BATON ROUGE — The LSU track and field team was supposed to use the LSU Twilight as grounds for their final preparations for next weekend’s Southeastern Conference Championships. And if Friday evening’s performance is any indication, then both the Tigers and Lady Tigers are ready to take on the SEC.
LSU looked sharp in its final tune-up before the SEC Indoor Championships, posting seven NCAA qualifying marks at the LSU Twilight at the Carl Maddox Field House.
“We had a very productive meet tonight,” said LSU head coach Pat Henry. “We wanted to get some work in before the SEC meet next week and I think we had some outstanding performances and I like where we are heading into the SEC meet.”
LSU looked strong in the sprints on Friday evening, as Muna Lee moved up the NCAA provisional qualifying list in the 60-meter dash, running a personal best time of 7.35 seconds, the fourth fastest time in the nation this year. Sa’Donna Thornton finished third in 7.45.
Lolo Jones won the 60-meter hurdles and improved her NCAA provisional status in the event, posting a time of 8.30 to pick up her third victory of the season in the event. April Sams finished second in an NCAA provisional time of 8.38, while Zamyal Jackson and Tiffany Robinson finished third and fourth respectively.
On the men’s side, Greg Scott finished second in the 60-meter hurdles, clocking a time of 8.01.
In only his second meet in an LSU uniform, Devery Henderson finished second in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.79 while Gerald Green finished third in 6.80. Green also won the 200-meter title in a time of 21.90.
LSU looked strong in the field as well on Friday evening, posting three provisional marks as a number of athletes looked good in their preparation for the SEC Indoor Championships.
It was deja vu` for Chenelle Marshall. The junior all but assured herself of a trip to the NCAA Championships in the long jump with an identical mark that she posted at the same meet a year ago to get into the national meet, winning the event with a high NCAA provisional mark of 20 feet 8 inches.
Myra Combs finished second with an NCAA provisional mark of 20-1 3/4.
Candice Gonzalez and Jill Lipp gave the Lady Tigers a 1-2 finish in the women’s weight throw.
Gonzalez came up with one of her best efforts of the season, throwing the 20-lb. weight 52-8 3/4, while Lipp came up with a mark of 49-2 .
On the men’s side, 2000 SEC weight throw runner-up Javier Nieto came up with his best outing of the season, winning the weight with an NCAA provisional throw of 62-10 ..
Daniel Trosclair finished second in the pole vault with a mark of 16-2 3/4, while teammate Ben Broussard was third with a mark of 15-3.
LSU now turns its attention to the SEC Indoor Championships at the Nutter Field House in Lexington, Ky., next Saturday and Sunday. The Tigers finished second at the SEC Indoor meet a year ago, while the Lady Tigers finished fourth.