BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU athletes captured both track and field honors on the men’s and women’s side as the Louisiana Sports Writers Association announced All-Louisiana track and field teams on Wednesday.
The top three best times in the state are also part of the honorees for the yearly squad.
For the men, sophomore sprinter Jaiden Reid of LSU was named track athlete of the year, high jumper Kuda Chadenga of LSU was the field athlete of the year, sprinter Jelani Watkins of LSU was the freshman of the year with hurdler Oscar Smith of Louisiana Tech earning newcomer honors for first-year Louisiana non-freshman athletes. Louisiana track and field’s Tommy Badon was chosen the coach of the year.
On the women’s side, Michaela Rose, LSU’s 800-meter specialist, was named the track athlete of the year, while jumper Machaeda Linton of LSU was named both the top field athlete and newcomer of the year, and, Tiger distance runner Edna Chepkemoi was named the freshman of the year. LSU Coach Dennis Shaver and Northwestern State’s Mike Heimerman tied for women’s coach of the year honors.
Reid was a two-time First Team All-American, earning the bronze medal in the 200-meter SEC indoor and outdoor races. The sophomore from the Cayman Islands clocked the No. 2 indoor 200-meter time in LSU history of 20.27, which was also the Caymanian national record and No. 4 in the NCAA. In the 100 meters his 10.02 was the No. 7 performance in LSU history and the No. 6 wind-legal time in the NCAA for 2025.
Chadenga, a senior from Zimbabwe, recorded a season-best clearance of 7-1.75 to lead the NCAA East First Round with no misses. That clearance ranks No. 6 for Africa and No. 1 for Zimbabwe in 2025. Chadenga finished eighth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Watkins, from LaPlace, Louisiana, was the NCAA bronze medalist in the 100 meters as well as the SEC 100. He clocked the No. 6 100 time in LSU history of 10.01, the No. 5 wind legal in the NCAA and the fastest time by a freshman in 2025. He also clocked the No. 8 60-meter time in LSU history of 6.63.
Smith, a senior from the Bahamas, was the Conference USA Newcomer of the Year. Smith broke LA Tech’s 19-year-old 60-meter hurdles record four times with the final of 7.70 coming at the CUSA Indoor Championship to win silver. He qualified for the NCAA East Regional with a time of 13.55 in the 110 hurdles. He qualified for the NCAA Championships after a 13.42, the fastest wind-legal time in program history, eventually finishing 10th in the championships.
Badon earned coach after getting the Ragin’ Cajuns to their first Sun Belt Conference indoor title since 1996 and their third-straight third-place finish at the SBC Outdoors. His team claimed 10 SBC individual championships, set five school records and had 12 athletes qualify for regionals.
On the women’s side, LSU’s Rose, a Bowerman Watch List member and a 3X First Team All-American, became the first in SEC history to win three indoor 800-meter titles in a row and did it outdoors as well. She clocked LSU’s 800-meter record and the No. 2 time in collegiate history of 1:58.12. She finished her career with 15 sub-two minute performances in the 800, 11 more than the next person in collegiate history.
Linton, who earned field and newcomer honors, after her junior season from Kingston, Jamaica, recorded three top 10-marks in LSU history with her jumps during the 2025 season. She posted the No. 4 indoor long jump at 21-9 and the No. 4 indoor triple jump all-time with 44-6.25. Outdoors, she had the No. 10 triple jump at 43-5.75. She also finished eighth with the LSU 4×100 relay team at the NCAA Outdoor Championships
LSU’s Chepkemoi from Kenya, earned state freshman honors after clocking three LSU records in 2025. She finished sixth at the NCAA Championships in the 10,000 meters with an LSU record of 32:10.75, the No. 10 time for a Kenyan in 2025. She also ran an LSU 3,000-meter record of 9:10.79 and an indoor LSU record of 15:39.43 in the 5,000 meters.
Coach Heimerman led the Lady Demons to second consecutive indoor/outdoor Southland Conference sweep in 2025, including a dominant win by 63 points in the outdoor season. In the outdoors season, the women took home nine goal medals and four golds in the indoor season. It was the Lady Demons third consecutive indoor team titles.
Coach Shaver’s women’s track team posted a total of 25 All-American honors with two Tigers on the Bowerman Watch List in 2025 and two SEC Champions.
