Women’s track looks to repeat leading performances at MPSF Championships

Two weeks removed from a dominating performance at the Boise State Team Invitational, the UCLA women’s track and field team heads to Seattle this weekend to compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Indoor Championships, which will be hosted by the University of Washington.

With competition beginning today, the Bruins will be looking to carry their momentum from the invitational over to this weekend.

On Feb. 13, the second day of the Boise State event, UCLA captured an impressive 10 event wins, and in the process, picked up three NCAA qualifiers in junior sprinters Joy Eaton and Ashlea McLaughlin, and junior pole-vaulter Tori Anthony.

Eaton posted a lifetime-best mark of 53.84 en route to winning the 400m, with McLaughlin finishing in second with a time or 53.94, also a lifetime-best. And Anthony cleared 13 feet, 3.75 inches in her second pole vault, which is a season-high for the junior and improves upon her NCAA qualifying mark.

But one difference that will certainly come into effect this weekend is the level of competition. At the invitational, UCLA did not go up against a single team ranked in the top 25 nationally. But at the MPSF Championships, the Bruins will encounter some of the top talent in the nation including the top ranked Oregon Ducks.

The MPSF Championships kick off today at 12:30 p.m. on the men’s side with the men’s weight throw. The women will then take the track at 1 p.m. for the 60m hurdles pentathlon.