Bumped. GO BRUINS.-N

The 2008 UCLA Ski and Snowboard Club Team took 1st place overall in the Southern California Collegiate Ski & Snowboard Conference, beating out Cal Poly Pomona, CSULB, SDSU, UCSB, UCSD and USC.  The UCLA Ski Team took 2nd place and the Snowboard Team took 1st.  The competition was comprised of four events: giant slalom, slalom, Boarder/Skiier-Cross, and Slopestyle, taking place over number of weekends from December to March.  Full results can be seen here.

Certain outstanding Bruins must be congratulated.

Sophomore ski sensation Julie Fair won 1st place overall in a field of 40 female skiers.  Sophia Berry and Britt Lindstrom were awarded 3rd and 5th place, respectively.  

Freshman phenom skier, and former Squaw Valley Ski Team member, Charles Graves took 1st place in Giant Slalom and Slalom, earning him 2nd place overall in a field of 65.

Among 40 female snowboarders, senior and team vice president Melissa Yee placed 3rd overall.  Sophomore snowboard team captain Bre Wright placed 4th overall and also took home 1st place in women's slopestyle (she's better than most guys).

The man of the hour was junior and team president Justin Globerson.  Among 90 male snowboard competitors, Globerson took 4th place in Slopestyle, 2nd place in Giant Slalom, and 1st place in Boarder-cross, earning him 1st place overall.  In addition to his athletic achievements, the UCLA Team President was honored with the "Team Officer of the Year" award for his exemplary display of leadership.  

On a personal note, I must add that in my 7 years at UCLA (undergrad and graduate school), I have never met a group of individuals as genuine, sincere, and determined as these young men and women are.  Once again, they prove on and off the "field" that UCLA produces the greatest student athletes.  I am proud to be part of their team and they make me proud to be a Bruin.

Congratulations to the UCLA Ski and Snowboard Team for an amazing year of excellence.  

My apologies if this has been mentioned before, but I didn't see it posted here or in the diaries.  ESPN's Jay "Bias" did an All Access interview with Coach Howland.  Coach talks about the back-to-back Final Fours, KLove, and being a defensive team. I get excited everytime I listen to a BH interview or quote, because I know it will be something intelligent and insightful. None of the jargon we get from another program. 

The greatest collegiate basketball player will be gracing the best college in the world once again. Mr. Abdul-Jabbar will be signing his book On the Shoulders of Giants this Friday, June 15th from 1:00-3:00 PM at the Ackerman Union BookZone.  For a little more information, click here.

I received this email from Chancellor Norman Abrams:

May 14, 2007

Dear Bruins,

A celebration of athletic achievement is upon us.

Yesterday, UCLA won its 100th NCAA team championship, the first institution to reach this milestone. The women's water polo team defeated Stanford, 5-4, and continued a tradition of winning unmatched in the history of college sports.

A few weeks ago, the Bruins clinched the annual Lexus Gauntlet Trophy by beating USC in head-to-head competition. The 2006-07 season marked the first time that UCLA swept the Trojans in football, basketball and baseball.

Tomorrow, at 11:30 am, there will be a ceremony on Spaulding Field commemorating these triumphs. First, we will present the Lexus Gauntlet Trophy to Athletic Director Dan Guerrero. Then you'll hear brief words from Dan, 19-time NCAA volleyball championship coach Al Scates, 6-time NCAA softball championship coach Sue Enquist, 8-time NCAA water polo championship coach Adam Krikorian and me, as I present Adam with his 2007 NCAA trophy, UCLA's 100th. (Spaulding is located immediately across from Pauley Pavilion's Gate 7.)

You'll be seeing and hearing elements of our "First to 100" commemoration throughout the 2007-08 academic year as the Athletic Department honors this remarkable accomplishment.

Please join me tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. on Spaulding Field.

Sincerely,

Norman Abrams
Acting Chancellor

Hope to see many of you there!  GO BRUINS!!!