All-LOUISIANA TRACK AND FIELD SPECIAL AWARDS NOMINEES
MEN’S
Track Athlete of the Year – Jaiden Reid, LSU – Sophomore, Cayman Islands
Field Athlete of the Year – Kuda Chadenga, LSU – Senior, Harare, Zimbabwe
Freshman of the Year – Jelani Watkins, LSU – Freshman, LaPlace, Louisiana
Newcomer of the Year – Oscar Smith, LA Tech – Senior, Nassau, Bahamas
Coach of the Year – Tommy Badon, Louisiana
WOMEN’S
Track Athlete of the Year – Michaela Rose, LSU – Senior, Suffolk, Virginia
Field Athlete, Newcomer of the Year – Machaeda Linton, LSU – Junior, Kingston, Jamaica
Freshman of the Year – Edna Chepkemoi, LSU – Freshman, Nakaru, Kenya
Co-Coach of the Year – Dennis Shaver, LSU
Co-Coach of the Year – Mike Heimerman, Northwestern State
BEST TIMES FOR ALL-LOUISIANA TRACK AND FIELD
100 Meters (Men)
Jelani Watkins, LSU/Fr./10.01/LSU Battle on the Bayou
Jaiden Reid, LSU/So./10.03/NCAA Championships
Myles Thomas, LSU/Jr./10.13/Tom Jones Invitational
100 Meters (Women)
Tima Godbless, LSU/So./10.91/NCAA Division I East Regional
Amairi Ashford, Louisiana/So./11.31/Sun Belt Track Championships
Aniyah Bigam, LSU/So./11.35/LSU Invitational
200 Meters (Men)
Jaiden Reid, LSU/So./19.97/NCAA Division I East Regional
Jelani Watkins, LSU/Fr./20.24/NCAA Division I East Regional
Mark Daley, Louisiana/Jr./20.76/Sun Belt Track Championships
200 Meters (Women)
Tima Godbless, LSU/So./22.55/Tom Jones Invitational
Aniyah Bigam, LSU/So./22.95/SEC Track Championships
Ella Onojuvwevwo, LSU/Jr./22.97/Battle on the Beach
400 Meters (Men)
Lawson Jacobs, Louisiana/Fr./45.57/Sun Belt Track Championships
Amal Glasgow, LSU/Fr./45.85/SEC Track Championships
Sabatian Bradley-Reed, LA Tech/Jr./45.88/CUSA Track Championship
400 Meters (Women)
Ella Onojuvwevwo, LSU/Jr./50.31/NCAA Championships
Maygan Shaw, Northwestern State/Sr./51.19/LSU Alumni Gold
Onyah Onyinye Favour, Southeastern/So./51.93/NCAA Division I East Regional
800 Meters (Men)
Joseph Patterson, Louisiana/Sr./1:47.79/NCAA Division I East Regional
Emedy Kiplimo, LSU/Fr./1:48.35/LSU Alumni Gold
Zander Dunbar, Tulane/Jr./1:48.70/LSU Invitational
800 Meters (Women)
Michaela Rose, LSU/Sr./1:58.12/LSU Invitational
Janae Dean, Tulane/Sr./2:03.73/Bryan Clay Invitational
Alexandra Johnson, Louisiana/Sr./2:06.44/LSU Alumni Gold
1500 Meters (Men)
Emedy Kiplimo, LSU/Fr./3:39.88/LSU Invitational
Illia Kunin, Tulane/Jr./3:40.25/LSU Invitational
Rhen Langley, LSU/So./3:40.55/LSU Invitational
1500 Meters (Women)
Michaela Rose, LSU/Sr./4:10.38/Bryan Clay Invitational
Yuva Sawada, LSU/Fr./4:20.34/LSU Invitational
Dorcas, Naibei, Tulane/4:20.81/LSU Invitational
5000 Meters (Men)
Bernard Cheruiyot, Tulane/Fr./13:36.23/Bryan Clay Invitational
Silas Kiptanui, Tulane/So./13:49.44/Raleigh Relays
Illia Kunin, Tulane/Jr./13:50.60/Bryan Clay Invitational
5000 Meters (Women)
Blezzin Kimutai, Tulane/Fr./15:54.12/Raleigh Relays
Edna Chepkemoi, LSU//Fr./16:18.55/Bryan Clay Invitational
Dorcas Naibei, Tulane/Fr./16:22.57/Drake Relays
10000 Meters (Men)
