BATON ROUGE — The LSU Lady Tigers captured the NCAA Outdoor Championship and that performance and the Tigers strong showing in the NCAA Championships has earned them several of the top honors on the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s All-Louisiana Track and Field team announced Saturday by the LSWA.
The special honors were voted on by track and field SID athletes while the top times list was based on officially accepted NCAA times through the NCAA championships.
LSU’s Preston Chatham was named the Male Field Athlete of the Year, while Richard Thompson of LSU was named the Male Track Athlete of the Year. Kyle Kent of Louisiana-Monroe was the Male Freshman of the Year, with Michael Dyer of McNeese State the Male Newcomer of the Year. LSU head coach Dennis Shaver was chosen as the head coach of the year.
On the female side, Heather Davis of ULM was named the Field Athlete of the Year, while Kelly Baptiste took Track Athlete of the Year honors. Tenaya Jones of LSU was the female freshman of the year with Marion Chebet of Nicholls State was the Newcomer of the Year. National champion coach Dennis Shaver won the state coach of the year honor.
Field Athlete Chatham earned his first career All-America honor this season with a fourth-place finish in the javelin at the Outdoor championships for the Tigers, the only points the Tigers scored in the field. Chatham, a sophomore from Covington, La., had a personal best throw of 234-7 in the final round to score five points for LSU as the men finished second at the NCAA Outdoors for the third straight year. Chatham’s performance was the top finish of any Louisiana athlete in the field events at this year’s Outdoor championships.
LSU sprinter Thompson, a senior from Trinidad, proved to be one of the most dominant sprinters in the NCAA in 2008 and was named the NCAA Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. He became the first sprinter in school history to win NCAA titles in both the 60 and 100 meters in the same season, while he also ran on the Tigers NCAA Champion 4 x 100 meter relay team. His best of 9.93 in the 100 was the second fastest in the history of collegiate track and field.
Kent, from Shreveport, earned top male freshman honors for the men in the state as he became Louisiana-Monroe’s first outdoor track and field All-American since the 1999 season. He finished as the top freshman at the NCAA meet in the javelin, claiming sixth place overall. He was the Mideast Regional Champion in the javelin with a throw of 233-5. He also won the Sun Belt Conference title.
The newcomer, a first-year non-freshman Louisiana performer, was Dyer of McNeese, who transferred from overseas from his home of County Down, Northern Ireland. Dyer finished fourth in the 800 meter run at the Southland Conference championship meet and had a team best of 1:51.97 in the 800.
On the women’s side, Davis of ULM advanced to the NCAA meet in the high jump for the second consecutive season after tying for second in the Mideast Regional with a height of 5-11.25. She claimed the Sun Belt indoor and outdoor championships in the event and her 5-11.25 jump is equal to the best ever in SBC history.
LSU track star Baptiste, a senior from Trinidad, bounced back from a junior year back injury to win her first career NCAA title in the 60 and 100 meter dashes, while adding All-American honors in the 200, 4 x 100 relay and 4 x 400 relay as she helped lead the Lady Tigers to their first national championship since 2004 by scoring 19 points. She was also a three-time SEC champion, wrapping up her career as a two-time NCAA champ and a 14-time All-American.
Jones of LSU made the most of her freshman year, helped lead a 1-2-3 sweep in the 60-meter hurdles at the SEC Indoor championships by finishing third in 8.30, the fastest time by a freshman in the NCAA this year. She was a participant in the 100-meter hurdles in the NCAA Mideast Regional after clocking a season best wind-aided time of 13.58.
Chebet of Nicholls State, from Kenya, earned Newcomer honors after having bests of second place in the 800 meters at the LSU Purple Tiger Invite and a cross country personal best of 16th place at the Mississippi College Invite. She was nine in the SLC Outdoor Championships with a time of 2:21.59 in the 800 meters.
Coach of the Year Shaver led the Lady Tigers back to the national outdoor title, his first has the head coach of the Lady Tigers. He also led the Lady Tigers to their first conference championship sweep since 1996 as the team won both SEC titles. Shaver was honored as the NCAA Women’s Outdoor Coach of the Year. Shaver’s athletes won five NCAA titles. On the men’s side, the Tigers finished as runner-up for the third straight year. Shaver’s men added three NCAA titles.
