April 30, 2005

Behind seniors Monique Henderson and Candice Baucham, each winning two events, Jeanette Bolden's No. 5 UCLA women's track & field team defeated No. 9 USC 85-78 in the annual (22nd) traditional dual meet on Saturday, before 2,235 at the Trojans' Loker Stadium/Cromwell Field. It was UCLA's 13th consecutive dual victory over USC (Bolden is 12-0 vs. USC and she now has an unbeaten dual career record of 71-0) and the Bruins lead the overall UCLA/USC series 19-3.

Henderson, who last summer won an Olympic Gold Medal on the U. S. 4 X 400m relay, won the 200m (a season-best 22.86, stadium record, Pac-10 leader, No. 4 on the U. S. collegiate list) and 400m (season-opener 50.91, meet record, stadium record, and No. 1 overall time in the U. S.). In all, Henderson ran in four events - 200m, 400m and anchored both of UCLA's second-place relays (4 X 100m, 45.06/4 X 400m relay, season-best 3:43.03).

Baucham, the two-time defending Pac-10 triple jump champion, won the long jump (21-5.25w/2.9w) and triple jump (season-opener 44-6, stadium record, No. 3 on current collegiate list).

The Bruins also had standout performances from junior Chelsea Johnson, the NCAA Outdoor record-holder (15-0), in the pole vault, redshirt freshman Alison Costello (3000m steeplechase) and senior Jessica Cosby (shot put). Johnson's winning pole vault of 14-1.25 (season-best, collegiate outdoor leader) was a meet and stadium record. Costello's victorious 10:33.70 in the 3000m steeplechase was a meet record, new school record and No. 5 on the current Pac-10 chart. Cosby's first-place in the shot put was a personal-best 57-10.25 (No. 6 in UCLA history) and No. 3 on the current collegiate chart.

UCLA had two other first-place finishes - in the high jump, freshman Allison Miller (5-6) and in the discus, senior Lara Saye (172-5).

Looking Ahead
For the next two weekends, UCLA's Drake Stadium will host the 2005 Pac-10 T & F Championships. On May 7-8, it's the Pac-10 Multi-Events (heptathlon/decathlon) and on May 14-15, the Pac-10 Championships.

USC/UCLA Dual Meet Results