Most college athletes never win an NCAA championship, but LSU runner Lolo Jones, a junior, already claims share to one national title and looks to win more this season.
Last season Jones helped the Lady Tigers win the NCAA Indoor National Championship by placing fourth in the 60-meter hurdles. She placed second in the 100-meter hurdles at the outdoor championships. She knows winning a national championship as a team is important, but Jones wants to win an individual title this year.
“There’s so much more I want to accomplish while I’m here,” Jones said. “I’d like to get an individual national championship.”
Jones strives every day to make herself better in every aspect of running. She said other athletes on the team call her “Coach Lolo” because she is always trying to help people improve in their events. She also critiques herself to try to better her performance.
“I’m passionate about every little thing I do,” Jones said. “If I don’t improve on one thing during practice, then it was a waste of my time to even come.”
Jones’ faith also plays a major part in her success in athletics. Jones does not listen to rap or rock ‘n’ roll to get pumped up for a meet. Rather, Jones likes to read the Bible and listen to gospel music. She said she needs God in her life to run well.
“I have to listen to gospel,” Jones said. “I think those are the songs that just get you crunk.”
The Des Moines, Iowa, native has five siblings, including three brothers and a sister. Jones said her drive for success comes in part from growing up with three brothers.
“It made me a tom-boy for sure,” Jones said. I think that’s probably what got me into sports because they were always telling me that I couldn’t play with them because I was a girl, and I would cry.”
As a high school athlete Jones played basketball and ran track. She wanted to play college basketball until she talked to former LSU track and field athlete Kim Carson about possibly running track at LSU. Carson graduated from the same high school as Jones a few years earlier.
Jones said her goal in high school was to break the records Carson set, and she broke many of those records. She said Carson, who was a national championship hurdler for LSU, came back to the school regularly to talk to the team. After following Carson’s career in high school and college, she became more interested in pursuing a track and field career. She also said Carson sat down with her before signing day and convinced her to come to LSU.
“Every record she had was a goal for me [in high school],” Jones said.
“When I broke them, it was natural for me to come here.”
After graduation Jones hopes to qualify for the Olympics and later run professionally. Currently Jones has her sights set on helping the Lady Tigers win another national championship. She will attempt to win individual championships in both the 60-meter dash and 60-meter hurdles in March at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
“I’m looking forward to winning a national championship– an individual one, a team one,” Jones said. “I’m going to be a winner this season.”