowing them to grow and operate in a similar fashion.
Maynard believes the move to a combined track and field program is a step in the right direction for UCLA.
“Joint programs have historically been among the top on an annual basis and, while we’ve improved, we need to move further forward to restore the legacy and tradition of UCLA track and field,” Maynard said.
Men’s and women’s track and field have combined to contribute 13 NCAA Championship titles to the UCLA athletic department, but both teams have experienced long stretches without such success.
The women’s last national title was in 2004, and the men haven’t won one since 1988.
Although he doesn’t necessarily expect a championship next season, the new director said he has hopes the shift will influence a change in culture for the entire program.
“The biggest goal for next year will be the restoration of the championship attitude and quality of the team at large,” Maynard said.
It will take time to transition to a combined program, Maynard said.
“There won’t be much change immediately. The biggest change will be in the staff and some of the duty assignments,” Maynard said.
Rising junior sprinter for the men, R.J. Frasier, said he is excited for the program’s new direction.
“Coach Maynard knows what he is doing. That’s someone I trust 100 percent and I know he will lead us in the right direction,” Frasier said.
One of the results of the programs’ unification is that the men’s and women’s coaches will now be helping with both teams rather than one or the other.
Frasier looks forward to working with Jeanette Bolden, who will be working with the men’s sprinters in addition to maintaining her role as women’s head coach.
“She is a good coach with a lot of experience. I’m excited to see what’s going to happen. Things are going to start changing for the better,” Frasier said.
Bolden expressed equal excitement for her additional workload next season.
“I’m a Bruin through and through, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to coach the men,” Bolden said. “I’m excited to get the program back to where we were.”