Cross country: Young squad looks to improve

Simply put, the key word for the men’s cross country team
is “improvement.”

Head coach Eric Peterson would like to see a noticeable jump
from his team’s last place finish in the Pac-10 a season ago
.

“We are a very young team with no seniors, and our goal is
simply improvement,” Peterson said.

Even without senior leadership, it is clear that a trio of
juniors, Ben Aragon, Jon Rankin and Erik Emilsson, will fuel the
Bruins’ attack.

“As these three go, we will go,” Peterson said.

Aragon ran a 4:00.38-minute mile on an indoor track, a school
record. He is also considered one of the better mile runners in the
country.

Aragon was the Bruins’ No. 2 runner in both the Pac-10 and
NCAA West Regional Championships last season.

During the track season, he finished in the top 10 on
four different occasions. He led UCLA with times of 1:48.48 in
the 800-meter, 3:46.95 in the 1500m and 14:34.16 in the 5000m a
year ago.

Rankin suffered a leg stress fracture in the 2001-2002 season
and returned to become the No. 3 UCLA runner at both the Pac-10 and
NCAA West Regional Championships.

He finished the 2003 track season by placing sixth in the 1500m
at the NCAA West Regional with a time of 3:48.34. Now healthy, he
should continue his impressive running.

Emilsson was a Swedish steeplechase specialist and, according to
Peterson, will add personality and character to the team. He
transferred to UCLA from Tulane last year and was the top Bruin
finisher at both the Pac-10 and NCAA West Regional
Championships.

He is also the track team’s top steeplechaser, with a
season best time of 8:50.32. At the NCAA Championships, he placed
24th (8:56.59) in the steeplechase. Emilsson’s personal bests
include: 4:10.41 in the mile, 8:12.63 in the 3000m and 14:48.98 in
the 5000m.

The supporting cast is young and led by two exciting freshmen
runners, Austin Ramos and Micky Cobrin. These runners add distance
running strength to the roster.

Chad Galbreath, a redshirt freshman and former two-time
All-State and four-time CIF Southern Section award winner should
provide the Bruins with quality depth.

Peterson is excited about the upcoming year.

“We’re a dark horse in the Pac-10 and will surprise
some teams that may underestimate the team’s improvement in
the offseason,” he said.

For now, continued improvement will be stressed, with the
team’s primary goal to rank in the upper echelon of the
Pac-10.

“We have great confidence, and this is the most fit and
healthy we have ever been to start a season,” Peterson
said.

This story went to print before the Sept. 20 meet. For
results, go to dailybruin.ucla.edu.