The LSU track and field teams are gearing up for another banner year this spring and are in the midst of a strenuous fall training regimen designed to help them compete against the nation’s best. The Tigers and Lady Tigers form the premier combined program in all of collegiate track and field with an impressive 31 NCAA championships and 47 Southeastern Conference championships all-time.
Last in a nine-part series updating LSU’s progress during the fall training season will look toward the start of the 2011 season.
BATON ROUGE – The start of the 2011 season is now less than two weeks away and members of the LSU track and field program are anxious to compete for the first time after wrapping up their fall training programs and heading home for a break prior to the New Year.
LSU’s student-athletes will reconvene on campus Wednesday for preseason practice as they start to really prepare for the start of the 2011 season as they play host to the Purple Tiger Invitational on Jan. 15.
“We have had a very productive fall in preparing for the start of the indoor season, and I know that we are anxious to compete for the first time here next weekend,” said LSU head coach Dennis Shaver. “Our athletes have trained with great focus and intensity to this point, which is sure to help them compete at the highest level this season. I know they are anxious to compete and see where they stack up at this point.”
The 2010 season is one of great anticipation for both the men’s and women’s teams at LSU as they are set to return a host of All-America performers from a season ago.
The Tigers will be led again in 2011 by the reigning NCAA weight throw and hammer throw champion in senior Walter Henning, who is sure to contend for national titles again in his final season in Baton Rouge. Henning, who wrapped up the 2010 campaign a perfect 12-for-12 in combined weight throw and hammer throw competitions, is sure to be a Bowerman Award candidate once again this season.
Junior Barrett Nugent is also sure to compete for an NCAA title this season as one of the nation’s leading returning hurdlers following his runner-up finish in the 110-meter hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor meet last season while shattering the LSU school record with a top time of 13.35 seconds in 2010.
The Tigers return six other All-Americans from a year ago, including senior Josh Dominguez (pole vault), senior Gabriel Mvumvure (4×100), senior Zedric Thomas (long jump, triple jump), junior Ade Alleyne-Forte (4×400), junior Michael Lauro (weight throw, hammer) and sophomore Caleb Williams (4×400).
The Lady Tigers return eight All-Americans of their own from 2010, led by the top returning point scorer from the NCAA Outdoor Championships in sophomore sprinter Takeia Pinckney.
Pinckney emerged as a true NCAA title contender in her rookie season a year ago as she finished fourth at the NCAA Outdoor meet in the finals of the 100-meter dash. She also ran the third leg on the Lady Tigers 4×100-meter relay team that finished as the national runner-up during the outdoor season. Pinckney ended the year with a total of four All-America honors to her credit.
Headlining a small senior class for the Lady Tigers this year is a pair of All-American jumpers in Brittani Carter and Melissa Ogbourne. Carter is the only Lady Tiger high jumper in program history to take a total of three All-America honors for her career, while Ogbourne is an All-American in the triple jump.
Other Lady Tigers earning All-America accolades a year ago include senior Brittany Hall (4×400), senior Kenyanna Wilson (60 meters, 4×100 relay), junior Rachel Laurent (pole vault), junior Cassandra Tate (4×400 relay) and sophomore Kimberlyn Duncan (4×100 relay).