BATON ROUGE — Members of the indoor and outdoor LSU women’s track and field teams along with head coach Pat Henry earned top honors in the 2003 Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-Louisiana College Track and Field teams announced this weekend.
The team is the final one selected by the Association for the 2002-03 college calendar year. The top three times submitted in each event by the state Sports Information Directors are listed below as members of the team, while the Universities nominated athletes for the special awards which were voted on by college SIDs in the state.
Bennie Brazell of LSU was named the men’s Track Athlete of the Year, while national champion Brian Johnson of Southern tied with Lawrence Willis of Louisiana-Lafayette for Field Athlete of the Year. Kellie Willie of LSU was named the Freshman of the Year, while Derek Richardson of Louisiana-Lafayette was named the Newcomer of the Year for first-year in Louisiana non-freshmen.
On the women’s side, Muna Lee of LSU was the Track Athlete of the Year, while teammate Nicole Toney was the Field Athlete of the Year. Priscilla Chapu of UNO earned Freshman of the Year honors, while Nadia Davy of the Lady Tigers was the Newcomer of the Year.
Named the men’s coach of the year was Johnny Thomas, Sr., of Southern University and named the women’s coach of the year was LSU’s Pat Henry.
Thomas and the Jaguars had a great season winning the men’s cross-country, indoor and outdoor titles in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The men’s team won despite being decimated with injury as four standouts missed the SWAC outdoor meet.
Henry’s Lady Tigers swept the indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships and he was named the national coach of the year as well. It marked the ninth time in program history that the Lady Tigers had swept the indoor and outdoor meets, the first time since 1997.
Brazell was a part of three national championship relay teams for the Tigers in 2003, sweeping the 4×400 meter relays in both the indoor and outdoor NCAA events and the 4×100 meter relays outdoors. He also earned All-American honors in the 400-meter hurdles, placing fifth overall outdoors.
Johnson won the national championship at the NCAA indoor meet with what was at that time the nation’s leading and the third longest jump in the world, 27 feet, 2 inches. He later won the Black College National Championships in Bethesda, Md., and won the Texas Relays long jump with a leap of 26 feet, 5 inches. Unfortunately, on that winning jump he injured his knee and was out for the rest of the year.
Tying Johnson was Willis who won the triple jump both indoors and outdoors in the Sun Belt Conference. He was second in the NCAA Regional with a leap of 53-10 and then finished the year with a fourth place All-America showing at the NCAA Outdoors with a best effort of 53-11 and one-quarter.
Willie as a freshman ran on three national championship relay teams, including anchoring the LSU 4×400 team to national titles indoors and outdoors. He twice earned All-American honors in the 400 meters with his fifth place outdoor finish time of 45.14 marking the fourth best time in school history.
Louisiana-Lafayette’s Richardson qualified for the NCAA Regional meet in the long jump in his first year of competition with an effort of 24-7 3/4 at the Sun Belt Conference meet where he finished third.
Lee led the Lady Tigers with several outstanding performances, including becoming just the fourth woman in NCAA history to sweep the short sprints at the NCAA indoors, winning both 60 and 200-meter dashes. In addition, she shattered a 21-year collegiate record in the 200 meters with a time of 22.49 and set a school record in the 60 with a 7.15 clocking. Outdoor, she anchored LSU to a national title in the 4 x 100 meter relay with the second fastest time in NCAA history, 42.55 and finished second in both the 100 and the 200 meters.
LSU teammate Toney twice earned All-American honors in the triple jump in 2003, finishing second at the NCAA indoors and fourth at the NCAA outdoors.
She won titles at both the SEC Outdoors and the NCAA regional meet. She recorded personal bests of 44-6 3/4 outdoors and 45-2 1/4 indoors.
In her first season with the Privateers, freshman Chapu was a standout in the sprints, notching five top-five finishes in the 100 and six top-fives in the 200 meters. She had a school-record time of 11.75 in the Sun Belt Conference meet and qualified for the NCAA regional competition in the 100 and also had a school record time of 24.05 in the 200 at the conference event.
Newcomer Davy of LSU earned four All-America honors in 2003. She was the lead leg on the school record-breaking 4×400 relay team that finished second in the outdoors and also finished third in the 400 meters with a 50.66 clocking, the second fastest in school history. Indoor, she shattered the school record in the 400 meters while finishing third at the NCAA’s.
