LOS ANGELES — UCLA women's track coach Jeanette Bolden can sum up the past four years in one word: "agonizing."
The USC women have won the teams' past four meetings with the Bruins in the annual dual meet, including last year's 95-68 win.
It's definitely not something Bolden can get used to, especially when one considers that UCLA won 15 in a row at one point and 21 of 24.
When the crosstown rivals collide again Sunday at Drake Stadium, which will be streamed live on FOXSportsWest.com at 2 p.m., five won't seem too far out of reach for the Women of Troy.
Bolden knows what she faces in a 24th-ranked Trojans squad that was ranked third in the nation in the preseason and has been in the top five the majority of the season.
The 4x100m relay team of Loudia Laarman, Jenna Puterbaugh, Aareon Payne and Jessica Davis return after finishing third at the NCAA Championships last season.
A Bruins win Sunday will be a tall order.
"In track and field, you know who's the fastest," Bolden said, "but when it comes to this meet, who knows."
Regardless of the sport, we're talking UCLA and USC, which means anything can happen.
The 400 and 800 meters are two of the races Bolden sees as "competitive races" in which her team might be able to pile up some points.
Former Serra High star Turquoise Thompson is ranked 11th in the country in the 400 but will not be competing in that event this weekend. Thompson will be limited to the 400 hurdles and the 4x400m relay.
Katherine Reid and another former Serra Cavalier, Breyonna Hunter, will be key for the Bruins. They placed sixth and seventh at the Pepsi Invitational earlier this month.
In the throws, USC's Marissa Minderler has owned this meet in recent years. Last year she won the shot put and the javelin, while finishing third in the hammer. She racked up more points than the UCLA women's throws team combined. The previous year, she scored more than the UCLA men and women combined.
Minderler is sixth in the country in the hammer and one of three Trojan women ranked in the top 20, along with Jenny Ozorai (third) and Jade Niemeyer (17th).
The USC men will enter Sunday's dual meet ranked sixth in the nation — their highest ranking this season.
Any discussions about the Trojans men's team must begin with redshirt senior Bryshon Nellum. He was the Gatorade Boys National Track and Field Athlete of the Year coming out of Long Beach Poly in 2007. The very first race of his collegiate career, he injured his hamstring and was done for the season.
The following offseason he was shot in the leg and missed the entire 2009 season.
His entire USC career had been marred by pain caused by the bullet fragments touching a nerve in his leg. So, before the start of this season, he underwent surgery to remove the remaining bullet fragments.
He's now regaining the form that made him so coveted coming out of high school. He's now first in the country in the 400 after having run a personal-best 45.18 seconds last week at the Mt. Sac Relays.
"(He's) one of the greatest success stories of all time," said USC director of track and field Ron Allice. "They'll write a book about that one."
Also first in the country is the Trojans' 4x400 relay. Josh Mance is tied for sixth in the 400. Aaron Brown is tied for third in the 100. Devonte Stewart is tied for 18th in the 200.
The Bruins might have an edge in the 4x100 relay. UCLA is tied for 16th in the country, and the Trojans will be shorthanded without Javonte Slater and Joey Hughes, who are injured.
Of the field events, the hammer will be an interesting watch. USC's Daniel Szabo is fifth in the country and UCLA's Alec Faldermeyer third.
"That could be a fistfight," said UCLA head coach/throws coach Mike Maynard. "There are matchups in this meet, all the way through the meet, that are going to make it very exciting."
The USC men have a 42-36 advantage against UCLA, including last year's 89-74 loss. It was the Trojans' second sweep in the past three dual meets, and they're looking to do it again.
One thing the Bruins will have in their favor Sunday will be home advantage.
Yes, even in track and field, it's looked to as an edge.
"Home-court advantage means a lot, just like they do in basketball," Bolden said.
