Stellar athletes shine as seniors

In light of the Senior Days taking place at universities around the country, I think it’s time we pay tribute to those who have represented the Bruins for four years.

With the way underclassmen leave college prematurely to pursue professional careers in this day and age, I think it’s important to acknowledge the athletes who do stick around for the long haul.

Now, of course I can’t acknowledge every senior on campus that dons a UCLA jersey, but there are a few seniors who have already provided Bruin sports fans with some special memories this school year.

Here are a few performances that stick out in my mind, in no particular order:

Jan. 21, 2010 ““ Mustafa Abdul-Hamid hits the game-winner against Washington

Abdul-Hamid, who was also accepted to Harvard but instead decided to come play basketball at UCLA, serves as the rock of this year’s men’s basketball team. Although Abdul-Hamid has not been on the floor much during his tenure at UCLA, playing behind the likes of Darren Collison and Russell Westbrook, when this season came around, it was clear that coach Ben Howland would need to call Abdul-Hamid’s number because of the lack of depth at the point guard position for the Bruins.

So on Jan. 21, in the Bruins’ sixth Pac-10 contest, Abdul-Hamid’s number was called … and boy did he deliver. After the Huskies took a one-point lead with three seconds to go, “˜Staf pushed the ball up court and hit a contested jumpshot from the top of the key to send the Huskies on their merry way with an upset loss.

Not only was it a huge shot, no one deserved to hit it more than he.

Sept. 4, 2009 ““ Brian Perk saves career-high 10 shots against No. 1 Maryland

Period, point blank, UCLA was not supposed to win.

Not even close.

It was their season-opener, and the Bruins hadn’t won a season-opener in five years. To make matters worse, UCLA was taking on the defending national champions and No. 1 Maryland Terrapins in College Park, Md., in front of a record crowd of nearly 7,000 fans.

The odds were certainly stacked against UCLA, but thanks to a career-defining performance from senior goalkeeper Brian Perk, the Bruins upset the Terrapins on their home field, winning 2-0 and ending a 16-match win streak for the defending champions. Perk had a career-high 10 saves in a game in which the Bruins were outshot 19-8, 14-3 in the first half alone.

Perk, who is also the starting goalie for the U.S. Under-20 National Team, leaves UCLA as one of the greatest goalies to ever play for the Bruins soccer program, men’s or women’s, and is one of the most accomplished senior athletes leaving UCLA.

Sept. 12, 2009 ““ Forbath and Carter pace Bruins’ win over Tennessee

Possibly two of the most overlooked positions in college football are kicker and linebacker. It’s all about the Tebows, Bradfords and Ingrams, but seldom about that under-the-radar playmaker.

On Sept. 12, Kai Forbath and Reggie Carter were those playmakers.

In an upset road victory over the Tennessee Volunteers, under newly-appointed and highly-touted coach Lane Kiffin, Forbath scored 12 of the Bruins’ 19 points in the game, and Carter led the UCLA defense with 14 tackles, including one tackle for a loss. In addition, Carter had seven of those 14 tackles in the fourth quarter alone, including assisted tackles on third and fourth down of a fourth quarter goal line stand for UCLA, who led 19-13 at the time.

Forbath and Carter were soon named Co-Pac-10 Players of the Week.

Impressive.

Nov. 21, 2009 ““ Alterraun Verner’s record-setting pick-six

On UCLA football’s Senior Day, Verner, one of the most decorated and nationally recognized seniors on the Bruins squad, intercepted a pass by Arizona State quarterback Samson Szakacsy and returned it 68 yards for the game’s first score. Not only did Verner set the pace for a 23-13 Bruin victory, with the interception, he tossed his name in the UCLA record books for most interceptions returned for touchdowns with four in his four-year career.

Way to go out, AV.

Dec. 4, 2009 ““ The culmination of Lauren Cheney’s career

Cheney is the most accomplished athlete in the past four years. Period.

And although the UCLA women’s soccer team lost on Dec. 4 to Stanford in the NCAA semifinals, and regardless of the fact that Cheney never won a national championship, until she graduates, she’s top dog on campus.

Cheney is the first player in UCLA soccer history to be named an NSCAA/adidas First-Team All-American each year of her college career. She holds the school record for points and game-winning goals, with 173 and 28, respectively. She also finishes her career with 31 assists, which puts her second all-time.

Other accolades include Pac-10 Freshman of the Year in 2006, four-time First-Team All-Pac-10 selection, three-time NCAA All-Tournament Team selection from 2007-2009, National Player of the Year and Pac-10 Player of the Year in 2007, and a host of other awards and records.

You will be missed, LC.

If you have any senior moments you want to see in the Daily Bruin, e-mail Watson at [email protected]