Now that the frigid, winter air of Baton Rouge has turned to 80 degree, humid spring days, it’s time for LSU’s track and field team to put on their shades and head outdoors.The Tigers and Lady Tigers head to Lafayette on Saturday to compete in the Louisiana Classics at Ragin’ Cajuns Track — their first outdoor track meet of the season.LSU coach Dennis Shaver said the Tigers will take the maximum number of competitors (30), but not any of the men who competed in the NCAA Indoor Championships.He also said the women that went to the Indoor Championships aren’t taking the trip, but most of the other Lady Tigers will be traveling.”The body needs some rest, and we are going to try and get that for the NCAA [indoor competitors],” Shaver said. “The people who didn’t go to the NCAA competition got their little break while we were gone to the NCAAs last week, so they are cranking back up this week and getting going.”Shaver said only time will tell whether this team is a better indoor or outdoor squad, but he feels the Tigers will be a better outdoor team because of the addition of some key events that are not used indoors.Shaver said the throwing and field events will be the biggest difference in going from indoor to outdoor.”We pick up the javelin, which has traditionally done well for us, as well as the heavy weight throwing event to the more agile, speed-oriented hammer throw outdoors, which we have some excellent athletes on both teams in that area,” Shaver said.Shaver said the team’s meet next weekend – the LSU Relays at Bernie Moore Stadium – will be the first meet for both the indoor championship competitors and the relay teams.Shaver added he was very pleased with LSU’s pair of top 10 finishes in the indoor championship meet, and he said he hopes the success of a few young Tigers and Lady Tigers in the championships carries over to the outdoor season.”[Sophomore sprinter] Kenyanna Wilson in her first ever NCAA indoors gets third in the sprint race, and I thought that was a great job of stepping it up,” Shaver said. “We also had two freshmen in Rachel Laurent in the pole vault … and Robert Simmons in the 400-meter event make huge contributions, and those are all positives.”_____Contact Andy Schwehm @ [email protected]