Bruin Women Go for Eight in a Row

The UCLA women’s track and field team will take a No. 2 national ranking into the Pacific 10 Conference meet as it tries to claim its eighth consecutive league title beginning tonight at the University of Arizona’s Drachman Stadium in Tucson.

Four Bruins will defend individual conference titles -- senior Sheena Johnson in the 100- and 400-meter hurdles, senior Cari Soong in the hammer throw, junior Jessica Cosby in the shotput and junior Candice Baucham in the triple jump.

USC senior Inga Stasiulionyte is the favorite to win the javelin throw for the fourth consecutive year. Trojan sophomore Virginia Powell is a title contender in the 100-meter dash and 100 hurdles.

In the men’s meet, USC junior sprinter Wes Felix will defend his 200-meter title. He will also run in the 100.

Junior Allen Simms, an Olympic contender in the triple jump, figures to battle UCLA junior Juaune Armon in that event and the long jump, where Armon is the defending champion.

UCLA senior Dan Ames has the Pac-10’s top marks in the shotput and discus and ranks second behind USC senior Michael Murray in the hammer.

Field events will begin today at 2:30 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m. Running events start tonight at 5:15 and Saturday night at 6.