Track and Field Wins 18 Events in Season Opener

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The UCLA track and field team opened the 2015 indoor season in impressive fashion. The men and women racked up a total of 18 wins on Saturday at the Lumberjack Team Challenge held in the Skydome on the Northern Arizona campus.

UCLA showed its strength in both the men and women’s shot put as Torie Owers won the event with a throw of 54-3.25. The meet was a first for Owers in a Bruins uniform. Reigning Pac-12 champion Nicholas Scarvelis uncorked the shot 60-8.50 for the win as well.

The Bruins won both the men and women’s pole vault. All-American Michael Woepse cleared 17-3 for the victory while Mark Sakioka followed in third with a mark of 15-9.25. On the women’s side, Elena Clarke won with a mark of 13-1.75. Kayla Mallett cleared the same bar to finish second while newcomer Sammy Marumoto was fourth with an 11-6.25.

In the women’s high jump both Alexis Walker and Zibby Boyer cleared 5-8.75. Walker got the win on misses. On the men’s side Cody Crampton cleared 6-10.75 to place second while Sage Stone was third with a leap of 6-8.75.

UCLA finished 1-2 in the men’s long jump as Austin Hazel leaped to the victory with a jump of 23-10. Freshman Idrees Bernard followed in second with a jump of 22-11.75. Bernard also placed second in the triple jump with a mark of 47-11.

In the women’s triple jump Faith Anumba won the event with a leap of 39-6.50. She also placed third in the long jump with a mark of 18-5.75.

All-American Ida Storm started off her 2015 campaign with a big mark in the weight throw. Storm nearly tossed a personal best with a mark of 71-8.75 to cruise to the easy victory.

On the track the Bruins were just as impressive. In the men’s mile, UCLA took the top four spots with Austin O’Neil getting the win with a time of 4:22.18. All-American Kelsey Smith cruised to the win in the women’s mile with a time of 5:04.52.

Newcomer Leon Powell won the 60m in 6.80 in his first-ever collegiate race while All-American Kylie Price won the women’s 60m in 7.49.

The UCLA freshmen shined in both the men and women’s 400m. Joe Herrera opened his college career with a win, clocking 47.80 while Kimani Austin-Reese won the women’s race with a time of 56.61. Fellow rookie Olamide Olowe was second in 57.22.

Freshman Pattriana Perry claimed her first victory of her college career by edging teammate, All-American Brea Buchanan with a time of 8.71 in the 60m hurdles. Buchanan was second in 8.72.

Both UCLA distance medley teams earned wins. The men, who were represented by Ferdinand Edman, Darnell Roberson, Nick Hartle and Lane Werley, clocked 10:10.96. The women’s team of Annie Mooney, Olamide Olowe, Jen Owen and Kelsey Smith won with a time of 12:25.46.

The men’s 4x400m relay team capped off the meet with a win.  The quartet of Tyler Brown, Jonny Moniz, Joe Herrera and Steele Wasik finished with a time of 3:14.90.

UCLA will return to the indoor oval when it heads to Albuquerque, N.M., for the New Mexico Collegiate Invitational. The meet will be held on Saturday, Jan. 31.