MileSplitMass Q & A: Shayne Collins discusses his decision to attend UCLA in the fall

UCLA has always been a premier destination for athletes on the West Coast, and the beautifully appointed campus coupled with a stellar academic reputation has made recruiting easy for the Bruins……at least on the West Coast. But California has plenty of depth to fuel such an attractive program and rarely will you see distance runners from New England don the blue and gold. Landing a highly coveted distance runner from New England speaks volumes about the direction of the program.  Especially when that distance runner comes from a track family who knows the sport and the recruiting game.

The process of choosing a school for Shayne Collins was a long and complex one; extending far beyond the February signing period that most track athletes use as the benchmark for their decision.  Below, Collins talks about his decision and the expectations for next year.

MileSplitMass:  Your performances this year received a significant amount of national attention and dozens of schools on the East Coast had you at the top of their recruiting lists. Why did you feel UCLA was the best fit?

Collins:  Don't get me wrong I love Michigan, Wake, Virginia, among others. But, from day one, I was set on going west coast. UCLA was a top choice, but I was not able to afford it before this winter, so I had to keep my options open. After this winter season, the coaches at UCLA really helped make me going to run for them a possibility. Academically UCLA was the best fit for me and I am very excited to run against the best competition possible in the PAC 12.

MileSplitMass: What was your first impression when you walked on to the UCLA campus and how did that compare to the other schools you visited?

Collins:  I got to visit a lot of schools these past two years, and along the way with my brother and sister. UCLA ranks as one of the nicest, if not the nicest, campus I have ever seen. It is unbelievable and in an awesome location.

MileSplitMass:  What do you think it will be like training under a new coach and what was it about the UCLA coaching staff that attracted you to the school?

Collins:  I am really excited to go run for coach Braden. He is a young guy with a lot of enthusiasm. He has been able to pull in some of the cream of the crop from California. He was really helpful and influential throughout the whole process. He has high hopes for the program and the upward progression the program has been seeing and I am happy to be a part of the future of the program.

MileSplitMass:  UCLA has another strong recruiting class; with several athletes that have run under 9:15 for 3200m.  Where do you think you fit-in with this current group? Also, where do you think you fit in with the distance program as a whole?

Collins:   I actually have already made friends with a couple of the other recruits. They are all california kids and a couple have run close to the 9 flat barrier. A few others have run blazing fast 800 meters splits. I am the only out of state commit to my knowledge. California is know for their incredible depth in the distance events, and I hope to grow as a runner by training and working out with such talent. It is my hope that UCLA will become a strong force in the PAC 12 and in the NCAA and I am excited to make the jump to college distance. Tempo runs and longer distances have always suited me better.

MileSplitMass:  What is your goal for next year?

Collins:  I plan not to red shirt to the best of my knowledge. It is my hope to go in and be a contributing force on their team. I would not like to go in on scholarship and not help their national caliber team. I hope to follow through and continue towards a strong progression to make the leap to becoming competitive at the college/NCAA level. So, I hope to be scoring member of their team in cross country and on the track to the best of my capability.

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