May 12, 2004

By Jeff Eisenberg
Daily Bruin (U.California-Los Angeles)

(U-WIRE) LOS ANGELES - The final chapter of Lena Nilsson's storybook UCLA career won't have a happy ending.

Lingering pain from a stress fracture in her right foot will keep middle distance runner Nilsson from competing at the Pac-10 Championships this weekend, meaning that the three-time NCAA champion's collegiate career is finished.

"She would like nothing more than to finish her career at UCLA on a high note," distance coach Eric Peterson said. "Unfortunately, her foot hasn't healed fast enough."

Nilsson, who suffered the stress fracture prior to the start of the outdoor season, did not originally believe the injury was serious. The senior had hoped to return in time for the USC dual meet May 1, but re-evaluated that date because her foot was too sore to run.

She and Peterson met with team doctors again Monday, and decided that the pain had not subsided enough for her to compete this weekend.

"Ending my career this way is the most disappointing," Nilsson said. "To not be able to go for another NCAA Championship is very hard."

The injury will also prevent Nilsson from vying for a spot on the Swedish Olympic team this summer, since she has been unable to train in the past two months.

"That's just probably not realistic this year," she said.

Nilsson is the second significant loss for the No. 2 ranked women's track and field team this week. Doctors informed freshman long jumper Renee Williams on Monday that she will also miss the rest of the season because of a deep bone bruise in her right knee.

The void left by Nilsson, one of the nation's top middle distance runners, promises to be a significant blow to UCLA's NCAA title hopes.

Although the senior probably would have been among the favorites to capture first place in the 1500-meter run, Peterson is confident UCLA has a strong enough middle distance corps to replace her.

The top two 1500m runners in the nation, Mississippi State's Tiffany McWilliams and Johanna Nilsson of Northern Arizona, seem to be heavy favorites to capture the top two spots. But the race for third is up for grabs, meaning senior Melissa McBain and sophomore Alejandra Barrientos both have a legitimate shot at scoring points for the Bruins.

"We're in good hands," Peterson said. "Barrientos and McBain are running as well as ever."

For Nilsson, however, that is little consolation. The senior already used her redshirt year, so her collegiate career is over.

While Nilsson says she is pulling for her teammates during the season's stretch run, she says it will hurt too much to stay involved in the program.

"I'm probably going to stay away from track and field for a while," Nilsson said.

"It makes it really hard when you can't be a part of things."