Glory’s Last Shot.
That may be the motto for golf’s PGA Championship every August, but it will also become a mission statement for many LSU track and field performers this weekend.
Nine athletes will have one last chance to post a qualifying time or number at the LSU Invitational NCAA qualifier at the Carl Maddox Field House today while six more attempt to do the same at the Iowa State Indoor Qualifier in Ames, Iowa on Saturday.
In each event, there is a time or number necessary to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships as determined by the NCAA and the quality of the field in each event.
Overall, nine Tigers and seven Lady Tigers have already qualified for next weekend’s NCAA meet, hosted by Texas A&M.
LSU coach Dennis Shaver called this weekend “critical” for both LSU teams because getting individuals into the NCAA meet is often the most difficult aspect of team scoring in the meet itself.
“If you can just get into the [NCAA] meet, then it’s about posting the same time or number that got you in, and it’s likely they’ll be able to crack the top eight in that event and ultimately score points for us at the nationals,” Shaver said.
With only 14 to 16 spots available in each event, Shaver said there is a heavy competition for NCAA spots.
“With so many people across the country looking to qualify for that small amount of spots, it’s a bonus for us at this point in the season if we can get more qualifiers,” Shaver said.
Shaver specifically mentioned Lady Tiger freshman Jen Clayton in the long jump and Tiger senior Josh Dominguez in the pole vault as key qualifying needs for LSU this weekend.
While most of the sprinters and field athletes will compete at LSU’s qualifier today, several LSU middle-distance runners will compete Saturday on the faster track at Iowa State’s Lied Recreation Center.
“We sent them to [Iowa State] because the competitive arena is more likely to produce better distance results with wider lanes and the longer, 300-meter track Iowa State has,” Shaver said.
Shaver said he has little idea how many of the 15 athletes competing will qualify but was emphatic that even one qualifier would make this weekend a success.
“[One more qualifier] is all it takes for it to be worth it since it’s another opportunity for points in the national meet,” Shaver said.