The following times were provided by the NCAA national best times list along with information provided by the track and field sports information directors of the state:
All-Louisiana Track and Field Team, 2008
Men
100 Meters
Richard Thompson, LSU 9.93, May 18
Trindon Holliday, LSU 10.05, May 18
Shannon Grover, SE Louisiana 10.33, May 30
200 Meters
Richard Thompson, LSU 20.18, May 31
Albert Fullwood, La. Tech 20.67, May 17
Mike Coleman, La. Tech 20.68, May 17
400 Meters
Armanti Hayes, LSU 46.10, May 18
Albert Fullwood, La. Tech, 46.30, May 17
Reginald Dardar, LSU 46.85, March 22
800 Meters
Elkana Kosgei, LSU 1:47.05, May 18
Jamaal James, LSU 1:47.91, May 18
Reuben Twijukye, LSU 1:48.13, April 19
1,500 Meters
John Kosgei, LSU 3:42.98, April 12
Michael Hendry, LSU 3:47.82, May 17
Alan Sticker, LSU 3:49.29, May 19
3,000 Meter Steeplechase
Kalphys Kemboi, SE Louisiana 9:03.36, May 10
Henry Rop, SE Louisiana 9:09.76, May 11
Stephan Scullion, McNeese 9:12.55, March 15
5000 Meters
John Kosgei, LSU 13:54.40, May 18
Henry Rop, SE Louisiana 14:13.39, April 5
Joseph Simuchimba, LSU 14:31.24, April 12
10,000 Meters
Joseph Simuchimba, LSU 30:02.74, May 16
Henry Rop, SE Louisiana 31:26.23, May 9
Kalphys Kenboi, SE Louisiana 31:26.26, May 11
110 Meter Hurdles
Ryan Fontenot, LSU 13.51, April 12
Chad Leach, Northwestern St. 14.23, April 12
Avery Soropuru, SE Louisiana 14.27, May 17
400 Meter Hurdles
Chad Leath, Northwestern St. 50.85, May 11
Patrick Lee, LSU 50.94, April 5
Adlus Wiltz, SE Louisiana 50.98, May 10
4 X 100 Meter Relay
LSU 38.42, June 13
(Armanti Hayes, Richard Thompson, Gabriel, Mvumvure, Trindon Holliday)
La. Tech 39.88, June 13
(Albert Fullwood, Mike Coleman, Josh Harvey, Terry Carter)
LSU 40.53, March 29
(Jeremy Hicks, Zedric Thomas, Ryan Fontenot, Will Coppage)
4 X 400 Meter Relay
LSU 3:04.33, April 5
(Hayes, Elkana Kosgei, Reuben Twijukye, Reginald Dardar)
Louisiana Tech 3:09.45, April 5
(Demota Willis, Coleman, Marcelles Atkinson, Fullwood)
Southeastern Louisiana 3:09.83, April 19
(Adlus Wiltz, Shannon Grover, George Cunningham, Jerel Butler).
High Jump
Jason House, Southern 7-0.75, April 21
Tunde Babalola, SE Louisiana 7-0.50, April 5
Corey Billizone, SE Louisiana 6-10.75, May 10
Pole Vault
Josh Dominguez, LSU 17-5, May 31
Chris Roy, Louisiana-Lafayette 17-0.75, April 30
James Overbo, McNeese 15-1, April 12
Long Jump
Jeremy Hicks, LSU 25-8, May 17
Deangelo Waller, Grambling 25-1.75, March 17
Darrick Brown, McNeese 25-0.75 March 28
Triple Jump
Zedric Thomas, LSU 52-3.25, May 31
Michael Rheams, SE Louisiana 51-7, May 11
Jonathan Keys, La. Tech 49-9.25, May 17
Shot Put
Ricky Jean-Francois, LSU 59-1.25, March 28
Termaine White, SE Louisiana 58-7.25, March 28
John Jamail, McNeese St. 56-2.75, April 24
Discus Throw
Teremaine White, SE Louisiana 194-0, April 26
Larry Jones, La. Tech 176-8, May 16
Dwight Womack, Se Louisiana 175-10, April 26
Hammer Throw
Rabun Fox, LSU 215-11, April 12
Fredrick Hannie, McNeese 193-3, May 17
Chris Bless, LSU 186-6, April 30
Javelin Throw
Chad Rodgowski, LSU 237-2, April 12
Preston Chatham, LSU 234-7, June 13
