The LSU track and field team reserved four additional spots at the NCAA Regionals after meeting qualifying marks Saturday in the Tiger Twilight Classic at Bernie Moore Track and Field Stadium.
LSU coach Pat Henry said most of the Tigers’ top performers did not compete because they already met regional qualifying marks, and he did not want anyone to get injured. Henry said the team showed improvement in many areas while remaining healthy.
“We leave the meet healthy tonight,” Henry said. “That’s probably the most important thing we do here. We’re where we want to be in a lot of areas. We’ve got a couple of people we still need to get healthy, but for the most part we’re where we’re going to be. And we have a couple of weeks [before the Southeastern Conference meet] to get just a little bit better.”
One Tiger runner that improved on his time in the meet was freshman Kelly Willie, who placed first in the 200-meter. Willie qualified for regionals in the 200 in April, but his time of 20.61 Saturday is the fourth-best time in the NCAA this season. Henry said Willie’s performance as a freshman has been unbelievable.
“It was his second 200 of the year,” Henry said. “For a freshman, it’s a heck of a run.”
The men added a second 4×400 relay team to their list of regional qualifiers to bring the total to 27. The LSU ‘B’ team, comprised of Jeffery Fisher, Tamario Thomas, Marlon Greensword and Jamaison Carter placed second in the relay with a time of 3:09.13 to qualify.
Ben Shumaker earned a first-place finish for the Tigers in the 1500-meter run. His time of 3:51.85 was just short of the 3:50.00 mark needed to qualify for regionals.
The Tigers claimed three first place finishes in the field events.
Paul Thompson and Willie Bradley earned second and third place in the long jump for LSU, respectively. Thompson’s jump of 24-05 was his season best and met the regional qualifying mark, although he qualified in the event at the Tiger relays in March.
Joe Lochridge placed first in the shot put with a throw of 55-02. He also placed second in the discus throw with a distance of 167-08. Both distances met regional qualifying marks but failed to top his qualifying marks earlier in the season.
Luke Kinnard, Keith Nunez and Taylor Bobo finished 1-2-3 for the Tigers in the javelin throw. Kinnard led the pack with a throw of 212-03.
The LSU women met three new regional qualifying marks to boost their list to 35.
RaNysha LeBlanc became the seventh Lady Tiger to earn a bid to regionals after running a 23.93 second 200-meter dash. The time was only good enough for fourth place at the meet.
The LSU women’s 4×400 ‘B’ team comprised of Neisha Bernard-Thomas, Althea Thomas, Stephanie Butler and Kieokie Lutcher posted a regional qualifying mark with a time of 3:39.07 in its first place finish at the meet. Butler earned a spot at regionals with a third place finish in the 400-meter dash. Butler finished the race in 54.52 seconds.
Lolo Jones and Zamyal Jackson finished first and second for the Lady Tigers in the 100-meter hurdles with times of 13.22 and 13.33 seconds, respectively. Althea Thomas won first place in the 400-meter hurdles with a season best time of 59.19. All three marks met regional standards, but the athletes already qualified earlier in the season.
The Lady Tigers had a handful of top three finishes in the field events. Nicole Toney and LaToya Payne finished second and third place for LSU in the long jump, while Katie McKeever and Mallory McDonald both had second place finishes for the Lady Tigers in the discus throw and hammer throw, respectively.