The LSU men’s and women’s track and field teams are looking for their first Indoor National Championship with LSU track and field coach Dennis Shaver at the helm.
The No. 8 Tigers and No. 15 Lady Tigers are competing at the NCAA Indoor Championships beginning at 10:00 a.m. March 13-14 at Randall Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Tigers’ competitors span four events, with two qualifiers in both the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes.
They are led by the reigning national-champion 4×400-meter relay team consisting of junior sprinter Darrell Bush, senior sprinter Quincy Downing, junior sprinter Cyril Grayson and senior sprinter Vernon Norwood.
The team enters the national meet after earning the bronze medal at the Southeastern Conference Championships on Feb. 27 and 28. LSU sprints and hurdles coach Bennie Brazell is confident in the team’s ability to defend its title, despite having just the third-fastest time among qualifiers.
“We have to run for each other,” Brazell said. “If everyone does their job, believes in each other and counts on one another, we will come to a victory.”
Senior sprinter Aaron Ernest looks to improve his sixth-place finish at the 2013 NCAA Indoor Championships in the 200- meter dash. He enters the meet as the No. 2 qualifier and is fresh off a gold-medal performance in SEC Championships. Sophomore sprinter Tremayne Acy, also in the 200-meter dash, will line up next to Ernest.
Norwood — the reigning national silver medalist — will also race in the 400-meter dash alongside fellow-relay runner Downing. Meanwhile, senior hurdler Joshua Thompson is making his first NCAA Championships appearance as the SEC silver medalist in the 60-meter hurdles.
“[Norwood’s] goal would be to run really well in the preliminary rounds so he can draw a good lane in the final,” Shaver said. “But any way it ends up, I know from our vantage point, he has worked really hard. He’s better this year than he was last year, and this is the opportunity he has to show it to everybody.”
Senior shot putter Tori Bliss emerged as the favorite among Lady Tigers to win an individual title. Bliss unleashed a SEC Championships meet record distance of 60 feet, 1 inch for the conference title.
Bliss, who is the No. 1 shot putter in the nation, said she developed a new mindset this season when it comes to throwing and expects to continue her hot streak.
“I’m just trusting the process,” Bliss said. “I know that all the hard work I have put in is going to show on Saturday. I’m excited to get out there and compete.”
Following Bliss, the Lady Tigers are competing in six events.
Sophomore jumper Nataliyah Friar is the only dual-qualifier on the women’s team, competing in the long jump and triple jump.
Two freshman sprinters and one hurdler qualified to the national meet in their inaugural seasons. Aleia Hobbs and Mikiah Brisco are running in the 60-meter dash, while Daeshon Gordon is competing in the 60-meter hurdles.
Sophomores Jada Martin and Morgan Schuetz also qualified for the first time in their respective careers. Martin is the No. 8 competitor in the 200-meter dash and Schuetz was the final qualifier in the 800-meter dash.
A top-10 finish for the Lady Tigers would mark the 13th time in 14 years, and the Tigers are looking for their ninth top-10 finish in the last decade.
You can reach Jacob Hamilton on Twitter @jhamilton_TDR.