BATON ROUGE — After two impressive outings to open the 2000 season, the LSU track and field team is ready to step it up a notch, as it heads into its first premier competition on Saturday afternoon, the Gator Invitational at the friendly confines of the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla.
Known for its traditionally wide turns, the O’Connell Center is one of the premier indoor facilities in the nation and annually produces many of the top NCAA qualifying marks.
“In indoor track and field the facility most often dictates the level of performance,” said LSU head coach Pat Henry. “This is a terrific facility to run in. The fact that there will also be a tremendous field on hand will only enhance the quality of the competition. We’ve got a very young team and we’re going to throw them into the fire and see how they respond.”
Joining LSU and host Florida are such elite programs as South Carolina, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia Tech and Baylor.
Due to the wide oval at the O’Connell Center, the events from 400 meters and up take added significance. 2000 SEC Indoor runner-up Lueroy Colquhuoun will make his 2001 debut in the event and joins a field that includes NCAA Indoor champion Brandon Couts of Baylor and NCAA Outdoor champion Avard Moncur of Auburn. Add LSU newcomer Alleyne Francique, the junior college national champion in the event, and the 400-meter dash promises to offer some of the fastest times in the nation.
Walter Davis and Marcus Thomas are already automatically qualified in the triple jump and Saturday they will look to add the long jump to their list.
Davis, the 2000 junior college champion in the event, gets his first crack at NCAA Outdoor champion Savante Stringfellow of Ole Miss, while Thomas and Miguel Pate of Alabama, both top five NCAA finishers, make this another event to watch.
Davis, a 2000 U.S. Olympian in Sydney, made an impressive LSU debut last week, breaking the school record in the triple jump in his first competition.
On the women’s side, junior college champion Ronetta Smith will look to continue her torrid start in an LSU uniform, as she headlines a 400-meter field that includes the South Carolina tandem of NCAA 400-meter champion Miki Barber and Demetria Washington, who finished second at the NCAA Championships.
Freshman Lolo Jones once again leads the LSU short hurdle attack after picking up wins in each of her first two collegiate meets. Jones ranks third in the SEC in the 60-meter hurdles and may get her first crack at SEC leader Teneeshia Jones of Ole Miss.
If Lolo Jones doesn’t get a crack at her, LSU freshman Muna Lee may in the 60-meter dash. Lee, coming off a win at the LSU Purple Tiger Invitational last weekend, ranks third in the conference in the event, while Jones leads in the short sprint as well.
Following the Gator Invitational, both teams head to Fayetteville, Ark., next weekend for the Tyson Invitational on Friday and Saturday, a Golden Spikes event that will be broadcast by ESPN.