LSU track and field coach Dennis Shaver didn’t have high expectations for the 2009 track season after losing 21 seniors. The young teams proceeded to prove Shaver wrong in a big way, earning much respect and praise from Shaver. “From the very beginning of the indoor season in January, I was concerned the competitiveness and the overall depth it appeared we lacked with our squad,” Shaver said. “Both the men’s and the women’s teams progressed about a good as a team could have.”They also picked up a few titles along the way.MEN CONTINUE TRADITIONAfter an uninspiring sixth-place finish at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships, the men rallied at the NCAA Championships for a fourth-place finish. The meet was truly a team effort, as only three Tigers finished in the top five of any event. Junior Trindon Holliday finished second in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.55 seconds, with freshman Robert Simmons racing to a fourth place finish in the 400 meter after crossing the line 46.28 seconds. Sophomore Walter Henning tossed a 73 feet, 4 1/2 inch 35-pound throw, good for a fourth-place finish. “The men coming in the top five at the championship meet was a great achievement,” Shaver said. Henning was a story by himself. Fresh off the bus from Chapel Hill, N.C., he has dazzled in his first season as a Tiger. Henning breezed through the indoor circuit, capturing the conference title in the 35-pound weight throw by more than eight feet. The outdoor season proved to be no different. Henning tossed school records in consecutive weeks at the Sun Angel Classic and the LSU Alumni Gold Meet respectively. The throws earned Henning the No. 1 ranking in the NCAA. Holliday has also excelled in both arenas, showing the speed many Tiger fans see on Saturdays in the fall. The speedster anchored the feared 4×100-meter relay team and helped the foursome attain the No. 3 time in the NCAA this seasonWOMEN SURPRISE INDOORS, EXCEL OUTDOORSThe suprises began at the SEC Indoor Championships for the women’s team.The Lady Tigers, led by junior Samantha Henry, were in contention for the SEC overall team title until the final event. LSU finished second to Tennessee by six points. “It took a while for them to get going,” Shaver said. “In January, I was not expecting them to challenge for the SEC Championship.”Henry took two individual titles at the indoor meet, the 60-meter and 200-meter dashes with times of 7.21 seconds and 23.45 seconds respectively. Once the season shifted outside, the Lady Tigers only got better. The women’s 4×100-meter relay team has been impressive, with senior Monique Cabral, freshman Cassandra Tate Henry and sophomore Kenyanna Wilson climbing to the No. 2 time in the NCAA this season. Freshman pole-vaulter Rachel Laurent has made a splash as well, breaking several school records. Laurent holds top honors for both indoor and outdoor pole vaults, with jumps of 14 feet and 1/2 inch and 14 feet 1 and 1/4 inch respectively. Laurent nabbed the Penn Relay record for female pole vaulters two weekends ago with a leap of 13 feet, 10 1/2 inches. Shaver said he is as impressed with this team as with any other team of which he has been a part. “These guys are one of the best teams I’ve had the opportunity to coach,” Shaver said.Both teams stay idle until May 15, when they head to Gainesville, Fla., for the SEC Outdoor Championships.——Contact Chris Branch at [email protected]