The Bruins competed on the national stage this weekend.
UCLA track and field sent six athlete to the NCAA Division 1 Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championships in Birmingham, Alabama and five returned with All-American honors in at least one event.
Junior distance runner Robert Brandt said he aimed for two top-five finishes in the 5,000- and 3,000-meter races in front of a packed Birmingham CrossPlex and televised broadcast.
“There’s really no other meet like it,” Brandt said. “With the full stands, you don’t really get that too often in track. Knowing everyone in the race is the best at what they do and everyone at the meet is the best at their event, it’s an atmosphere that’s very unique and fun to be in.”
Brandt – who set UCLA program indoor record in the 5,000m previously this season – jockeyed for a position in the midst of a crowded track in the opening laps of the 5,000m on Friday.
“The (5,000m) was pretty physical,” Brandt said. “There was a lot of finding your place and a lot of strategy.”
Brandt placed eighth in both races but said he experienced a much faster field in the 3,000m on Saturday.
“The (3,000m) was a little bit more fast straight from the gun,” Brandt said. “(I) just (had to) kind of hang on. … Both fun races and different but both very physical.”
Brandt surpassed the leading runner in the pack after a mile but couldn’t hold on for the last 1,500 meters, finishing with a time of 7:56.72. Brandt capped his 2019 indoor season with two All-American finishes and two MPSF conference championship titles after missing last year’s indoor championships due to injury.
“The progress I’ve made from last indoor season to this indoor season, it’s huge,” Brandt said. “I was kind of hesitant getting on the line with some of these better guys, but now I know I can run neck-and-neck with (the best in the country).”
Of the four Bruin throwers sent to the NCAA indoor championships – the most of any school in the nation – three of them garnered All-American plaudits and saw top-10 finishes in their respective events.
Sophomore thrower Alyssa Wilson improved 10 spots from her 14th-place finish in the shot put last year to garner a fourth-place finish and First-Team All-American title.
Wilson entered the NCAA indoor championships ranked fourth in the country with her qualifying mark of 17.73m but fell a foot short of that in competition with a 17.38m toss.
“I did want to throw at least 60 feet just because it was my last indoor meet of the season,” Wilson said. “I’ve hit that a bunch of times in practice.”
Wilson placed ninth and received Second-Team All-American honors in the weight throw the next day with a 20.98m launch – over 4 feet short of her qualifying distance of 22.23 meters.
“(For the weight throw), I think I just had an off day,” Wilson said.
Freshman pole vaulter Sondre Guttormsen earned Second-Team All-American honors with a 10th-place jump of 5.58m on his first attempt but sat down in disappointment after knocking off the bar on his next two tries at 5.63m and 5.73m.
After 10 to 15 minutes, the NCAA officials announced the bar at 5.73 meters had been misplaced too high and granted another three opportunities to Guttormsen. After lacing up his shoes once more, Guttormsen said the NCAA officials’ blunder rattled him.
“The officials in that meet were far from the best I’ve had,” Guttormsen said. “They screwed up a lot of things. … It’s hard to motivate yourself (again).”
Despite the All-American titles, Wilson said the Bruins were disappointed with their individual outcomes.
“I just think we weren’t in the right mindset to compete,” Wilson said. “I think everyone was a little upset with their performance. I know I was.”
UCLA opens the outdoor season with the Willie Williams Classic in Tucson, Arizona on March 15 and 16.