At the LSU Purple Tiger, a track meet welcoming over ten programs, purple and gold reigned supreme.
Ten first place finishes were earned among the enrolled athletes. LSU controlled the meet from start to finish.
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Fans are rightfully excited. With the program starting off strong, the teams appear to have plenty of potential for a successful season.
For LSU fans that haven’t paid much attention to track and field, here are some notable names to watch:
Morgan Smalls
The former jumper for a national championship program has a stunning resume; a three-time USTFCCCA All-American, two-time Second Time All-SEC selection are a few of her many accolades.
She started her collegiate career at USC as a stellar athlete. Her production has been equally impressive production since transferring to LSU, which made her a silver medalist at the SEC Championship.
In the recent meet, Smalls was two feet shy of setting a new LSU women’s record for the long jump. She placed first in her event with a long jump of 6.13 meters. That score is 0.35 meters longer than second place; while the difference might not sound like much, the gap between first and second was equal to the difference between second and eighth.
Her personal best ranks sixth all-time in the LSU record books (6.58m). Not near her best, yet still able to win resoundingly.
While she didn’t compete in it during the meet, her best event is undoubtedly the high-jump, where she placed fourth during USC’s national championship. Her talent is unquestionable, and she is definitely an athlete to have on the radar as the season continues.
Alia Armstrong
X exploded as Armstrong left her competition in the dust.
For most track athletes, this would be a once-in-a-lifetime highlight. For Armstrong, it was just a typical play. Her resume is one of the best in college sports. An NCAA National Champion, five-time First Team All-SEC, five-time SEC Champion—her list of accolades is endless. At the LSU Purple Tiger, she proved why she’s such a renowned athlete.
In 8.05 seconds, she exploded from start to finish, leaping over hurdle after hurdle. She’s a force in the 60 meters, whether it’s hurdles or not. And, while she scorched her competition, her best is yet to be seen.
Armstrong boasts a personal best of 7.81, which is one of five times she has etched her name into LSU’s record books, with two of the five breaking LSU’s best. In any track season, you can count on Armstrong to dominate; she’s a must watch for any LSU fan.
Myles Thomas
Thomas transferred from Arkansas State. Though he’s only a sophomore, he’s already a two-time Sun Belt Champion. When he arrived in Baton Rouge, the expectations around him were extremely high, and so far he has delivered.
The sprinter placed first in the men’s 60 meters, with a time of 6.61, only 0.10 second shy of LSU’s record time. In his first ever meet as a Tiger, he’s already close to setting school records. Thomas has the athleticism to make him potentially one of the most exciting track and field athletes in the nation.
His main event is the 100 meters, where he boasts a personal best 10.16. That speed is not currently fast enough to put him in NCAA record books. However, with the pace he’s on currently, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him break through the nine second mark.
Thomas is a young athlete who has hardly scratched the surface of his potential. Based on his current production, he’s going to be someone Tiger fans will want to keep an eye on.
Ji’eem Bullock
Bullock leaped over his competition, and by no means is that an exaggeration. He posted a 7.42-meter long jump in his event, earning him first place. The second place finisher posted a 7.05-meter long jump; Bullock had a wider gap between himself and the runner-up, than the runner-up and 10th place.
That’s domination. While he’s yet to win any major accolades, Bullock certainly appears to make this season the year he does.
He posted a personal best of 7.67 meters last year. As strong as he’s started the season off, it’s clear he wants that best to be short lived. Bullock might be a dark horse candidate, but his season opener has to be respected. This could be a breakout year, and one LSU fans won’t want to miss.