Benard Cheruiyot, Tulane/Fr./28:31.83/Raleigh Relays
Jack Jennings, Tulane/Sr./28:35.10/Raleigh Relays
Ryan Adkins, Tulane/Sr./30:13.22/Raleigh Relays
10000 Meters (Women)
Edna Chepkemoi, LSU/Fr./32:10.75/NCAA Championships
Blezzin Kimutai, Tulane/Fr./34:06.66/Drake Relays
Gwyneth Hughes, LSU/Sr./34:57.06/Bryan Clay Invitational
100 Hurdles (Women)
Kimeone McLeod, LA Tech/Sr./13.35/Arkansas Spring invitational
Raven-Symone Jarrett, Northwestern St./Jr./13.49/TCU Horned Frog Invitational
Kay-Lagay Clarke, Louisiana/Jr./13.54/Sun Belt Track Championships
110 Hurdles (Men)
Jahiem Stern, LSU/Jr./13.29/NCAA Championships
Matthew Sophia, LSU/Jr./13.31/LSU Alumni Gold
Oscar Smith, LA Tech/Sr./13.42/NCAA Division I East Regional
400 Hurdles (Men)
Quincy Chery, Grambling/Jr./50.56/SWAC Track Championships
Jaden Powell, McNeese/Sr./50.71/Southland Track Championships
Matthew Malcolm, ULM/So./51.36/LSU Alumni Golf
400 Hurdles (Women)
Garriel White, LSU/Sr./57.35/Tom Jones Invitational
Esther Nwanze, Southeastern/Sr./57.35/NCAA Division I East Regional
Katerina Natsiopoulou, ULM/So./59.37/Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays
3000 Steeplechase (Men)
Silas Kiptanui, Tulane/So./8:27.28/NCAA Division I East Regional
Mason Haley, Louisiana/Jr./9:20.23/Victor Lopez Classic
Chase Gunn, ULM/So./9:38.34/Leon Johnson NSU Invitational
3000 Steeplechase (Women)
Edna Chepkemoi, LSU/Fr./10:32.20/Bryan Clay Invitational
Lily Porth, Tulane/Sr./10:32.56/Drake Relays
Alex Sharp, Tulane/Jr./10:33.79/Drake Relays
4X100 Relay (Men)
LSU (Stern, Reid, Thomas, Watkins)/38.14/NCAA Championships
Louisiana (Gravois, Daley, Scott, Jacobs)/39.40/NCAA Division I East Regional
Northwestern State (Loyd, Johansson, Rowe, Wilson)/39.45/LSU Alumni Gold
4X100 Relay (Women)
LSU (Linton, Williams, Bigam, Godbless)/42.85/NCAA Division I East Regional
Louisiana (Thymes, Ashford, Simon, Tonge)/44.74/Louisiana Classic
Northwestern St. (Finney, Shaw, Lewis, Farrell)/44.88/Southland Track Championships
4X400 Relay (Men)
LSU (Walker, McKay, Prince, Glasgow)/3:03.73/SEC Track Championships
Louisiana (Hardy, Scott, Gamarra, Jacobs)/3:05.18/LSU Alumni Gold
Louisiana Tech (Rummelhagen, Bradley-Reed, Hronek, Rudolph)/3:05.77/CUSA Track Championships
4X400 Relay (Women)
LSU (Onojuvwevwo, Rose, Williams, White)/3:29.55/NCAA Division I East Regional
Northwestern State (Conteh, Shaw, Jones, Finney)/3:31.79/NCAA Division I East Regional
Louisiana Tech (Patterson, Usenbor, Wiley, Charles)/3:33.60/CUSA Track Championship
High Jump (Men)
Roman Smith, Southern/Sr./7-1.75/LSU Alumni Golf
Kuda Chadenga, LSU/Sr./7-1.75/NCAA Division I East Regional
Kam Franklin, LSU/Fr./7-1.5/LSU Battle on the Bayou
High Jump (Women)
Alaysha Veal, Louisiana/So./5-10.5/NCAA Division I East Regional
A’reil Williams, LA Tech/So./5-9.25/Florida Relays
Jolie Dormus-Bayer, LSU/Fr./5-8.5/LSU Alumni Gold
Pole Vault (Men)
Beau Domingue, LSU/Sr./17-4.5/SEC Track Championships
Teodor Borgius, Louisiana/17-3.75/Sun Belt Championships
