LSU’s track and field teams continued to improve their 2016 outdoor track season, as the teams gained several victories at the LSU Alumni Gold meet Saturday.
The squads climbed into the top-10 of the NCAA rankings and earned personal-best performances at Bernie Moore Track Stadium.
“When you combine great weather with great competition, you’re going to see some outstanding performances,” said LSU coach Dennis Shaver in a news release. “We’re continuing to make great strides in both our teams, as we get ready for the championship season.”
The Lady Tigers won the women’s 4×100-meter relay in 43.36 seconds with sophomore Mikiah Brisco, freshman Kortnei Johnson, junior Jada Martin and previously-injured sophomore Aleia Hobbs.
Brisco also made the top-five national rankings with a seasonal-best performance in the 100-meter dash, recording a time of 11.17 seconds. She finished third in the event and fifth nationally.
LSU maintained momentum when they placed second in the women’s 4×400-meter relay and seventh nationally, notching a seasonal-best time of 3:31.66. Junior Travia Jones teamed with Martin, freshman Rachel Misher and senior Chanice Chase.
Junior Morgan Schuetz ranked second in the women’s 800-meters with a time of 2:02.29.
Junior Rebekah Wales spearheaded the Lady Tigers in field events with a seasonal-best of 178 feet, 1 inch in the women’s javelin. Her winning throw moved her into the No. 10 spot in the NCAA’s rankings.
Junior Nataliyah Friar finished in second place in the long jump with a seasonal-best jump of 20 feet, 9 inches.
The Tigers refused to let the ladies steal the show as they turned in national-leading performances, as well.
Junior LaMar Bruton, junior Michael Cherry, senior Cyril Grayson and senior Fitzroy Dunkley made up the men’s 4×400-relay team to win the event with the second-fastest time in school history, 3:00.38.
“This has got to be the best relay I’ve ever run on,” Cherry said. “If we don’t break that record, that’s not good enough for me … They can count on me to bring it, no matter what leg I’m on.”
Cherry (45.17) and Dunkley (45.52) set personal-bests in the 400-meter dash. Cherry tied for second nationally and Dunkley achieved the No. 5 spot with his time.
Bruton (46.28) and Grayson (46.39) placed seventh and eighth, respectively, in the 400-meter races.
The men’s 4×100-meter relay team won on Saturday, running 38.94 seconds. The team consisted of junior Tinashe Mutanga, freshman Jaron Flournoy, junior Tremayne Acy and junior Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake.
Mitchell-Blake also ran in the 200-meter dash with a time of 20.14 seconds.
“I feel like there’s still a lot more I can improve on, which has got me excited about the future,” Mitchell-Blake said. “I’m just hoping to stay healthy and keep training hard, and we’ll see what the future holds.”
Two Tigers who competed in the 200 meters were Acy and teammate junior Renard Howell, who rejoined LSU after sitting out with injuries.
Acy ran in 20.50 seconds to place fourth overall and tie for seventh nationally. Howell finished No. 14 nationally with a time of 20.60 seconds, placing seventh overall.
Flournoy also achieved a top 10-time nationally, tying for the No. 10 spot in the 200-meter race with a time of 20.53 seconds.
Senior Terry Hughes achieved a personal-best throw in the javelin event with a throw of 210 feet, 6 inches to place sixth, and junior Johnnie Jackson threw a season-best of 170 feet, 7 inches to take fourth place in the discus.
Jackson also placed second in the hammer throw with a throw of 215 feet, 11 inches.
Track and field teams give top-10 performances at LSU Alumni Gold meet
April 24, 2016
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