Many argue that history repeats itself.
And that trend may not favor the Bruins this weekend.
UCLA track and field will travel to Lincoln to compete in the 2026 Outdoor Big Ten Championships on Friday through Sunday as the squad nears the end of its season.
At last year’s conference championship, the Bruins’ men’s team placed 11th and the women’s squad placed third, both out of 17 teams.
And the Bruins faltered again at the 2026 Indoor Big Ten Championships from Feb. 26 to 28, with the men’s team taking last place with just 21 points and the women’s team placing sixth with 49.5 points, out of 15- and 18-squad fields, respectively.
But the men’s team’s recent victory at the May 2 to 3 dual meet over crosstown rival USC may provide exactly the “adrenaline” track and field director Joanna Hayes said the Bruins need to rechart the team’s 2026 trajectory.
Senior sprinter/hurdler Tamaal Myers – who transferred from USC ahead of the 2025 season – placed first in the men’s 400-meter hurdles with a 50.14-second performance at the USC dual meet, bumping him to third place in the 2026 Big Ten Outdoor Performance List behind athletes from USC and Iowa.
“This is my city, whether we’re at UCLA or whether we’re here (at USC). It’s mine. It’s my town,” Myers said.
In contrast to the men’s team’s success, the women’s team sustained a 24-point loss to the Trojans’ women’s team.
Despite the mixed success at the dual meet, Hayes has remained a big proponent of the team’s collective mindset as they venture to Lincoln.
“No matter the score, no matter what happens, they’re supposed to be getting themselves prepared to be in the championship season,” Hayes said. “This is that first one with the adrenaline – where everything’s pumping and they’re fighting, and that prepares them.”
According to Hayes, however, her pride in every Bruins’ individual championship journey is deeper than clocking a specific time.
Myers, who arrived at UCLA around the same time as Hayes, has attested to his coach’s impact on the team.
“Coach Hayes is like a second mom to me,” Myers said. “She was there through my really rough times, and she always kept me motivated. In LA, she’s the one person I know. If I ever need something, I can call her. So we’ve got a really close relationship, love her to death.”
But Myers is not the only transfer who has resonated with Hayes’ philosophy.
After leaving the USC dual meet with fluctuating team performances, sophomore sprinter/hurdler Kapiolani Coleman, who placed first in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, said she will continue to implement a familiar approach ahead of the conference championship meet.
“We lost, but there are a lot of individual performances that did well that will help us, so I don’t think everyone’s going to get too down,” Coleman said. “Give us good motivation for when we’re back (against USC).”
With reputations and legacies at stake, the Outdoor Big Ten Championships represent one of UCLA’s last chances to rewrite history and defy expectations this season.
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