Redshirt senior Derek Eager was right on the bubble.
In the 2015 NCAA Division I West Preliminary Championships in Austin, Texas, this past weekend, Eager needed to finish in the top 12 in the javelin competition to qualify for the NCAA championship meet in Eugene, Ore., on June 10. With one throw left, Eager sat just outside the top 12.
“The NCAA Regional meet is one of the most intimidating meets of the year because your whole season comes down to three attempts,” Eager said. “Every year national leaders don’t qualify and underdogs rise to the occasion.”
Eager was able to collect himself on his final attempt, and heaved a throw of 229-9 to not only qualify for nationals, but also place in the top five. This will be the senior’s third time at the national meet, but the feeling of satisfaction has not escaped him.
“When your name comes up as qualified, it’s a huge weight off your shoulders,” Eager said. “After having three consecutive meets at or within 10 feet of my personal best, I’m looking to catch a big throw and finish as an All-American.”
With only a week to prepare for the national meet in Eugene, Eager noted that his preparation will involve maintaining health and staying confident.
Continuing UCLA’s rich tradition of throwing, fellow redshirt senior Alec Faldermeyer joined Eager in punching a ticket to Eugene for the fourth time in his career. However, this meet will be quite different from those in previous years.
“It’s going to be my last ever meet at UCLA, which is just crazy,” Faldermeyer said. “I’m not going to hold anything back, and I don’t want to leave anything on the table.”
For someone who has seen the highest level of competition for four straight seasons, it can be difficult to discern what differences and improvements are needed. But Faldermeyer commented on very clear goals for himself.
“I need to go in and be very aggressive,” Faldermeyer said. “In order to make the finals and score points, I can’t have safe throws at all. I just need to go out there hard.”
Faldermeyer, who is still looking for that first national title in the hammer throw, also commented on the camaraderie within the throwing group on the team. With veterans such as Eager and redshirt junior All-American shot put thrower Nicholas Scarvelis, it is clear that the group will be pushing each other.
“We’re a tight-knit group,” Faldermeyer said. “We all know exactly what it’s going to take for each other to score. So we’ll be pushing each other. The main thing for us is to just score points.”
Along with Eager and Faldermeyer, fellow senior high jumper Zibby Boyer will be an additional participant in the national meet, as one of the 13 Bruins who qualified.
Despite obtaining her second straight qualification for the national meet, Boyer said she did not perform to her expectations.
“I actually didn’t feel great this weekend,” Boyer said. “Coming out of a meet like Pac-12s is difficult in terms of adrenaline and everything, so I just feel relieved to have made it through the (preliminary round) to advance to finals next week.”
In what will be the last meet of her UCLA career, Boyer will focus on ending on a high note in Eugene.
“I think this next week will come down to working on the details and finalizing technique. I’m so excited for this opportunity,” the senior said.