Jan. 2, 2007

2007 Season Preview in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

The UCLA men's track and field team will open up the indoor season on January 19th and 20th when the team heads to the New Mexico Lobo (Modrall Sperling) Invitational in Albuquerque, NM.

The 2007 team has a great combination of experience and youthful talent, and with the stability of the coaching staff and the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, the Bruins are ready to contend for a Pac-10 title and a top-10 fi nish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

"We feel this is one of the best and most balanced teams since I have been involved in coaching this program," said Head Coach Art Venegas.

"The talent levels are as high as our late 1980's NCAA Championships teams.

"We will use indoors as a preparation tool for the outdoor season and expect to see many changes on our all-time lists in 2007. This team is keyed for top notch performances at the end of the outdoor season and is ready to bring back the tradition and excellence of UCLA men's track and field."

SPRINTS - HURDLES - RELAYS

UCLA is poised to return to its glory years of sprinting with a great combination of experience, talent and youth.

This group is led by senior hurdler Brandon Johnson, who missed the last two months of the 2006 season after suffering a hamstring injury at the Rafer Johnson/ Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational. Johnson is the go-to person for this team because of his versatility and drive to win and his ability to compete at a high level. While rehabilitating his injury last season, Johnson became more focused and plans on dominating in his fi nal year with the Bruins while leading a strong contingent of talented hurdlers.

In 2005, Johnson placed fourth in the intermediate hurdles with a lifetime-best run of 48.59, a mark that ranks third all-time in UCLA history and was the seventh-fastest time in the U.S. (professional and collegiately) that season. He has incredible quarter- mile speed and brings talent and experience to not only the hurdles and 400m, but the 4x400m relay.

Joining Johnson to lead the hurdles is 2006 All-American Kevin Craddock, the sole freshman fi nalist at the NCAA Outdoor meet in the high hurdles (8th, 13.76). In just his fi rst season, he moved into the UCLA top-10 with a lifetime-best run of 13.73 at the Pac-10 Championships. Craddock brings international and elite experience to the team, and with one season under his belt at UCLA, is primed for more All-American honors.

The quarter-mile again looks to be a strength of the sprints program as there is plenty of talent to compete in this event. Johnson will see time in the 400m, along with Indoor All-Americans James Rhoades (47.96) and Elijah Wells (47.16). Freshmen Cade Lindahl (47.80) should also make an impact in the quarter-mile in just his fi rst season at UCLA.

Newcomers David Klech and Darius Reed enter their fi rst season with the Bruins with high expectations after incredible prep careers. Both hurdlers were USA Today All-Americans as Klech was the National Gatorade Boys Track Athlete of the Year and Reed was a fi nalist at the 2006 World Junior Championships. After ending their high school careers as top-ranked hurdlers, these Bruin freshmen are poised to make noise on the National scene.

The Bruins are young in the 100m and 200m, but will try to avoid using hurdle specialists (Klech & Reed) in those events to avoid injury. There is a solid, young group of quality sprinters that can make noise at the Pac-10 and NCAA level if they stay confi dent in their abilities. The pool of athletes for the 4x100m relay team is deep, giving the coaching staff multiple options throughout the season.

The 4x400m relay team will be keyed by Johnson, whose early success in 2006 helped propel the indoor team to the No. 3 time in the nation last season, as well as a new school record (3:06.48). Craddock will see more relay duty in 2007 after having been eased into his fi rst year at UCLA last season. Youngters Klech and Reed will also be integral parts of the relay team. Wells, Rhoades and Lindahl will also add depth to the 1600m relay.

DISTANCE

After a transition year in 2006, the Bruin harriers are ready for a breakout year. With a young, but matured group of returning runners and a great group of recruits, the distance squad is set for high-level performances.

Junior All-American Austin Ramos returns and is fresh and rested after redshirting the 2006 cross country season and will lead the team in the longer distance events - 5000m (14:15.61 outdoor/13:57.55 indoor) and 10,000m (30:02.01). This season, Ramos will undoubtedly compete at an elite NCAA level in either of these distances after having provisionally qualifi ed for the indoor 5000m in 2006.

Junior Mike Haddan will lead the Bruins in the 1500m distance after a promising sophomore campaign last season in which he ran 3:45.86 at the Pac-10 meet. Haddan also has an 800m best of 1:50.76 and is ready to step up and compete at the NCAA level this season. Sophomore Laef Barnes will also help lead the milers, after a solid freshman year in which he lacked strength to perform to his potential. The 2006 cross country season indicates that Barnes is strong and ready to battle for top spots in the Pac-10. With bests of 1:53.28 (800m) and 3:50.41 (1500m) in his freshmen season, the sophomore will add depth in the middle distance races in 2007.

The most improved runners over the last year have been twin brothers Drew and Kyle Shackleton, and both give the Bruins a very optimistic outlook in the steeplechase, 5000m and 10,000m races. Drew won the steeplechase at the UCLA/USC dual meet in 2006 and has a best of 9:16.25. He also adds depth in the 5000m with a best of 15:05.30. Kyle, the 2006 Cal/Nevada 5000m champion brings a best of 14:38.90 in that event, as well as a 10,000m best of 32:04.66, and after an impressive cross country season in which he was named the team MVP, is poised for some great performances in the coming track and fi eld seasons. This duo will vie for Pac-10 points, and could possibly make some noise on the National level.