2003 Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-Louisiana College Track and Field Team
MEN’S TEAM
100 Meters
1. 10.28 — Brian Johnson, Southern — April 5
2. 10.50 — Roland Moore, La. Tech — May 17
3. 10.52 — Paul Stephens, Northwestern State — May 19
200 Meters
1. 20.61 — Kelly Willie, LSU — May 3
2. 20.65 — Brian Johnson, Southern — April 5
3. 20.81 — Robert Parham, LSU — May 30
400 Meters
1. 45.14 — Kelly Willie, LSU — April 19
2. 45.98 — Pete Coley, LSU — May 18
3. 46.61 — Jon Erik Shanklin, UL-Lafayette — May 11
800 Meters
1. 1:50.06 — Tomario Thomas, LSU — May 18
2. 1:50.67 — Benji Jones, ULM — May 18
3. 1:50.51 — Jeffrey Fisher, LSU — May 30
1,500 Meters
1. 3:51.85 — Ben Shumaker, LSU — May 3
2. 3:52.03 — Karoly Varga, La. Tech — May 9
3. 3:52.37 — Tomario Thomas, LSU — April 12
3,000 Meters
1. 8:42.40 — Jimmy Wiggins, LSU — March 22
2. 8:43.56 — Kenny Henry, LSU — March 22
3. 8:44.81 — Ryan Gallup, LSU — March 22
5,000 Meters
1. 14:34.17 — Carlos Arrizon, La. Tech — April 17
2. 14:55.97 — Jimmy Wiggins, LSU — March 29
3. 15:01.62 — Ryan Gallup, LSU — March 29
10,000 Meters
1. 31:05.71 — Ryan Gallup, LSU — April 17
2. 31:14.24 — Jimmy Wiggins, LSU — April 19
3. 32:35.08 — Noah Murgor, Northwestern State — April 2
110-Meter Hurdles
1. 13.99 — Jamie McLendon, Southern — May 4
2. 14.21 — Lawrence Leben, La. Lafayette — April 3
3. 14.36 — Bryan McKenny, ULM — April 26
400-Meter Hurdles
1. 48.97 — Bennie Brazell, LSU — June 14
2. 50.76 — Billy Threeta, La. Tech — May 17
3. 52.57 — Lawrence Leben, La. Lafayette — May 3
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
1. 9:09.52 — Carlos Arrizon, La. Tech — May 31
2. 9:20.88 — Kenny Henry, LSU — March 29
3. 9:23.09 — Jonah Chelimo, Northwestern State — May 18
4X100 Meter Relay
1. 38.65 — LSU — June 14
2. 40.32 — Southern — April 4
3. 40.47 — Northwestern State — May 19
4X400 Meter Relay
1. 3:02.01 — LSU — June 14
2. 3:06.89 — Northwestern State — May 3
3. 3:09.79 — La. Tech — May 3
Pole Vault
1. 16-11 — Daniel Trosclair, LSU — May 30
2. 16-6 3/4 — Cameron Nott, McNeese — April 12
3. 16-0 3/4 — Ben Broussard, LSU — April 12
3. 16-0 3/4 — Todd Bourgeois, McNeese — May 3
High Jump
1. 7-0 1/2 — Michael McKinney, Southern — March 15
2. 6-11 1/2 — Cameron Waugh, Northwestern State — May 18
3. 6-9 1/2 — Derrion Harris, Northwestern State — May 18
3. 6-9 1/2 — Jeremy Hebert, Louisiana-Lafayette — May 3
Long Jump
1. 27-2 — Brian Johnson, Southern — April 5
2. 26-3 3/4 — John Moffitt, LSU — April 5
3. 25-2 — Courage Idusuyi, Southeastern — March 29
Triple Jump
1. 54-2 3/4 — John Moffitt, LSU — May 18
2. 53-11 1/4 — Lawrence Willis, La Lafayette — May 3
3. 53-11 — LeJuan Simon, LSU — May 18
Shot Put
1. 57-1 — Issa Banna, Northwestern State — May 19
2. 56-8 3/4 — Joe Lochridge, LSU — April 5
3. 54-2 3/4 — Matt Vincent, LSU — May 30
3. 54-2 3/4 — Kenneth Johnson, Southern — May 3
Discus
1. 199-5 — Jerry LaPoint, La. Tech — May 16
2. 171-9 — Joe Lochridge, LSU — April 18
2. 171-9 — William Budro, Northwestern State — May 19
Javelin
1. 261-3 — Latrell Frederick, Northwestern State — May 31
2. 223-5 — Chris Carter, Southeastern — April 13
3. 218-7 — Keith Nunez, LSU — April 26
Hammer
1. 183-11 — Jerry LaPoint, La. Tech — May 3
2. 159-11 — Matt Vincent, LSU — April 12
Decathlon
7,259 — Edwin Billot, McNeese State — May 17
6,684 — Ben Roger, La. Lafayette — May 3
6,463 — Alvin Brown, SLU — May 17
MEN’S SPECIAL AWARDS (Nominated and Voted on by Schools SIDs)
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Bennie Brazell, LSU
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Brian Johnson, Southern; Lawrence Willis, La. Lafayette
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Kellie Willie, LSU
