University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Aztec Coastal Classic
Track & Field Wraps Up at Indoor NCAAs
March 14, 2026 | Track & Field
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. โ Yanla Ndjip-Nyemeck closed out her collegiate career with a silver medal in the women's 60m hurdles to highlight the Bruins' time at the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championships at the Randal Tyson Track Center.
The 60mH was the Bruins' lone scoring event of the two-day meet, which ran on Friday and Saturday. That brought in eight points, giving the women their most points at Indoor NCAAs since 2018 (also eight).
Ndjip-Nyemeck was the clear standout for the Bruins in Arkansas. She tied for the fastest time among all racers in qualifying on Friday, matching a personal-best and school record at 7.96 to clinch a spot in the final. Then on Saturday, she dropped four-hundredths of a second to 7.92, improving her PB and school record and finishing second overall.
It marked the first-career NCAA medal for Ndjip-Nyemeck, who clinched First Team All-America honors in the 60mH for the third time. She also became the first Bruin woman to medal at Indoor NCAAs since Jessie Maduka finished third in the triple jump in 2018, and she's the first to earn a silver medal since Ida Storm (weight throw) in 2015.
The Bruins also had competitors in the women's high jump and men's weight throw.
Sophomore high jumper Valentina Fakrogha, who was making her Indoor NCAAs debut, earned an 11th place finish after clearing 1.80m (5-10.75). Pinckney came in 15th in the WT with a mark of 20.80m (68-3).
UCLA also looked to have scored in the women's 4x400 relay, as the quartet of Ava Simms, Taylor Snaer, Kayla McBride, and Naomi Johnson won their section and placed sixth overall with a time of 3:29.44. However, they were later DQ'd for impeding.
Besides Indoor NCAAs, UCLA sent a small group of student-athletes to compete at the Aztec Coastal Classic hosted by San Diego State on Friday.
At the SDSU meet, UCLA swept the pole vaults with wins by Hunter O'Brien (5.03m / 16-6) and Paige Sommers (4.27m / 14-0). Sommers's mark was good for No. 10 in UCLA outdoor history. Kaho Cichon was also runner-up in the women's 1500m with a PB at 4:24.74.
Players Mentioned
