Programs that once sat at the top of their sports rarely disappear all at once. Instead, success fades gradually, leaving behind expectations shaped by banners and names. The challenge then becomes not chasing the past, but determining how to rebuild it.

This can only be done one meet at a time.

The Bruins will compete at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic on Friday and Saturday at the Albuquerque Convention Center, facing off against a field that includes TCU, USC, LSU, Ohio State, California and Stanford.

But the meet is more than just a checkpoint on the indoor calendar for UCLA track and field. It is a mirror held up to a program built on decades of championships, record-breakers and Olympians. A pivotal moment in the season where the Bruins measure who they are now against everything they have been before.

That standard has been reinforced not only through history, but through direct connection with those who once defined it. As UCLA pushes to restore the program’s championship identity under second-year track and field director Joanna Hayes, alumni voices have helped frame the expectation for the upcoming Albuquerque meet.

Junior sprinter Taylor Snaer has felt that influence.

“We know what UCLA used to be, and we’re fighting to bring that back,” Snaer, a four-time All-American and member of UCLA’s record-setting 4×100-meter relay, said. “We went to Amy Acuff’s house, and she hosted a whole dinner for us. Hearing from her and talking to her personally was amazing.”

Acuff is a former high jumper who won five NCAA titles and four straight Pac-10 high jump crowns throughout her UCLA career. She went on to compete in five Olympic Games. Now, she serves as a mentor, helping inspire the Bruins’ 2026 campaign.

“It’s inspiring to build up this program and be a part of it, which is important for building a team and (adding to) the history of this school,” Snaer said.

UCLA is sending many highly regarded athletes to the New Mexico Collegiate Classic.

The women’s 4×400-meter relay headlines the group, as the A squad of Snaer, sophomore Kayla McBride, junior Ava Simms and senior Naomi Johnson enter off a 3:28.18 performance.

Graduate student Yanla Ndjip-Nyemeck will take to the track with accolades of her own, following a nation-leading 7.96-second outing in the 60-meter hurdles.

Middle-distance runner and sophomore Marie Warneke is slated for both the 600-meter and 800-meter runs, while graduate student Sydney Johnson enters the women’s long jump after leaping a career-high 6.79 meters in last year’s Vince O’Boyle Invite.

Senior thrower Michael Pinckney has emerged as a consistent competitor on the men’s side, earning three event wins in as many outings this year.

A young core focused on long-term growth and sustained excellence shapes the program’s culture. The emphasis has shifted toward stacking consistent work and setting a strong foundation for the underclassmen-heavy roster.

“Most of the team are sophomores and freshmen,” said redshirt freshman distance runner Jack Falkowski. “We’re setting the standard pretty high, and we’ve got a good group of guys that are super dedicated to the sport and really care. That built community and culture within the program is super important to be able to get the results we want.”

That commitment has resonated across the roster, including for junior hurdler Otto Laing, who transferred from San Jose State ahead of the 2026 campaign. The Freeport, Bahamas, local said he has found clarity and confidence since arriving in Westwood.

“I’m buying into Hayes’ program,” Laing said. “It’s showing that (Hayes’) systems are working and that the hard work I’m putting in is paying off.

For Snaer, the meet is less about external expectations and more about the environment the squad is aiming to cultivate. Surrounded by teammates who are equally invested in growth and execution, she views the weekend as another opportunity to compete for a blossoming program.

“It’s great being around these people who are also trying to build this team up and individually make it as well,” Snaer said. “Being supported and being around people who want to accomplish the same things puts me in a position with great coaching and a great team to get things done.”