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LSU Athletes Added to Penn Relays Wall of Fame

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LSU Athletes Added to Penn Relays Wall of Fame

BATON ROUGE – As the LSU Track & Field teams prepare for the 120th running of the Penn Relay Carnival in two weeks, Penn Relays organizers announced Monday that former LSU sprinter Cheryl Taplin and the Lady Tigers’ 2003 shuttle hurdle relay team will be inducted into the meet’s Wall of Fame as part of its induction Class of 2014.

According to the official announcement by the Penn Relays, inductees are picked solely for their accomplishments at the Penn Relays and that achievements at any other meet are not considered. Also, for an athlete’s nomination to be considered, he or she must be retired or competing only at the masters level.

Taplin was a three-time NCAA Champion, five-time SEC Champion and 16-time All-American during a brilliant four-year career from 1991-94 as one of the most decorated Lady Tigers in program history.

But it was her exploits at the Penn Relays that earned her an induction into the Penn Relays Wall of Fame as part of the Class of 2014. Taplin won six Penn Relays titles during her collegiate career with two victories each in the 100-meter dash (1993, 1994), 4×100-meter relay (1991, 1992) and 4×200-meter relay (1991, 1994) in her four Penn Relays appearances.

Taplin was named the College Women’s Outstanding Relay Runner in her final Penn Relays appearance as a senior in 1994 when she anchored the Lady Tigers to an American record of 1 minute, 32.55 seconds. She also set a Penn Relays record in defending her 100-meter title that same season with a winning run of 11.14 seconds to cap one of the most historic performances by an athlete in the meet’s history.

Like Taplin, the Lady Tigers’ 2003 shuttle hurdle relay team of Ranysha LeBlanc, Tiffany Robinson, Zamyal Jackson and Lolo Jones will also be inducted into the Penn Relays Wall of Fame as part of the Class of 2014.

LSU’s quartet won the 4×100-meter shuttle hurdle relay title in 2003with what was then a Penn Relays meet record and collegiate record of 53.04 that broke both records that was set by the Lady Tigers 12 years before in 1991. The Lady Tigers would break their own mark again in 2008 with a winning time of 52.77 to lower both meet and collegiate records in the event once again.

LSU’s inductees are among four individuals and four relays teams who will be honored as the newest members of the Penn Relays Wall of Fame as part of the Class of 2014.

Taplin is joined by other individuals Earl Thomson (Dartmouth, 1922), Mike Stahr (Carmel High School, 1983; Arizona State, 1984; Georgetown, 1988; New York Pioneers, 1989) and Anthony Washington (Syracuse, 1990). The Lady Tigers’ 2003 shuttle hurdle relay team is joined by the 1914 Oxford University four-mile relay team, 1939 Pittsburgh 880-yard relay team and 1964 Kingston College High School 440-yard relay team.

LSU’s Penn Relay Carnival Wall of Fame Inductees

Class of 2001
1991 Shuttle Hurdle Relay Team
(Donalda Duprey, Cinnamon Sheffield, Dawn Bowles, Mary Cobb)

Class of 2006
1993 4×400-Meter Relay Team
(Debbie Parris, Indira Hamilton, Heather Van Norman, Youlanda Warren)

Class of 2009
2003 4×200-Meter Relay Team
(Nadia Davy, Monique Hall, Stephanie Durst, Muna Lee)

Class of 2014
Cheryl Taplin
2003 Shuttle Hurdle Relay Team
(Ranysha LeBlanc, Tiffany Robinson, Zamyal Jackson, Lolo Jones)