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Fresh off his third-place finish in the four kilometer race at the Stanford Invitational last weekend, Jon Rankin will have a chance to lead the UCLA men’s cross country team again. Rankin will look to improve upon his performance from last week at the Notre Dame Invitational at the Burke Memorial Golf Course on the Notre Dame campus this weekend. While the season’s challenging meets are still ahead for the team, Rankin’s early performances have helped him distinguish himself from the rest of the Bruins. “I’m fortunate that in my last year I’m as healthy, as strong and as motivated as I’ve ever been,” Rankin said. It seems as if the fifth-year senior has constantly run just out of the spotlight, mostly due to a string of stress fractures that have plagued his college career. “He’s extraordinarily gifted,” coach Eric Peterson said. “His body was just fragile. What we’re seeing now is him coming into his own.” Able to preserve his strength, Rankin emerged from his injuries and developed into a more mature athlete physically and emotionally. “It was really a time of growth for me,” he said. Still, Rankin’s jump start in tallying top finishes doesn’t mean a strong pack of runners is going to let him get away easily. A loaded field of 26 teams awaits the Bruins at the Notre Dame Invitational, headlined by No. 2 Stanford, No. 9 BYU and No. 11 Air Force. “It’s only a matter of time before they catch up with me,” said Rankin.

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY: Ashley Caldwell, UCLA’s lone returning All-American, will look to build upon last week’s 14th place this weekend at Notre Dame. Caldwell, who sat out the team’s first meet due to injury, was disappointed with her performance last week and is eager to get back to her top form. “I was a little hesitant (last week) because I couldn’t train,” Caldwell said. “On the day of the race I was still doubting myself, but you’ve got to start somewhere.” Caldwell and the Bruins will be tested this week as a trio of the nation’s top teams will be on hand. Top-ranked Stanford, No. 4 Notre Dame and No. 7 Michigan will also flex their muscles this weekend in Indiana. Still, Peterson is thrilled to have her in the fold once again. “To have her back and run the way she did on Saturday was good for her,” Peterson said. “We hope to see her really progress from one race to the next.”