The LSU track and field team will travel to Fayetteville, Ark., for the Razorback Invitational this weekend in its first action since dueling defending outdoor national champions Texas A&M.
“Last week was a scored meet, so we went and tried to win the track meet,” said LSU coach Dennis Shaver. “Now it’s a performance meet at Arkansas. We are going up there to have the opportunity to improve our marks for our athletes.”
The competition will include nine men’s teams and eight women’s teams ranked in the top 25, including the No. 1-ranked Razorback men’s squad.
“We get to see SEC competition we don’t usually see,” Shaver said.
Despite not running her signature event, senior Cassandra Tate will pace the Lady Tigers this weekend. Tate, the No. 1-ranked runner in the 400-meter dash, said she is ready for the challenge of the new event.
“The 200 isn’t really my thing,” Tate said. “But I’m excited to do something different.”
Junior Kimberlyn Duncan, defending national champion in the indoor and outdoor 200-meter, will try to capitalize on momentum from the Texas A&M dual meet, where she posted the fastest indoor time in the NCAA in the 200-meter dash.
The track may favor Duncan as well as the Lady Tigers’ vaunted 4×400 meter relay team, which posted the No. 3-ranked time in the nation.
“The track is very conducive to fast 100 [and] 400 meter times,” Shaver said. “It gives all of our athletes time to improve on their performances.”
The Tigers will look to rebound from a difficult loss to Texas A&M, led by junior Caleb Williams, who is the only runner in the nation thus far to break 47 seconds in the 400-meter dash.
Williams said his goal for the Razorback Invitational is to set a new personal record of 45.6 seconds to keep his No. 1 ranking.
“I just need to get out faster,” said Williams, who has worked to improve his initial push from the blocks. “I [usually] try to hang on to people and burn them out at the end.”
Williams will be joined by teammate and No. 6-ranked 400-meter dash runner senior Robert Simmons, who is aiming to improve on a personal best time of 47.31 seconds. Senior hurdler Barrett Nugent will also be a key competitor for the Tigers.
Shaver also stressed the importance of the meet as a qualifying opportunity for the NCAA championships, saying that it provides a perfect opportunity to move up the national event lists.
“If by the end of the season you’re not in the top 16 in your event, you probably won’t get to go to the NCAA meet,” Shaver said.
____
Contact Chandler Rome at [email protected]