Less than one week before the final exam in my Zen Buddhism
class winter quarter, I marched up to my professor, handed him a
sheet of paper to sign, and told him I was dropping the class.

In all the time UCLA’s Candice Baucham spent reflecting on
the end of her collegiate career this weekend, she never envisioned
a more perfect exit scenario than this.

All the effort UCLA’s Monique Henderson has exerted this
season to put herself in position to capture her first NCAA title
almost went to waste.
With the crowd at the Spanos Sports Complex in Sacramento
roaring as she neared the halfway point in her final collegiate
race, Henderson felt a twinge in her left hamstring.

They mobbed each other on the infield, huddling together to form
a blue and gold sea of jubilation.
Jessica Cosby hoisted the trophy above her head.

A few weeks before the track and field season began, UCLA
men’s coach Art Venegas declared that his goal for the year
was a top-five finish at the NCAA Championships.

Almost everything went smoothly for the second-ranked UCLA
women’s track and field team on the first day of the NCAA
Championships on Wednesday.
Monique Henderson and Dawn Harper advanced to the finals with
ease in their respective events.

Everything UCLA’s Chelsea Johnson has endured so far this
season will all be worth it if she can achieve her goals next week
at the NCAA Championships.

The way UCLA’s MacKenzie Hill sees it, qualifying for the
NCAA Championships this past weekend in Oregon was only the
beginning.
Now that the sophomore hurdler has earned a trip to Sacramento
next week, she is determined to prove that she belongs there.

Weary, weak-legged and increasingly short of breath,
UCLA’s Jessica Cosby had every reason to surrender to the
effects of a bout of pneumonia and withdraw from the shot put
competition on Saturday.

Whatever chance the UCLA women’s track and field team has
to defend its national championship will rest on the shoulders of
its smallest contingent of qualifiers in almost a decade.