FAYETTEVILLE — LSU’s men’s and women’s track and field teams begin the defense of last year’s historic indoor national title sweep Friday as action from the 2005 NCAA Championships gets underway at the Randal Tyson Track Center.
LSU, the only team in NCAA history to ever win both the men’s and women’s indoor titles in the same season, enter this year’s meet ranked No. 3 on the women’s side and seventh in the men’s standings.
The Lady Tigers are the three-time defending national champions and have won a total of 11 NCAA Indoor titles in the program’s storied history. The Tigers, winners of two indoor national crowns, have placed among the nation’s top 10 seven of the last nine years.
“Every year is a new year,” said LSU head coach Dennis Shaver. “On the women’s side we have seven athletes competing and for five of them it will be their first ever experience at a meet like this. The men, we don’t have as many numbers, but we do have quality athletes that have been here before and know what it takes to be successful.”
The Lady Tigers’ youthful squad will be anchored by their two senior All-Americans, Hazelann Regis and Neisha Bernard-Thomas. The pair, whose eligibility expires at the conclusion of the indoor season, will be donning the purple and gold for the final time in their careers.
“Because of their personalities Hazel and Neisha lead in different ways,” said Shaver. “I think Hazel has been a little more vocal this season, while Neisha leads through her consistency and hard work. Together I believe they have sent message to the freshmen that this weekend’s success as a team is just as important as their individual successes.”
Regis has hit her stride in her final season at LSU, going undefeated in both the open 200 and 400 meters races, while anchoring the Lady Tigers to a school record in the 4×400-meter relay. The 2004 Olympian and seven-time All-American will run in both open races this weekend. She enters the meet ranked No. 1 in the country in the 200 meters and No. 2 in the 400 meters.
Bernard-Thomas will be chasing her second NCAA title in the 800 meters after winning gold in the event at NCAA Outdoor Championships last June. The six-time All-American is currently ranked third in the nation with a season-best time of 2:04.42.
On the men’s side, LSU has a few less entrants than the women’s team, but brings to the table quality athletes with invaluable experience at the national level.
“I don’t think the rankings reflect the quality of athletes we have here,” said Shaver. “We have six scoring opportunities and if things go well and we can stay healthy I think we can score a substantial amount points.
“Obviously, if a team like Arkansas has 13 scoring opportunities we have less room for error, but I am happy with the group we have and the events they are in. I think we have given them the best chance to make an impact.”
A majority of the Tigers’ scoring opportunities will likely come from the track as the group is headlined by Olympic gold medalist Kelly Willie, freshman standout Xavier Carter and the Tigers’ all-time All-America awards leader, senior Pete Coley.
Willie comes into the meet with the NCAA’s sixth fastest time in the 400 meters, despite running just one open quarter race this season. The junior from Houston will be eyeing a top finish as he goes for his third straight All-America honor in the event.
Carter will take to the track in the 200 meters in the first NCAA Championships of his career. Carter has broken the school record in the event three times this season, last doing so at the SEC Championships where he clocked a sizzling 20.39. The time, a new world junior record, ranks as the second fastest in the world this year.
Coley, a senior from St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, closes out his career with the Tigers this weekend running in the 400 meters. A four-time NCAA champion and the Tigers’ school record holder with 11 All-America honors, Coley has been a key contributor in LSU’s success each of the last four seasons.
He along with Willie and Carter will attempt to bring LSU’s its third national title in five years in the 4×400 relay when they team with 10-time All-American Bennie Brazell it the meet’s final event Saturday evening.
Competition from the NCAA Championships begins tomorrow at 9 a.m. with the men’s heptathlon. Field events will start at noon and running events will follow at 4 p.m.