ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The LSU sprints and hurdles group stole the show on the first day of competition at the Modrall Sperling Lobo Invitational as a total of six athletes clocked NCAA provisional qualifying times in their respective specialty event Friday.
The Tigers and Lady Tigers showed improvement from an already strong performance in their season opener last weekend at the Purple Tiger Classic as four athletes clocked indoor personal bests en route to qualifying provisionally for the NCAA Indoor Championships.
“This is the first real meet for our athletes running against some of the better teams in the country, and in preliminary races we’re turning in personal bests,” said LSU head coach Dennis Shaver. “It’s really a great tribute to the athletes and what it means to put on an LSU uniform. They continue to show that they have the potential to do great things for us this season.”
Junior Richard Thompson highlighted the evening by clocking the second-fastest 60-meter time in school history with a personal best in the event as he crossed the finish line in 6.68 to take the top spot in the preliminary round and earn a spot in Saturday’s final heat. He passes former Tiger football stars Chris Cummings and Devery Henderson on the school’s all-time list in the event.
“It’s just like I said a week ago that I believe Richard is one of the purest short sprinters that I’ve seen in my 13 years here at LSU,” Shaver said. “I believe that’s the second best 60-meter time in school history behind Kelly Willie, and I really feel that Richard has the opportunity to challenge Kelly’s school record that he set last season.”
Junior Jessica Ohanaja, senior Angel Boyd and sophomore Nickiesha Wilson got things started early in the evening with the preliminaries of the women’s 60-meter hurdles as each Lady Tiger clocked a NCAA provisional qualifying time to take the top three spots and advance to the final in the event.
Ohanaja showed why she is the nation’s third-ranked performer in the event by stopping the clock in a time of 8.21 to take the top spot in the preliminary round, while Boyd clocked a personal best effort for the second straight week with a time of 8.29 and Wilson secured her spot in the final heat with a provisional qualifying mark of 8.38.
The women’s sprinters proved to be just as dominant in the preliminaries of the 60-meter dash as senior Sherry Fletcher, freshman Samantha Henry and sophomore Monique Cabral each clocked personal bests to advance. Fletcher and Henry qualified provisionally with times of 7.29 and 7.32, respectively, while Cabral crossed the finish line with personal best effort of 7.53.
Junior Ryan Fontenot also showed steady improvement in his specialty event as he clocked an 8.01 in the preliminary round of the men’s 60-meter hurdles to advance to the final heat with the second-fastest time of his LSU career. Fontenot improves upon his season best of 8.07 set last weekend in a second-place finish at the Purple Tiger Classic.
“You’ve got to give these kids a lot of credit because all of them as a group are showing some significant improvement from this time last year,” Shaver said. “They all know just like I know that as they compete a little bit and the ball gets rolling then as the season goes on we’re going to end up being in the mix at the NCAA meet.”
Freshman pole vaulter Katelyn Rodrigue set the women’s indoor school record for the second consecutive week as she turned in an indoor personal best mark of 12-5 ? to take top honors in the pole vault competition. Rodrigue is making her case as one of the top freshman pole vaulters in the country as she improves upon her previous best effort of 11-11 ? from a week ago.
Sophomore all-conference performer Jeremy Hicks led the men’s effort in the field events by posting a NCAA provisional qualifying mark and an indoor personal best leap of 24-9 ? to take second place in the long jump. This marks the first time in his career that Hicks has qualified provisionally in the event during the indoor season.
“I’m really proud of what Katelyn has been able to do so far this season as a freshman, and it says a lot about the kind of competitor and athlete she is to win an event in her first time on the road with us,” Shaver said. “She’s not hitting NCAA marks just yet, but she’s progressing toward that. I am excited about what I’ve seen from her this early in her career.
“Jeremy is just pressing a little bit right now,” Shaver said. “He did post an NCAA provisional mark tonight, but it really wasn’t his best jump and he knows that. He just needs to settle down a little bit and not put to much pressure on himself right now. I know he’s looking forward to doing well in the triple jump tomorrow.”
The second day of the Lobo Invitational is slated to begin Saturday at 11 a.m. CST with field events, while the finals of the women’s 60-meter hurdles is scheduled for 12:25 p.m. followed by the men’s final at 12:30 p.m. The women’s 60-meter final is set for 12:35 p.m. followed by the finals of the men’s 60 meters at 12:40 p.m.