A home track advantage can be the difference maker for a team.

And after 11 meets between the 2025 indoor and outdoor seasons, it’s an advantage the Bruins finally got to enjoy this weekend.

On Friday and Saturday, UCLA track and field hosted the Bob Larsen Distance Carnival and the Jim Bush Legends Meet at Drake Stadium and took home 11 event titles and 27 podium finishes. The weekend marked the Bruins’ first and second of three home meets this year, with the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational scheduled for April 5.

“I really am proud of the team,” said coach Joanna Hayes. “We had a lot of good small PRs, which is exciting. It’s really exciting for us so we can see what we’re going to do leading into outdoor season.”

Graduate students Katerina Adamiec and Ka’Leila Abrille each cleared a 4.13 meter jump to secure the top two spots in the women’s pole vault, but Adamiec earned to edge to finish in first place.

“I had a hiccup at my second bar and almost missed,” Adamiec said. “The next two bars, I made first attempt, and I was in a really good head space and was having fun with it instead of stressing myself out.”

The mark likely qualified the pair for the NCAA regionals in late May after posting the tenth highest mark in the West region..

“It’s kind of like a weight off my back going into the next meet,” Adamiec said. “I just get to jump and improve, and have fun with it.”

Adamiec was one of 24 Bruins to hit a top-48 regional qualifying mark in in their respective events.

Graduate student Jana van Schalkwyk earned her bid in javelin, throwing 54.57 meters to earn first place by more than 14 meters and solidified her place as second in the UCLA record book.

“She’s (Schalkwyk is) just getting started,” Hayes said. “She’s one of the best in the NCAA.”

Senior Sydney Johnson, who broke the pentathlon school record during the indoor season, punched her ticket to the outdoor postseason as well. Johnson placed second in the women’s 100-meter hurdles with a 14.09 mark, just 0.47 seconds behind first.

“Sydney, she is a beast,” Adamiec said. “She is so impressive to watch every single time.”

Mia Holden trailed just behind Johnson and claimed third after finishing in 14.26 seconds – the best finish from a freshman in the event.

Graduate student Rose Pittman also notched a third-place finish in the women’s 1500 meter run Friday, with senior Mia Kane joining her in the top five. Junior Kaho Cichon and sophomore Ailish Hawkins also landed in the top ten.

But it was senior thrower Lyvante Su’emai who proved a triple threat for the Bruins, securing a win in the women’s hammer, discus and shot put events. Su’emai was one of just two competitors to clear 50 meters in the hammer throw, surpassing Mackenzie Monson from Cerritos by over six meters.

The men’s side also saw multiple podium finishes.

In his outdoor season debut, Elijah Major posted a 10.55 time to place second in the men’s 100-meter dash. Forty-five minutes later, the senior sprinter won the 200-meter dash outright with a 21.38 time.

Senior Kris Emig and junior Michael Pinckney were the only entrants to clear 60 meters in the men’s hammer. Sophomore Jake Stafford landed third in the same event with a new personal best of 59.48 meters.

On Friday, Michael Mireles also marked a new personal record when the graduate student finished with a time of 3:43.79 in the men’s 1500 meter, landing him in third place. Sophomore Tristan Amell was the only other Bruin to join Mireles in the top five with a time of 3:44.86.

Hayes said her focus is to take each athlete to the next level as the outdoor season progresses.

“I want them to just try to be better each week,” Hayes said.