Jeffrey Kent, ULM 233-5, May 30
Decathlon
Cory Roberts, SE Louisiana 7,123, May 10
Isaac Combs, ULM 6,769, May 9
Ruslan Hemed, ULM 6,733, May 9
Women
100 Meters
Kelly-Ann Baptiste, LSU 11.06, April 5
Juanita Broaddus, LSU 11.17, May 18
Samantha Henry, LSU 11.27, April 19
200 Meters
Kelly-Ann Baptiste, LSU 22.67, May 31
Samantha Henry, LSU 22.90, May 30
Juanita Broaddus, LSU 23.18, May 8
400 Meters
Brooklyn Morris, LSU 52.74, May 31
Deonna Lawrence, LSU 52.74, May 31
Latavia Thomas, LSU 53.17, April 12
800 Meters
Latavia Thomas, LSU 2:03.22, April 19
Kayann Thompson, LSU 2:04.82, May 18
Brittany Hall, LSU 2:05.95, May 18
1,500 Meters
Katie Dawson, LSU 4:34.71, April 19
Everlyn Matoneyi, SE Louisiana 4:39.81, April 19
Amy Guinn, McNeese State 4:41.71, April 5
3,000 Meter Steeplechase
Rebecca Coady, Tulane 11:29.68, March 29
Caseu Bronn, Louisiana-Lafayette 11:33.45, April 19
5,000 Meters
Aubrey Phillips, Tulane 17:15.54, April 19
Laurie Dalrymple, Tulane 17:29.92, April 24
Everlyn Matonyei, SE Louisiana 17:45.05
10,000 Meters
Aubrey Phillips, Tulane 34:53.01, April 5
Laurie Dalrymple, Tulane 38:19.05, May 15
Charlotte Everhardt, Nicholls 38:55.62, April 19
100 Meter Hurdles
Nickiesha Wilson, LSU 12.81, May 18
Jessica Ohanaja, LSU 13.02, May 18
Angel Boyd, LSU 13.04, March 28
400 Meter Hurdles
Nickiesha Wilson, LSU 54.45, June 13
Shannon Beelendorf, Tulane 1:00.12, April 19
Taryn Simmons, UL-Lafayette 1:00.20, May 11
4 x 100 Meter Relay
LSU 42.59, April 26
(Brooklyn Morris, Samantha Henry, Juanita Broaddus, Kelly Ann Baptiste)
LSU 42.85, June 13
(Kenyanna Wilson, Henry, Morris, Baptiste)
LSU 43.10, April 5
(Jessica Ohanaja, Henry, Broaddus, Baptiste)
4 X 400 Meter Relay
LSU 3:28.33, June 14
(Brooklynn Morris, Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Latavia Thomas, Deonna Lawrence)
LSU 3:29.28, April 19
(Morris, Nickiesha Wilson, Juanita Broaddus, Lawrence)
LSU 3:92.71, April 5
(Morris, Wilson, Thomas, Lawrence)
High Jump
Heather Davis, ULM 5-11.25, May 31
Dara Burton, Grambling St. 5-10, April 12
Brittani Carter, LSU 5-8.75, March 22
Pole Vault
Katelyn Rodrigue, LSU 13-7.25, April 4
Aqueelah El-Amine, SE La. 12-7.50, March 21
Long Jump
Jessica Tuck, Northwestern St. 19-11, April 12
Roseann Bell, SE Louisiana 19-11, March 17
Kathy Coleman, LSU 19-10.25, March 28
Triple Jump
Andrea Linton, LSU 42-4.25, April 5
Nedra Gross, LSU 42-2.75, May 18
Kathy Coleman, LSU 41-0.25, May 18
Shot Put
Nadia Alexander, La. Tech 54-6.75, May 16
Trecey Rew, Northwestern St. 49-6.50, March 29
Tierah Hall, La. Tech 47-10.75, May 16
Discus Throw
Phelecia Reynolds, La. Tech 165-10, April 4
Trecey Rew, Northwestern St. 163-1, May 17
Destiny Montemayor, ULM 155-7, April 26
Hammer Throw
Kimberly Williams, LSU 194-2, May 16
Destiny Montemayor, ULM 187-6, April 11
Colleena Collins, SE Louisiana 180-8, May 3
Javelin Throw
Anna Lyons, LSU 158-8, March 28
Yvette Schubert, SE Louisiana 150-2, April 26
Dawn Comeaux, Northeastern St. 146-5, March 15
Heptathlon
Dominique McAdoo, ULM 4,559, May 9
Arielle Minor, Tulane 4,451, May 16
Casey Zeller, SE Louisiana 4,351, May 11