Rivals face off in dual meet

Anytime UCLA and USC square off there is a lot at stake.

For the Bruin women’s track and field team, however, there is a 15-year winning streak – and the pride that goes along with it – on the line.

With such a legacy of success to live up to and an extremely close 76-74 victory last year, the Bruins will have to pull out all the stops this weekend to beat the Trojans.

This means that Saturday will witness junior Nicole Leach open up her season in the 400-meter hurdles.

“It’s no secret that the last couple of years the success we’ve had in the 400-meter hurdles has been someone that has not been on the track,” head coach Jeanette Bolden said.

Leach, who will be looking for a spot on the Olympic team, has spent most of the season training and preparing to compete when the time was right. With the Pac-10 Championships right around the corner and a meet described by Bolden as a “battle,” this seems to be the optimal time for Leach to begin her season.

“She opened up this week last year,” Bolden said. “That’s pretty much the same thing we’ve done (this year).”

Leach ran a USC-UCLA dual meet record of 55.60 seconds in her first race of the season last year and went on to claim the NCAA title. She has set the bar high for herself and the Bruins will be looking for a big performance.

Both teams come into the meet stacked with top athletes, ensuring that the competition is going to be a close one.

“It takes a lot of heart and a lot of work and dedication,” Bolden said. “I think that all the athletes exemplify that, and you’ll see it on Saturday. It will be a fantastic meet.”

UCLA boasts seven athletes ranked in the top 10 nationally, while USC claims six.

One of those Trojan six is senior Carol Rodriguez who will prove to be an obstacle for the Bruins. She is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation in the 400m, third in the 200m and 11th in the 100m.

While the Trojans might have Rodriguez leading their sprint squad, the Bruins pride themselves on a jump squad with enough depth and talent to earn points for the team.

“I know our jump squad is going to do great things this meet,” redshirt senior Renee Williams said. “I’ve been ready to jump for the past two weekends and I can’t wait for this meet.”

Besides Williams, UCLA will look to returning NCAA long jump champion, junior Rhonda Watkins. Watkins will not only be competing in the long jump, but will also be opening up in the high jump, an event in which she took fifth place at last year’s NCAAs. Also competing in the high jump will be senior Allison Miller who is coming off two straight wins.

As always, the Bruins will depend on the pole vaulters to perform strongly and place high.

Led by freshman standout Tori Anthony, who currently holds the No. 4 spot in the nation, and senior Ingrid Kantola, the vaulters are confident that their strength will aid greatly.

With so many great contenders and such a storied rivalry taking place, the competition at Drake Stadium this weekend promises to be fierce.

“I love being a Bruin,” Miller said. “The day of the USC meet is the day I love being a Bruin the most because when USC and UCLA get together on the track, great things happen.”