Cross country: Leadership, pack running key this year

After a disappointing 2002 campaign, the UCLA women’s
cross country team spent two weeks over the summer at an elevation
of 8,000 feet in Mammoth, Calif., preparing for the upcoming
season.

The intense summer training program should result in closer
finishes and more victories for the Bruins in their quest for elite
status.

Head coach Eric Peterson will guide the No. 24-ranked UCLA
women’s cross country team and touts the depth of this
year’s squad.

“Everybody from last year is returning, and on any given
day, we have 10-12 athletes that can compete,” he said.

Part of the Bruins’ success will lie in the hands of
returning All-American senior Lena Nilsson. Although she has one
year of eligibility left with the Bruins, she is currently training
in Sweden over the summer and may not join the Bruins until late in
the year, if at all.

With Nilsson’s availability questionable, the Bruins will
be led by sophomore Jenna Timinsky.

“Her development and maturity level as a distance runner
has dramatically improved,” Peterson said.

Timinsky placed ninth last year in the Western Regional, which
is an outstanding achievement for a true freshman. Peterson feels
confident she can run with anyone in the Pac-10, which includes
Stanford’s powerhouse program.

Returning Junior Alejandra Barrientos placed ninth this past
year in the Pac-10 and will be counted on heavily to help the
Bruins become an elite team. She suffered an injury in the spring
which delayed her early season progress, but she is one of the
team’s top athletes and will play a major role when she
returns to the lineup on Oct. 19. She earned second-team All-Pac-10
honors and placed second on the team at the NCAA and Pac-10
Championships. Senior Valerie Flores was the Bruins’ third
leading finisher at the NCAA last season, placing 180th.

This offseason’s recruiting class includes Alison Costello
who placed third in the California state meet in the 1600 meters.
In the preseason Aztec tournament on Sept. 13, she was a
second-place finisher with a time of 18:10, only 12 seconds behind
the champion. Ashley Caldwell redshirted this past season and will
play a significant role. She placed eighth (18:34) in the preseason
opener. 

Overall, Peterson believes the key to this year’s team
will be great leadership and pack running. He hopes his younger
athletes will soon become team leaders who can help his team
continually improve.

“Four out of the last five years, we have qualified for
the NCAA tournament and established ourselves in the West as a
force to be reckoned with,” Peterson said. 

This story went to print before the Sept. 20 meet. For
results check out www.daily bruin.ucla. edu.