Last year, after UCLA signed the nation’s top hurdle
recruit in Kevin Craddock, coach Art Venegas showed that his staff
was on its way to developing a solid hurdles program.
Last week, with the signing of two more elite recruits,
Venegas’ team may very well have the best hurdling group in
the nation for years to come.
Wednesday, Venegas announced the signing of California’s
top track and field prospect David Klech and also the
nation’s top returning 110-meter hurdler Darius Reed for the
early signing period, which lasts through Nov. 16.
“David does more things at a higher level than anyone in
the U.S.,” Venegas said. “If he hadn’t limited
his choices to a Pac-10 school, there is no doubt he would have
been the most highly recruited in the nation.”
Klech is widely considered California’s best all-around
prep athlete, as he won the state title in the 300-m hurdles last
year, while also capturing second in the 110-m hurdles and third in
the long jump. He holds the nation’s top time in the 300- and
400-m hurdles, and also the third best time in the 110-m
hurdles.
Along with those events, Klech also excels at the high jump,
triple jump, 400 meters and 800 meters, and should make a
significant impact for the Bruins in 2007.
While Klech seems like a natural decathlete, Venegas plans to
have him focus on just a couple of events once he joins the
team.
“We want to utilize him in a way that he does not burn out
or get injured,” Venegas said. “I think that was one of
the reasons he chose us, because we want him to develop as an
elite-level hurdler and jumper.”
Reed comes to Westwood as the nation’s top high hurdler,
boasting a time of 13.70.
Over college-height hurdles, Reed has also proved to be the best
high schooler in the nation as he posted a time of 14.30 at the
United States Track and Field Association Junior Nationals over
summer.
With these two signings, the Bruins are primed to establish
themselves as a hurdling powerhouse over the next five years, which
will also make UCLA more attractive as a whole.
“Having such great hurdlers will attract athletes from
other events, as well,” Venegas said. “When I took over
this program, I wanted to build toward the national level, not just
the Pac-10s.”
While the two big hurdle recruits are clearly the stars of
Venegas’ recruiting class, the Bruins were also able to
attract some top shelf-throwing talent in the form of Bo Taylor and
Nick Robinson.
Though these two do not have the eye-popping statistics of Klech
and Reed, Venegas, who specializes in throws, believes these two
athletes can become just as valuable after personally witnessing
their talent at throws camps over the summer.
“They’re going to be superb throwers,” Venegas
said. “I think that by the end of this year, they will be on
a lot of people’s All-American lists.”
Along with the two star hurdlers, the Bruins also announced the
signing of pole vaulter Greg Woepse, jumper Steven Taylor and
decathletes Casey DiCesare and Scott DiCesare.