W. track loses footing in Texas

Monday, April 8, 1996

By Scott Yamaguchi

Daily Bruin Staff

In a meet where it was sure to face some of the stiffest
competition of the season, the UCLA women’s track and field team
found its most imposing foe to be Mother Nature.

The Bruins, ranked second in the nation, did manage several
strong individual performances ­ including two winners ­
at last weekend’s prestigious Texas Relays in Austin. But their
marks, thanks mostly to the inclement weather, were subpar, and
there were no new NCAA qualifiers, which had been head coach
Jeanette Bolden’s goal heading into the competition.

All-American high jumper Amy Acuff, whose personal best leap is
6-feet-6-inches, was victorious in her event, though she cleared
only 5-8 for the win. UCLA’s other winner, Valeyta Althouse, was
also well below her personal best.

Althouse, who owns the American collegiate record in the indoor
and outdoor shot put events, managed a heave of only 58-05
3Ž4, more than 3 feet under her best throw.

Still, Althouse’s closest competitor, former NCAA champion
Eileen Vanisi, finished more than three feet behind Althouse at
55-1. Former Bruin Dawn Dumble, also an NCAA titlist, was third at
54-1 3Ž4, and current Bruin Nada Kawar was fifth with a toss
of 47-1 1Ž2.

On the track, the Bruins’ most impressive result was a
fourth-place finish by the 4 x 800-meter relay team of Katherina
Kechris, Zalika Davis, Bethany Lucas and Jessica Graham. Kechris,
Davis, Lucas and Graham finished in 9:08.73, about five-and-a-half
seconds slower than first-place Vanderbilt.

UCLA did have two athletes entered in the 400 hurdles ­
Joanna Hayes and Darlene Malco ­ but only Malco advanced to
the final, where she finished eighth in 1:01.17.

Hayes would later scratch her entry in the 100-meter hurdles,
leaving only sophomore Bisa Grant in that competition. Grant ran a
14.27 ­ the 12th fastest time of the day ­ and did not
advance to the final.

Jumping specialist Jeanarta Jackson, who recorded a lifetime
best in the long jump last week in San Diego, competed in the
triple jump at the Texas Relays and finished 14th with a leap of
35-3 1Ž4, more than 4 feet under her best.

PATRICK LAM/Daily Bruin

Despite a subpar 5-foot-8-inch leap, Amy Acuff managed to win
the high jump Saturday at the Texas Relays.

Amy Acuff, whose personal best leap is 6-feet-6-inches, was
victorious in her event, though she cleared only 5-8 for the win.On
the track, the Bruins’ most impressive result was a fourth-place
finish by the 4 x 800-meter relay team.