BATON ROUGE — The LSU track and field team will be well represented next weekend when the NCAA Outdoor Championships come to Baton Rouge, as head coach Pat Henry learned he will have 16 individual athletes and three relays in action for the meet which runs from May 29-June 1.
The second-ranked Tigers placed nine individuals and both relays in the meet, while the fourth-ranked Lady Tigers have seven individuals and the short relay in the field.
“I think we’re bringing two very strong groups to this meet,” said LSU head coach Pat Henry. “I’m very confident in the quality of athletes we’re bringing as well as the quantity. Now it’s time to look at the field and prepare for what will be a fantastic competition.”
The Tigers bring a number of highly ranked athletes to the field, putting four individuals and two relays on the track, as well as five athletes in the field.
Robert Parham qualified in the 200-meter dash, while NCAA Indoor runner-up Pete Coley looks to make his presence felt in the 400-meter dash. Lueroy Colquhoun and Bennie Brazell rank 1-2 in the nation in the 400-meter hurdles and will play a major role in the Tigers’ quest for their first NCAA Outdoor crown since 1990.
Parham, Coley and Brazell with join with either Walter Davis or Paul Thompson on the 4×100-meter relay, while Coley and Brazell will join with Coquhoun and Marlon Greensword on the 4×400-meter relay.
In the field, Davis and Marcus Thomas give the Tigers a strong 1-2 punch in the triple and long jumps. Davis is the defending indoor and outdoor champion in the triple jump and was the runner-up in the long jump a year ago, while Thomas finished third in the long jump and fourth in the triple jump at his last NCAA Outdoor meet in 2000.
Claston Bernard leads entries in the decathlon with his total of 8.050. The senior will look to end his career on a positive note after pulling up with an injury in the first event at the 2001 NCAA Outdoor meet. Bernard was the NCAA runner-up in 2000.
In the throws, Javier Nieto made the field in the hammer, while Blake Theriot completed a successful return after missing the 2000 season by making the field in the javelin.
On the women’s side, Muna Lee and Stephanie Durst will give the Tigers a strong 1-2 punch in the 100 and 200-meter dashes, as both rank very highly in each event. The two will also join with Bianca Rockett and Lolo Jones on the 4×100-meter relay, the nation’s top ranked foursome.
Jones will also look to add to LSU’s legacy in the short hurdles, as the sophomore ranks fourth in the nation in the 100-meter hurdles.
Ronetta Smith qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 400-meter dash, while Doria Appleberry will be the first Lady Tiger to compete in the intermediate hurdles at the NCAA Championships since 1998.
Rounding out the list will be a pair of All-Americans in the field events in Nicole Toney and Andria Booker. Toney was the NCAA Indoor champion in the triple jump, while Toney placed eighth.
Tickets are still on sale for the NCAA Championships by calling (225) 578-2184 and are also available online at www.lsusports.net. Tickets are available in four day packages for $50.