With the season winding down, the Bruins race on, applying a little fine-tuning before the big meet at USC next weekend.
The UCLA women’s track and field team will be in action again today and Saturday at the Triton Invitational in La Jolla. The team isn’t going to be at full strength for this meet, as only a small group of pole vaulters, jumpers and throwers will be on the road.
Last week, freshman hammer thrower Ida Storm continued her onslaught up the NCAA top 10 rankings at the Mt. SAC Relays, sending the hammer a phenomenal 205 feet, 5 inches to surpass her previous personal best of 204-2. Although Storm won’t be competing this week, she is hopeful about the Bruins’ prospects.
“I think we can do well, I think against Tennessee we had really good spirit as a team,” Storm said. “Everyone was happy and cheering for each other. Everyone performed well, and I feel like the team is on the rise.”
Redshirt junior Tori Anthony will be in action in La Jolla, hoping to soar in the pole vault competition. Anthony is currently tied for No. 13 in the NCAA this season with a mark of 13-7.25.
“It’s sort of like a tune-up for the ‘SC meet, because the ‘SC meet is the most important meet before postseason starts,” Anthony said.
But just because the meet against USC is circled in red on the Bruins’ calendars, it doesn’t mean UCLA is taking the Triton Invitational lightly.
“This meet is to get our confidence up so we can do what we need to do in the ‘SC meet,” Anthony said. “The higher you jump and the further you throw in these meets, it takes pressure off so you can have a higher mark going into regionals and nationals.”
Most of the team has the weekend off to rest for the big cross-city showdown on May 1 against USC, but the Bruins are certainly looking to get more athletes into the top 25 in the NCAA rankings this weekend.
“It would be good to definitely make the 14-foot mark. That would put me in the top 10 in the nation and securely in the top four spot, so that’s my goal for this weekend,” Anthony said.