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Derek Richardson, Louisiana-Lafayette
COACH OF THE YEAR: Johnny L. Thomas, Sr., Southern
WOMEN’S TEAM
100 Meters
1. 11:04 — Muna Lee, LSU — April 19
2. 11:52 — Erica Lattin, Southern — March 29
3. 11:53 — Lolo Jones, LSU — April 12
200 Meters
1. 22.74 — Muna Lee, LSU — April 12
2. 22.86 — Stephanie Durst, LSU — April 12
3. 23.09 — Monique Hall, LSU — April 12
400 Meters
1. 50.66 — Nadia Davy, LSU — June 14
2. 51.32 — Hazelann Regis, LSU — June 14
3. 54.02 — Neisha Bernard-Thomas, LSU — April 12
800 Meters
1. 2:01.75 — Neisha Bernard-Thomas, LSU — June 14
2. 2:10.29 — Caroline Hulden, Nicholls State — April 18
3. 2:11.94 — Ruth Waller, McNeese — May 3
1,500 Meters
1. 4:32.78 — Ruth Waller, McNeese — April 4
2. 4:38.37 — Birka Wicke, Tulane — April 18
3. 4:39.87 — Lataya Johnson, ULM — May 3
3,000 Meters
1. 10:07.08 — Rhonda Sherrer, ULM — April 12
2. 10:24.83 — Katie Denton, LSU — March 22
3. 10:28.27 — Jeanne Menard, La. Lafayette — March 15
5,000 Meters
1. 17:36.63 — Birka Wicke, Tulane — April 5
2. 17:37.04 — Jeanne Menard, La. Lafayette — April 12
3. 17:42.48 — Katie Denton, LSU — April 18
10,000 Meters
1. 38:07.20 — Natalie Gillis, La. Lafayette — April 3
2. 38:24.23 — Cassie Jones, Nicholls State — March 21
3. 39:29.44 — Sara Meza, UNO — May 9
100-Meter Hurdles
1. 13.05 — Lolo Jones, LSU — April 18
2. 13.09 — RaNysha LeBlanc, LSU — April 18
3. 13.13 — Brittany Littlejohn, Northwestern State — May 31
400-Meter Hurdles
1. 58.30 — Althea Thomas, LSU — April 19
2. 1:01.11 — Julie Hoareau, UNO — May 3
3. 1:02.80 — Jennifer Haverin, McNeese — March 23
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
1. 10:51.49 — Rhonda Sherrer, ULM — May 3
2. 10:58.33 — Jeanne Menard, Louisiana-Lafayette — March 28
3. 11:12.68 — Helen Kibby, McNeese — April 12
4X100 Meter Relay
1. 42.55 — LSU — June 14
2. 44.97 — La. Tech — May 17
3. 46.06 — ULM, May 17
4X400 Meter Relay
1. 3:27.88 — LSU — June 14
2. 3:47.07 — UNO — March 15
3. 3:48.70 — La. Tech — May 17
High Jump
1. 5-10 — Jacqueline Canton, Northwestern State — May 10
2. 5-8 — Joy Loyd, La. Tech — May 3
3. 5-7 — Shontae Harris, LSU — April 12
3. 5-7 — Jess Loyd, La. Tech — March 19
3. 5-7 — Janice Ezegbunam, SLU — May 17
Pole Vault
1. 11-4 1/4 — Lindsey Karlik, Tulane — March 28
2. 11-1 3/4 — Andre Bonvillain, La. Lafayette — March 15
3. 10-8 1/4 — Celeste Cantrelle, SLU — May 17
Long Jump
1. 21-0 1/4 — LaToya Payne, LSU — May 30
2. 20-9 3/4 — Stephanie Sowell, Northwestern State — April 2
3. 20-6 1/2 — Chantell Richardson, Louisiana Tech — May 30
Triple Jump
1. 44-6 3/4 — Nicole Toney, LSU — May 30
2. 42-6 — Stephanie Sowell, Northwestern State — May 19
3. 42-1 3/4 — Sara Gelin, La. Tech — May 17
Shot Put
1. 51-9 3/4 — Katie McKeever, LSU — April 18
2. 51-5 — Mariela Guante, La. Tech — April 5
3. 51-4 1/4 — Tawanna Williams, Louisiana Tech — May 31
Discus
1. 165-9 — Katie McKeever, LSU — April 18
2. 163-0 — Jelena Jurlina, Tulane — May 16
3. 157-6 — Jillian Lipp, ULM — April 26
Hammer
1. 197-4 — Mallory McDonald, LSU — April 5
2. 185-4 — Britney Henry, Southeastern — May 31
3. 168-10 — Kellee Monet Rice, LSU — April 26
Javelin
1. 161-8 — Samantha Ford, Northwestern State — May 18
2. 160-4 — Jelena Jurlina, Tulane — May 16
3. 157-10 — Brenda-Grace Hunt, La. Tech — April 26
Heptathlon
1. 4,440 — Megan Akre, LSU — April 12
2. 3,476 — Fallon Buckner, LSU — April 12
WOMEN’S SPECIAL AWARDS (Nominated and Voted on by Schools SIDs)
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Muna Lee, LSU
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Nicole Toney, LSU
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Priscilla Chapu, UNO
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Nadia Davy, LSU
COACH OF THE YEAR: Pat Henry, LSU