The freshmen class is one of the strongest groups of recruits in Bruin distance history and is led by middle distance standouts Scott Crawford and Marlon Patterson. Both project to contribute as true freshmen in both indoor and outdoor track in 2007 after preps seasons which saw them ranked top-15 in the country. Crawford boasts an 800m best of 1:51.60 and a 1600m best of 4:11.78, while Patterson has run 1:52.09 in the 800m and 4:09.70 in the 1600m. Patterson could also contribute in the longer distances as he has run a 9:15 3200m.

Newcomers Jake Matthews and Alex Crabill will add depth in the longer distances, after solid frosh cross country campaigns look to predict strong outdoor performances in 2007. They also come to Westwood as top-ranked prepsters. Crabill ran the 13th-best 3200m time in the U.S. in 2006 (8:57.42) and has also ran 1:56 in the 800m and 4:15 in the 1600m. Matthews has top times of 9:10.11 in the 3200m and 4:17.8 in the 1600m.

All of these freshmen could see action in the steeplechase, as the coaches will use the indoor and pre-season to decide which ones will try out the 3000m race.

JUMPS

The jumps group is one of the most mature areas of the 2007 team as they return one of the best groups of jumpers in over 20 years.

The pole vault is highlighted by All-American Mike Landers, the third-place fi nisher at the 2006 NCAA Outdoor meet. Landers moved to fi fth all-time at UCLA with his 18-0.50 performance at Nationals and will be in the hunt for an NCAA title in 2007. Seniors David Shortenhaus (17-5) and Dave Murphy17-0.75) add tremendous support to the vault crew as both have jumped over 17-feet during their careers, while adding NCAA Championship experience.

A top group of incoming freshmen will also add depth to the vault group as the Orange County, CA duo of Greg Woepse (16-7) and Johnny Quinn (16-8/Orange County Record), coupled with New York twin brothers Casey (16-5) and Scott DiCesare (15-6) bring incredible talent to this team. Returners Zack Miller and Chris Bencomo also add depth with top jumps of 16-7.25.

The long jump is led by 2006 West Region Champion Joel Tuosto (25-6.75) who is aiming to surpass the 26-foot mark this season. He has adapted to second-year jumps coach Mike Powell's complex system and is poised for a breakout year. Tuosto will also add depth in the high and triple jump this season.

The triple jump is led by what could be the best one-two punch in the nation with Dominique Easterling (52-1.25) and Michael Johnson (51-7.75). Both competed at the NCAA meet last season, and are primed to score at the National level in 2007. The duo will also add depth in the long jump, while Easterling adds depth in the high jump.

In the high jump, sophomore Luke Barr (7-0) will be joined by super frosh David Klech, who brings talent to both the long (24- 7.75) and high jump (7-0.75) events.

Newcomers Terrence Austin (HJ, 6-10/LJ, 23-0) and Steven Taylor (TJ, 48-5/LJ, 22-4) will also add depth to the high, long and triple jump crews.

THROWS

This group boasts a great combination of maturity and NCAA experience that makes this year's throws group one of the best in Coach Art Venegas' 26 years at UCLA.

Veterans Greg Garza (194-1, 2006 All- American and Pac-10 champion) and Jason Rider (190-8) bring NCAA experience to the discus, and along with regional qualifi er John Caulfi eld (189-0), will lead one of the greatest groups of young discus throwers UCLA has ever recruited in Bo Taylor, Darius Savage, and Nick Robinson.

Taylor was the No. 1 prep discus thrower in the nation in 2006, setting a new California State Meet record with his toss of 213-7. Savage ranked just behind Taylor in the No. 2 spot in the nation with a best of 212-1, and was the California State shot put and discus champion in 2006. He is also a defensive lineman on the UCLA football team. Robinson threw the No. 8 mark in the nation last season with his best of 197-0. Both Taylor and Robinson competed at the World Junior Championships in Beijing, China during the summer of 2006 and bring international experience to the team.

The shot put is in the able hands of Caulfi eld, a 63-8 shot putter. His off-season training indicates he is primed for some very big throws this season. Caulfi eld will lead a young brigade of talent highlighted by Savage, (66-3.25/No. 2 in the nation), Robinson (65-1/No. 7 in the nation), Taylor (63-11.25 (No. 9 in the nation), and Tyler Dragon (61-3/No. 5 in CA), as all boast throws over 61- feet during their prep careers.

Super-competitive sophomore All-American Boldizsar Kocsor returns to lead the hammer group after one of the fi nest frosh campaigns in UCLA history in which he won the Pac-10 title, set a freshmen record on numerous occasions and moved to No. 2 alltime at UCLA with a best of 219-1. Senior Andrew Ninow, (195-1) who redshirted the 2006 season, is back and matching Kocsor throw for throw in practice during the fall and is ready for a great end to his UCLA career.

Taylor, who only began throwing the hammer in the fall, has the potential for a breakout year after impressive fall practices. He has picked up the technique fast and could surpass the 200-foot mark this season.

David Shortenhaus (204-0) is joined by javelin specialist Chris Burbach, a JC transfer in the spear event. Burbach, who has a best of 204-1, was phenomenal in fall training and is poised to make an immediate impact for the Bruins in 2007. Garza (188-3) and Rider (191-3) will also add depth to the javelin group.

MULTI'S

Under new coach Octavius Gillespie, UCLA has recruited two of the fi nest prospects in the U.S. in twin brothers Casey (6,420 points) and Scott DiCesare (6,220 points). The twins join veteran Matt Reuter (6,271 points), who has had exceptional fall workouts.

This group is expected to be a very strong contingent at the Pac-10 Decathlon Championships in May. Pole vaulters David Shortenhaus and Dave Murphy could potentially be available to compete if needed in the multi-events.