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Wednesday, May 29, 1996

Bruins hope for top-three team finish, individual titlesBy Scott Yamaguchi

Daily Bruin Staff

Fueled by the disappointment of losing its Pacific 10 Conference Championship two weeks ago, the UCLA women's track and field team opens competition today in the four-day NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore.

The Bruins, who finished among the top three teams in the last three national meets, have once again been tabbed by Track and Field News to finish third in this year's version.

But a rash of late-season injuries has cast some doubt over the team's ability to score the necessary points for a top-three finish, and it appears that outstanding individual performances have become the focus.

"I think, with the injuries, I'm not too worried about winning a team title this year," sophomore discus thrower Suzy Powell said. "Of course, I would love it, but the most important thing to me is taking care of this individual title."

Powell is one of three Bruins ranked at the top of the NCAA in their respective events. Senior captain Valeyta Althouse is the clear favorite to defend her title in the shot put, and junior Amy Acuff is also favored to defend her title in the high jump.

Sophomore Nada Kawar will join Powell and Althouse in the discus and the shot put competition, and should earn points for the team in both events.

Junior 400-meter runner Darlene Malco has run the ninth-fastest time in the NCAA this year, as has freshman Joanna Hayes in the 100-meter hurdles.

Hayes will also run the 400-meter hurdles, and freshman Andrea Anderson will compete in the 200-meters.

Today, Powell will compete in the trials and finals of the discus, while Hayes will run the semifinals of the 400-hurdles and Anderson the trials of the 200.

If Hayes finishes among the top-eight today, she will advance to Friday's final. Anderson must finish among the top-16 to advance to Friday's 200-meter semifinals, then must finish among the top-eight there to advance to Saturday's final.

Thursday, Althouse will compete in the shot put, Hayes will run the trials of the 100-meter hurdles, and Malco will run the semifinals of the 200-meters.

Acuff does not compete until Saturday afternoon.

Conspicuously absent from UCLA's list of entries are the 400 and 1,600 relay teams, neither of which ranked among the top-10 in the NCAA and, as a result, did not receive invitations to the meet.