UCLA men’s and women’s cross country teams headed to Sacramento for today’s NCAA Preview, a meet that showcases the top teams in the nation. The Bruins said they feel strong and confident after a successful training season and impressive season openers.
On Sept. 21, the men’s team defeated Cal State Fullerton and the women’s team swept Loyola Marymount in their respective openers at Central Park in Santa Clarita, Calif.
Coach Forest Braden attributed their success to their intense training the past few weeks and a “team-first” mindset.
“We had a great 16 days up in Mammoth Lakes for our training camp. We laid the foundation for the team, the energy, the atmosphere and the camaraderie that carried into the first race,” Braden said.
With each runner receiving individual times and individual places, it is tough to immediately understand why a relationship among teammates is essential to success.
“It’s a common misconception about cross country that it isn’t a team sport. In my mind, it’s the ultimate team sport,” Braden said.
Senior Dustin Fay said thinking about the sport from a team perspective truly helps the Bruins perform to the best of their abilities.
“The guys around you lift you up. You’ll do a lot more for your teammates than you will for yourself – a lot of us have found that to be pretty true,” Fay said.
After coming off a successful last season, the Bruins hope to continue propelling forward. Heading into this year, the men were ranked No. 2 in the region and moved up to No. 13 in the nation, while the women took the No. 10 spot in the region.
“I think that our team chemistry is a lot better than it was last year. We’re more prepared to work as a team,” said redshirt junior Kelsey Smith.
Thinking about her team and all they have worked for is what Smith said motivates her before the beginning of a race.
“Right before stepping up to the line, I just think that all of our training has prepared for this moment. This is why we train as hard as we do, we’re ready for this,” Smith said.