Hurdler wins second NCAA title
By Jill Sager
June 22, 2009 12:24 a.m.
Winning an NCAA individual title is something all track and field athletes strive for, but few are able to achieve. UCLA senior Nicole Leach, however, was able to realize this goal twice.
Last week in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Leach took home the 400 meter hurdle crown in a time of 55.39.
“Without a doubt, leaving with a title definitely makes a difference,” Leach said, “just being my last year and being able to leave my mark as an NCAA champion.”
Being only the fourth Bruin hurdler to win multiple titles, Leach’s pair of NCAA titles puts her in elite company.
“There are not too many athletes in the country, let alone at UCLA, who have done that,” Leach said. “So me being on that list of multiple titles is definitely a big deal and something that doesn’t come very often, so I’m more than appreciative of that.”
Leach’s previous win came when she was only a sophomore, setting the bar high for herself very early in her career. At last year’s NCAA championships, Leach finished second, just narrowly edged out of a first-place finish.
For Leach, the second-place finish only fueled a desire to take back her title and finish her Bruin career on top.
“When you win as a sophomore ““ which is not a normal thing ““ it’s harder on you,” Leach said. “Then someone shows you’re beatable, and everyone is gunning for you the next year. It’s not impossible to beat me; it shed light on the fact that I’m capable of losing a title if I don’t do what I’ve been training to do.”
Leach spent most of the season preparing for the NCAA Championships and came into the finals as the hurdler to beat. She had the fastest time in all the preliminary heats and was confident that it was her year to stand atop the podium.
“I was a lot more experienced than the other girls in the race,” Leach said. “I had everything to lose and everyone else had everything to win; so winning that race was up to me to lose.”
Also achieving All-American status for the women were senior Rhonda Watkins, junior Danielle Watson and freshman Ryann Krais.
Watkins finished fourth in the long jump, just a quarter-inch behind the three-way tie for first place.
In the long jump, Watson finished 11th, as did Krais in the heptathlon.
The women’s squad finished tied for 16th overall with 15 points, with Texas A&M taking both the men and women’s team titles.
On the UCLA men’s side there was one All-American, redshirt senior Boldizsar Kocsor. Kocsor finished ninth in the hammer throw and leaves UCLA as the school record holder.
With the college season over, some athletes will now focus on the upcoming Senior National Championships and a chance to make the World Championship team.
For Leach and the other seniors, it means their time competing for UCLA has come to an end.
“My UCLA career, in my head, was one of the best times in my life,” Leach said. “I learned a lot track wise and academic wise; it was the best decision I’ve made. It feels good to be a Bruin, and UCLA has been a huge impact on my life.”
