BATON ROUGE — LSU head track and field coach Dennis Shaver will send a select group of throwers to Lafayette, La., this Saturday to kick off the outdoor season as they are set to compete in the Louisiana Classics at the Ragin’ Cajun Track and Soccer Complex.
Saturday’s action is scheduled to get underway with the field events as the men’s javelin competition and women’s pole vault are slated to begin at 11 a.m. followed by the women’s javelin at 12:30 p.m. The men’s discus throw is scheduled to begin at approximately 2 p.m.
“This will be a great opportunity for our athletes who don’t have an event to compete in during the indoor season to get out and throw for the first time this year,” Shaver said. “We’re going to have a nice weekend with the weather, and you have to take advantage of the opportunities you’re given in the outdoor season to go out and try to get something done early on.”
Sophomore Chad Radgowski and freshman Preston Chatham will lead the men’s effort in the javelin throw as they are set to make their season debut for the Tigers, while sophomore standout Anna Lyons will lead the Lady Tigers in the event after making one appearance in the weight throw during the indoor campaign.
Both Radgowski and Lyons are looking to build upon their successful freshman campaigns as they earned a trip to Knoxville, Tenn., to compete in the NCAA Mideast Regional Championship a season ago. Chatham will make his collegiate debut this weekend as he signed with the Tigers a year ago as the nation’s top-ranked recruit in the event for the Class of 2006 with a top throw of 217 feet, 5 inches.
“I think we have a few people who are ready to do pretty well this weekend based on their training,” Shaver said. “Chad Radgowski will probably be the top guy in the javelin. I’m looking for him to do well along with Preston Chatham. Anna Lyons has been doing well in her training with the women, and this will be a great chance for them to try to get something done this weekend.”
Also scheduled to compete for the Tigers are senior Brandon Racca in the javelin, senior Jon Chretien and junior Alexis Lewis in the discus and freshman Wayne Mitchell in the triple jump, while Lady Tigers sophomore Mallory Thompson will kick off the meet by competing in the women’s pole vault competition.
The Tigers and Lady Tigers will follow their short trip to Lafayette this weekend by playing host to the LSU Relays at the Bernie Moore Track Stadium from March 23-24. They are also slated to host both the LSU Combined Events and Tiger Classic the following week from March 29-31.