BATON ROUGE — The LSU women’s track and field team has been picked as the No. 4 team in the nation in the Sports Illustrated for Women preseason indoor track and field preview, while the LSU gymnastics team has been picked ninth in the publication’s winter sports college preview edition.
The LSU women’s track and field team finished fourth at the 2000 NCAA Indoor Championships before going on to win their 12th NCAA Outdoor title in 14 years last June.
South Carolina, the NCAA Indoor runner-up a year ago, has been tabbed as the preseason No. 1, followed by Arkansas and BYU. Last year’s NCAA Indoor champion UCLA begins defense of its title as the No. 5 team in the nation.
The LSU gymnastics squad is picked in a very familiar spot. The Tigers have finished ninth in the nation each of the previous three years. Defending NCAA champion UCLA has been tabbed as the preseason No. 1, followed by Georgia, Utah, Alabama and Michigan to round out the top five.
The LSU gymnastics team opens its 2001 season on Jan. 12 when the Tigers head to Kentucky, while the LSU track and field team opens up on Jan. 20 with the SEC Quadrangular at the LSU Field House, a four-way scored meet with Auburn, Alabama and Mississippi State.
Sports Illustrated For Women
Preseason Women’s Indoor Track & Field Top 10
1. South Carolina
2. Arkansas
3. BYU
4. LSU
5. UCLA
6. Texas
7. Florida
8. Villanova
9. Kansas State
10. Clemson
Sports Illustrated For Women
Preseason Gymnastics Top 10
1. UCLA
2. Georgia
3. Utah
4. Alabama
5. Michigan
6. Nebraska
7. Penn State
8. Oregon State
9. LSU
10. BYU