UCLA track and field seeks improvement in outdoors
Redshirt sophomore thrower Nicholas Scarvelis, the nation’s No. 8 shot putter, said the Bruins need to “realize that it’s time to crank it up a notch” after a slow start to the outdoor season. (Katie Meyers/Daily Bruin senior staff)
By Alexander Hyun
April 4, 2014 1:21 a.m.
The UCLA track and field team continues to work out the kinks as the outdoor season advances.
The improvements will have to start this coming weekend, especially after losing a dual meet against Washington State a couple weeks ago.
The team will once again split and head to the San Francisco State Distance Carnival, Stanford Invitational and Battle on the Bayou invitational.
“We’re getting off to a rough start. Everyone could be better and we have a lot of room for progression and improvement,” said junior hurdler Brea Buchanan.
The Bruins are in solid position as they currently rank No.13 and No. 9 in women’s and men’s outdoor track and field, respectively; however, they know they can be better.
“As of now we haven’t really put our best foot forward. We’re trying to get it going in practice and I’m not satisfied or dissatisfied. I think we’re going to do very well when it’s time to win,” said assistant coach Joanna Hayes.
Despite a slow team start, there have been some standout individual performances in the early stages of the outdoor season.
Sophomore middle distance runner Nick Hartle has taken control of the 800-meter as he is currently ranked No.1 in the country with a time of 1:47.51 while winning Pac-12 Men’s Track Athlete of the Week last week for his performance against Washington State.
From the men’s side, some other standouts have been sophomore high jumper Cody Crampton, redshirt senior thrower Julian Wruck and junior sprinter Pete Lauderdale who are all ranked in the top five of their respective events.
From the women’s side, senior high jumper Alexis Walker and redshirt junior thrower Jaycee Olsen have stepped up, especially at the dual meet against the Cougars where they earned key points for the Bruins.
The team is sensing urgency, but is not panicking in the early stages of the outdoor season.
“We didn’t play as a team as well as we wanted to; I wouldn’t say anyone’s worried but now we’ve gotta realize that it’s time to crank it up a notch and get to the next level at this point,” said redshirt sophomore shot putter Nicholas Scarvelis.
Some veterans like junior sprinters Kylie Price and Buchanan from the women’s team look to step up as neither are currently ranked in the top 50 of their respective events.
From the men’s team, Scarvelis and senior pole vaulter Mike Woepse look to improve their position as both are ranked eighth and 10th, respectively.
“It’s been hard to tell why we haven’t gotten off the right foot, but the period before May contains a lot of training so we’re still working things out,” Hayes said. “But we should be ready to go now and we’re just going to take it week by week.”
