The track and field season is starting to wind down as the Pac-12 championships loom over the Bruins this weekend.
The UCLA men’s team enters the championship ranked No.12 in the country and is led by redshirt senior thrower Julian Wruck and senior pole vaulter Mike Woepse.
Wruck currently leads the Pac-12 in the discus and looks to spearhead a strong group of throwers for the Bruins.
Woepse’s last performance yielded a new personal best against the USC Trojans and a top spot in the Pac-12 rankings for the men’s pole vault. He will be looking to solidify his positioning this weekend in hopes of reaching nationals – he did not attend last year.
The seniors look to lead the way for the men’s team, but sophomore distance runner Nick Hartle also looks to perform strong as he currently holds the top time in the Pac-12 800 meters.
“We pushed hard during our last week off in order to get ready for this Pac-12 championship,” Hartle said. “The theme going into this weekend is the theme we’ve had all year, and that is to perform well for yourself, but more importantly, for everyone else, to always have the team in mind.”
The UCLA women’s team enters the weekend without being ranked in the top 25 in the NCAA, but some individuals will look to display some impressive performances.
Junior jumper Kylie Price and senior jumper Alexis Walker rank second in the long jump and high jump, respectively, in the Pac-12.
On the track, junior sprinter/hurdler Brea Buchanan and sophomore sprinter/hurdler Trinity Wilson look to post strong marks in the 100-meter hurdles as both are tied for third in the Pac-12 rankings.
The sprinters will especially look to impress as Price is the only Bruin ranked in the top 10 out of both the 100m and 200m events. She ranks No. 9 in the 100m.
Their last outing against USC was also not particularly strong.
“As a spring team we were a little flat against USC, but the kids have rebounded well as they’re a resilient group and we’re all looking forward to this weekend,” said women’s coach John Henry Johnson.
The cold weather of Pullman, Wash., offers a great contrast to the recent warm weather of Southern California and will provide a challenge for the athletes.
Nevertheless, the Bruins are positive about the weekend and expect to feature proud performances.
“I expect some of our sprinters to light it up this weekend,” Price said. “It’s a little challenging to go from hot weather to cold weather, so I hope for no injuries and that everyone tries their best – that’s all anyone can ask for.”