Kameron Aime, LSU/Sr./16-10.75/LSU Battle of the Bayou
Pole Vault (Women)
Johanna Duplantis, LSU/Sr./14-4.75/NCAA Championships
Emery Prentice, LSU/Jr./13-1.5/LSU Alumni Gold
Presley Wolfe, Tulane/Fr./13-0.25/East Coast Relays
Long Jump (Men)
Jordan Turner, LSU/Jr./25-9.5/SEC Track Championships
Algirdas Strelciunas, ULM/Sr./25-4.75/Bobcat Invitational
Roy Morris, Northwestern St./Fr./24-11.25/Leon Johnson NSU Invitational
Long Jump (Women)
Shamaya Joiner, Grambling/So./21-10.75/Pelican Relays
Samari Finney, Northwestern St./Jr./20-9.25/Southland Track Championships
Machaeda Linton, LSU/Jr./20-9/Battle at the Bayou
Triple Jump (Men)
Stafon Roach, ULM/So./53-1.75/Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays
Jeremy Nelson, Louisiana/Jr./52-6.5/Bobcat Invitational
Demarko Lawler Jr., LA Tech/Fr./50-1.75/CUSA Track Championships
Triple Jump (Women)
Machaeda Linton, LSU/Jr./43-5.75/NCAA Division I East Regional
Taylor Fingers, LSU/So./42-7/SEC Track Championships
Jaslyn Smith, Northwestern St./Sr./42-0.5/Southland Track Championships
Shot Put (Men)
Marcus Francis, McNeese/Sr./61-9.75/Southland Track Championships
Donroy Brown, Southeastern/Sr./51-4.25/Tucson Throws Elite Classic
Praiyer Jones, Louisiana/So./57-4.25/LSU Alumni Gold
Shot Put (Women)
Shakera Williams, Northwestern St./Jr./51-2.75/Southland Track Championships
Shanice Hutson, Northwestern St./Jr./49-5.5/Leon Johnson NSU Invitational
Ambria Langley, LSU/So./48-11.75/LSU Alumni Gold
Discus (Men)
Chad Hendricks, LSU/Fr./192-5/Battle at the Bayou
Jaden James, LSU/Jr./185-8/LSU Invitational
Jevan Parara, LSU/Sr./184-2/LSU Battle at the Bayou
Discus (Women)
Princesse Hyman, LSU/Fr./185-4/NCAA Championships
Kimola Hines, Louisiana/Sr./172-2/Pelican Relays
Leah Acosta, LSU/So./170-2/LSU Battle at the Bayou
Hammer (Men)
Donald Lamp, LA Tech/Jr./203-6/CUSA Track Championships
Benedikt Schweizer, ULM/Fr./195-0/Sun Belt Track Championships
Jevan Parara, LSU/Sr./191-6/LSU Alumni Gold
Hammer (Women)
Lily Murray, Louisiana/So./191-9/Louisiana Classic
Kimola Hines, Louisiana/Sr./180-1/Louisiana Classic
Ruth Nilsen, ULM/So./178-0/Leon Johnson NSU Invitational
Javelin (Men)
Paul Catalanatto, LSU/Jr./Fr./220-9/Battle on the Bayou
Gabriel Lim, Southeastern/So./212-9/Southland Track Championships
Zachary Drake, LA Tech/Fr./209-2/Clyde Hart Classic
Javelin (Women)
Trinity Spooner, LSU/So./175-1/LSU Invitational
Alexis Guillory, LSU/So./153-1/Battle at the Bayou
Maria Ferreiro Pena, LA Tech/Jr./152-4/Clyde Hart Classic
Hepthalon (Women)
Raven-Symone Jarrett, Northwestern St./Jr./5414/Southland Track Championships
Jada Johnson, Tulane/Sr./5264/American Track Championships
Sofie Groeninger, Tulane/So./5256/American Track Championships
Decathlon (Men)
Federico Bovo, Louisiana/So./6862/Sun Belt Track Championships
Nelvin Appiah, Louisiana/Sr./6595/Troy Doc Anderson Invitational
Bruce Boon, Northwestern St./Fr./6645/Southland Track Championships
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