Bruins Pick Up Four More NCAA Qualifiers on Final Day of West Prelims
College Station, Texas – The Bruins finished up the final day of the NCAA West Preliminaries on Saturday, securing four more NCAA Championship qualifiers and a host of impressive performances.
Next Up – NCAA Championships (June 9-12)
The Bruins will finish their 2021 outdoor campaign at the NCAA Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. The four-day competition will begin on Wednesday, June 9.
Sprints / Hurdles
Ismail Turner continued his sensational 2021 outdoor campaign, flying to a lifetime-best time of 45.64 in the 400m to finish eighth overall and earn qualification to the NCAA Championships. Turner is now tied for 10th on UCLA's all-time outdoor performance list in the event and ran the fastest time by a Bruin since 2004. The women's competition saw Meleni Rodney breeze to a third-place finish in heat one, punching her ticket to Nationals with a time of 51.57.
The UCLA women secured NCAA qualification in the 4x100m relay with a third-place finish in heat one. The Bruin quartet of Chinyere Okoro, Shae Anderson, Catherine Leger, and Maddy Doane combined for a time of 44.64. The men's squad just missed a qualifying spot with a 14th-place finish overall.
The Bruins capped their day with an impressive performance in the women's 4x400m relay, as the team of Rodney, Makenzy Pierre-Webster, Catherine Leger, and Anderson went 3:28.70 for second place in heat one and an automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Championships. The time is good for the No. 3 spot on UCLA's all-time list.
Anderson entered the West Prelims as the No. 2 collegiate performer in the 400m hurdles, but took a fall heading into the home stretch and missed out on NCAA qualification. Anderson's individual season comes to a close having positioned herself No. 3 on UCLA's all-time 400m list (51.16) and No. 7 on both the 200m (22.96) and 400m hurdle (55.21) ranks.
Throws
Alyssa Wilson took care of business in the discus competition, tossing a season-best 57.61m (189-0) for seventh place overall. With her NCAA qualification in the hammer throw on Thursday, she is now set to compete in multiple events at the NCAA Meet for the third time in her career.
Distance
Redshirt freshman Peter Herold toed the line for the Bruins in the men's 3000m steeplechase, finishing 18th overall with a time of 8:55.19. Herold will finish the season No. 5 on UCLA's all-time list in the event, as he clocked a career-best time of 8:42.94 at the Pac-12 Championships on May 15.
Next Up – NCAA Championships (June 9-12)
The Bruins will finish their 2021 outdoor campaign at the NCAA Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. The four-day competition will begin on Wednesday, June 9.
Full List of UCLA's NCAA Qualifiers
Women
Ilaria Casarotto – Javelin
Meleni Rodney – 400m
Alyssa Wilson – hammer throw, discus
Women's 4x100m relay team
Women's 4x400m relay team
Men
Harrison Schrage -- Long Jump
Ismail Turner – 400m