BATON ROUGE — The LSU track and field team will compete with nation’s elite this weekend at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships on Saturday and Sunday at the Nutter Field House in Lexington, Ky.
On hand will be four of the top 10 teams in both the men’s and women’s Trackwire Top 25. A total of 13 of the 23 teams competing between the men’s and women’s competitions are ranked in the top 25 in the nation.
“It’s the best conference meet in the nation, no question,” said LSU head coach Pat Henry. “If you can get it done at this meet then you can get it done at the NCAA meet, it’s almost like a preview of the NCAA Championships.”
No. 1 Arkansas heads the men’s field followed by co-No. 3s Alabama and Tennessee and No. 6 LSU. South Carolina shares the top spot in the women’s national rankings, while Arkansas sits third followed by sixth-ranked Florida and seventh-ranked LSU.
The Tigers have finished second two of the last three years, while Arkansas is a decisive favorite, having won four straight SEC Indoor titles. On the women’s side, the Lady Tigers have won four of the last six titles and an SEC-leading 10 overall, but finished fourth a year ago.
Marcus Thomas is LSU’s lone returning champion, having won the long jump a year ago. The men’s long jump will unquestionably be one of the hottest events this weekend, as the nation’s top three jumpers plus Thomas will be on hand. Savante Stringfellow of Ole Miss leads the nation, followed by LSU’s Walter Davis and Alabama’s Miguel Pate.
Other top returnees for the Tigers include Lueroy Colquhoun who placed second in the 400-meter dash and anchored the Tigers’ to a victory in the mile relay last year and Javier Nieto who finished second in the weight throw a year ago and currently ranks second in the event heading into this weekend.
Colquhoun will be joined with fellow 400-meter contender Alleyne Francique, who ranks fourth in the SEC in the event, and Robert Parham and Pedro Tunon to form a 4×400-meter relay squad that ranks second in the conference and is capable of giving LSU its second straight win in the event.
The Lady Tigers do not return a champion from last year’s squad, but will be paced by a host of newcomers. Freshman Muna Lee ranks first in the SEC and NCAA in the 200-meter dash and second in the SEC and fourth in the nation in the 60-meter dash. Lee will try to become the sixth straight Lady Tiger to win the 200-meter title.
Freshman Lolo Jones ranks third in the SEC in the 60-meter hurdles, while senior All-American April Sams ranks fourth. Junior College transfer Ronetta Smith ranks third in the 400-meter dash and will look to become LSU’s first champion in the event since LaTarsha Stroman in 1997.
The Lady Tigers won the event the last time it was held in Lexington in 1996, while the Tigers finished sixth. The Lady Tigers figure to battle with South Carolina, Arkansas and Florida for the title.
Arkansas is a clear favorite in the men’s competition, however, the one time the only time they did not win the title since joining the SEC in 1992 was in Lexington in 1996 when Tennessee pulled the upset and won the men’s title. Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama and LSU all appear to have the guns to vie for the title this weekend.
Following the SEC Indoor Championships, a majority of LSU athletes will rest while those who are close to qualifying for the NCAA Indoor Championships and have not met the automatic standard will get one last shot on Friday evening at the LSU Last Ditch at the Carl Maddox Field House. The NCAA Indoor Championships will be held on March 9-10 at the Randal Tyson Center in Fayetteville, Ark.