by Fred J. Demarest
LSUsports.net
(1/4/00)
Often lost in the glamour of the accomplishments of their female counterparts, the LSU men’s track and field team has managed to finish in the top 10 in the nation 13 of the last 14 years. In 2001, however, the Tigers, not the Lady Tigers, will likely be the team more often mentioned in the hunt for a national title.
The Tigers return a bevy of All-American talent from last season’s fifth place squad, while adding an Olympian and a number of promising young athletes.
“Our men’s team appears to have a tremendous amount of balance and a good amount of NCAA experience,” said LSU head coach Pat Henry, who became only the second coach in NCAA history to reach 20 NCAA titles last season. “Add to the mix a strong nucleus of newcomers and we could have a very nice team this year.”
The Tigers boast five returning All-Americans from last year’s team that also finished second at both the SEC Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Heading the list of returnees is six-time All-American Marcus Thomas, a Louisiana native who has an opportunity to leave Baton Rouge as the most decorated athlete in LSU men’s track and field history.
A dual threat in both the triple and long jump, Thomas earned All-American honors both indoors and outdoors a year ago, the first Tiger ever to score in all four events in a single season.
Thomas will have a tough time earning the distinction as the Tigers’ top jumper this season, however, as fellow Louisiana native Walter Davis joins Thomas to form, perhaps, the top jumping tandem in the nation. Davis earned a spot on the American squad in the Sydney Olympics this past summer, after placing third at the U.S. Trials in both the long and triple jumps. He comes to LSU as the Junior College national champion in both events.
“We think with Marcus and what he has accomplished in his first three seasons at LSU, combined with Walter, whose Olympic credentials speak for themselves, that we have as good a pair of jumpers as there are in the nation,” added Henry.
Another Louisiana native, Traun Smith, gives the Tigers yet another threat in the long jump. Smith narrowly missed the NCAA Indoor Championships as a freshman a year ago and finished in the top five at the SEC Indoor Championships.
Returning to the Tigers’ lineup, although not a factor until the outdoor season, will be defending SEC champion and NCAA runner-up in the decathlon, Claston Bernard. Bernard returns for his junior season after competing in the Sydney Olympics in September.
The Tigers’ other returning All-Americans are quarter-miler Lueroy Colquhoun, Dwhyte Barrett, who helped the Tigers to a third place finish in the 4×100-meter relay, and SEC javelin champion Blake Theriot.
Colquhoun was fourth at the NCAA Indoor Championships a year ago, but suffered minor injuries that limited his availability during the outdoor season. Colquhoun will join Junior College 400-meter national champion Alleyne Francique of Grenada to give the Tigers a formidable 1-2 punch in the quarter mile.
Add Barrett with newcomers Pedro Tunon, Peter Simon, Robert Parham along with football players Adrian Mayes and Devery Henderson and the Tigers have as deep a sprint corps as they have had in years, possessing explosive groups on both the short and mile relays.
Theriot can help the Tigers’ throwing corps tremendously, but off-season surgery has left his availability for the 2001 season in question. If Theriot is not able to return, Javier Nieto, a two-time NCAA qualifier and SEC runner-up in the hammer, will carry the bulk of the weight for the LSU throws.
The Tigers have not had an All-American in a distance event since 1995, but have their best opportunity in a number of years. Likhaya Dayile, the SEC runner-up in the 10,000 meter run and NCAA qualifier in cross country this past fall, gives the Tigers a strong threat from 5-10,000 meters.
Newcomer Jeffrey Fisher gives the Tigers middle distance strength at 800 meters and can also drop down to 400 if needed.
“I think from top to bottom, this team can score points in a number of different areas,” said Henry. “We have tremendous strengths in some areas, but I think our balance and ability to score in events across the board will make us a pretty consistent team this season.”
The Tigers begin their 2001 season on Jan. 20 with the SEC Quadrangular, welcoming Alabama, Auburn and Mississippi State to the Carl Maddox Field House for a scored meet.