Coming into the NCAA championships, Julian Wruck held all 25 of the longest collegiate discus throws this season. With such an impressive track record, the expectations and pressure were higher than one of his record-setting throws.
The redshirt junior was one of ten UCLA Bruins to qualify for the NCAA championships in Eugene, Ore. this week, with Wruck carrying some of the largest expectations of any Bruin.
“I said to my friends and family a few days ago that all I want to do is win it,” Wruck said. “I don’t care how far I throw; I just wanted to walk away with the win, and that’s exactly what I did so I couldn’t be happier.”
The road to a second national championship was not easy for Wruck, who had won two years ago before redshirting last year, losing his eligibility for the year. Going into the second to last round, Wruck found himself in second place behind last year’s national champion, Nebraska junior Chad Wright.
But when his season came down to just two throws, Wruck showed why he has been one of the top competitors all year, as he out-threw the reigning champ to reclaim the crown.
“I did feel pressure and I did feel nervous, but I’m just glad I was able to relax a little bit and overtake him,” Wruck said.
Other Bruins did not enter the championships with nearly the same expectations. Junior decathlete Marcus Nilsson did not expect to finish within the top ten, but after a huge personal record, Nilsson found his name in third place on the leaderboard.
“I was not sure how I felt going into the competition because of all the strong athletes, but I knew I was in good shape and my body felt great,” Nilsson said. “I just had a great few days.”
Joining Nilsson as a third place finisher was senior Turquoise Thompson. Having finished second in the 400-meter hurdles in each of the last two years of the NCAA championships, Thompson entered with expectations that rivaled Wruck’s.
Despite setting a personal record, Thompson ended a successful UCLA career without winning a national championship.
While Thompson ran her last race as a Bruin, sophomore Kylie Price showed off what a young pair of legs can do. The only Bruin to have qualified for the NCAA championships in two events, Price finished sixth in the long jump and 13th in the 100 meter.
As was a common theme among the Bruin competitors, Price said she was happy with how the season ended but was already looking forward to improving and coming back stronger next year.
“I had a wonderful season this year; I improved in all my marks and all my events,” Price said. “But I’m only a sophomore so I have two more years to win a NCAA championship, so I’m looking forward to that.”