When UCLA cross country entered this season, neither the men’s or women’s team was touted as a national contender. Now the men sit at No. 11 in the national rankings and the women have climbed into the top 30.
Last weekend at the prestigious Wisconsin adidas Invitational, the men placed seventh while the women secured 20th, solidifying the Bruins’ status as a competitive program.
While UCLA’s recent performance might have caught other teams off guard, the Bruins are simply executing their game plan. With the Pac-12 championship fast approaching at the end of the month, both teams are looking to capitalize on their current momentum.
Senior Kelsey Smith has been key to the women’s success as of late, leading the pack in addition to leading the team. In the last two seasons, Smith has established herself as the team’s frontrunner, but more than that, she has become a clear-cut example of the direction the team wishes to take.
But even with UCLA’s recent surge in performance, Smith said there’s still a lot left for the Bruins to prove.
“(The Wisconsin adidas Invitational) was good for our confidence,” she said. “But we also realize that we didn’t perform as well as we would have wanted to, even though we did really well as a team.”
Junior Nick Hartle is reasserting himself as the men’s top runner after competing in only five meets last season, having been the Bruins’ No. 1 runner as a freshman the year before. This season, he has his team behind him, and together they are managing to pull off the most successful season for UCLA cross country in recent history.
The Bruins have a newfound team identity, which is translating into points on the trail and a rise in the rankings.
Compiled by Claire Fahy, Bruin Sports senior staff with contributing reports from Matthew Joye, Bruin Sports senior staff.