NAMPA, Idaho — Four facility records and nine individual event first-place finishes highlighted competition for the LSU track and field team at the two-day Holiday Inn Team Invitational in Nampa, Idaho over the weekend.
The Lady Tigers were unstoppable in the sprints, winning titles in the 60, 200 and 400 meters.
Freshman Ashley Owens was just .01 seconds shy of the automatic standard in the 60-meter dash, winning the event for the fourth time this year with a facility record and season-best effort of 7.28 seconds. Fellow freshman Kelly Baptiste was just off her pace, placing third with a season-best and NCAA provisional qualifying time of 7.37.
All-American Hazelann Regis turned in a facility record of her own, winning the 200 meters in 23.37. Freshman Brooklyn Morris followed in third with a season best 23.86.
In the 400 meters, freshman Deonna Lawrence was victorious in the women’srace (54.52), while junior Kelly Willie took home the men’s title. Running in just his first quartermile race of the season, Willie crossed the line in with a facility record and NCAA provisional qualifying time of 46.18.
Both the Tigers and Lady Tigers also saw success in the 4×400 relays. The men recorded the sixth fastest time in school history, 3:06.52, in taking first and setting a new facility record. The women finished in 3:42.30 to take top honors.
In the field, senior Katie McKeever extended her unbeaten streak in the women’s shot put to five straight meets with her toss of 50-3 1/4. Senior LaToya Payne also garnered gold winning the long jump with a season-best and NCAA provisional distance of 20-3.
Other top performances included a first-place finish by sophomore Alleyne Lett in the 60-meter hurdles (7.92) and a second-place showing by senior Sam Mwape in the 3,000 meters (8:38.15).
The Tigers and Lady Tigers return to action this Friday when they host their final home meet of the indoor season, the LSU Twilight, Feb. 18 at the Carl Maddox Fieldhouse.