UCLA track and field upperclassmen have helped lead team in tight schedule

A mix of new faces and veteran experience is guiding the Bruins through a packed schedule.

UCLA track and field has competed for four straight weekends, including two separate meets Saturday. By the end of the month, the team will have participated in 11 meets over eight weeks.

The upperclassmen have cited the fresh legs of the new recruits as helping to keep the team on track through the first month of competition.

Junior distance runner Christina Rice – who posted the third-best indoor time in the 3,000-meter in UCLA history Saturday – said having new faces on the roster has energized the veterans who may be feeling the drag of another season.

“I’ve noticed this year, seeing the sprinters come in and have an immediate impact, and seeing people compete right away,” Rice said. “Having a big freshman class pushes you to be better.”

The Bruins have 25 women and 20 men on the roster listed as either true or redshirt freshmen for the 2020 season, making up 37.2% of the current squad.

Senior distance runner Jackie Garner won her heat and was third out of Pac-12 women in the 5,000-meter at the UW Invitational on Saturday. She said the Bruins made it a point of concentration to make sure the whole team was encouraging one another and pushing everyone to be the best version of themselves.

“It takes a while to get that, but our leaders have done that,” Garner said. “It starts with upperclassmen wanting it and holding other people accountable for it, and producing a culture where you hold other people accountable but also want to know why people are here to run. We’ve done a few team activities questioning people why they’re here, what do they love about this sport, and helping to develop them as a person outside of just running.”

While the new members of the team have been slowly integrating themselves into the Bruin culture, they have also shown potential in their events.

Freshman sprinter Catherine Leger set the fourth-fastest time in Bruin history in the 200-meter at the Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge on Jan. 25. In the same race, freshman sprinter Makenzy Pierre-Webster posted the 10th-fastest time in school history.

For the men, freshman distance runner Mason Ratkovich has placed in 10th and 23rd in his two 800-meter races with times of 1:53.23 and 1:55.00, respectively. Junior thrower Nate Esparza said he is trying to pass down lessons he learned as an underclassman to keep his teammates encouraged during the beginning portion of the season.

“We had an older senior who had been a leader on the team during my whole time here,” Esparza said. “Now we have a lot of new people. And naturally I’ve just kind of stepped up and just trying to give them advice on things I wish I knew when I was younger.”