The LSU track and field team takes on tough competition as it competes in the Penn Relays, which features mostly relays and field events, at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, today through Saturday.
Coach Pat Henry said this is an important meet for the team.
“This is just one of those steps on that ladder,” Henry said. “This weekend the competition becomes very intense and you’re running in front of 70,000 people so it makes the atmosphere a little bit different, Running for three days in front of 70,000 people makes everything a little bit different. About 100 universities [will be there], some of the absolute best.”
The No. 1 Lady Tigers return to the meet as defending champions in the 4×100-meter, 4×200-meter, shuttle hurdle and sprint medley relays. LSU will be looking for its fourth consecutive 4×200 victory and their seventh 4×100 title in the last 10 years.
Hazelann Regis, Monique Hall, Nadia Davy and Muna Lee won the 4×200 title at the Texas Relays earlier this month. Hall, Davy, and Lee will team up with Lolo Jones in the 4×100 relay. Jones, RaNysha LeBlanc, Brittany Littlejohn, and Tiffany Robison will team up for the shuttle hurdle relay. That team won the event last year in near world-record time.
LeBlanc said the team will look to break the world record this year.
“We hope to break the world record in the shuttle hurdle relay,” LeBlanc said. “Everybody’s running good and doing their best.”
The No. 2 Tigers will look to prove their No. 1 status on the 4×100 relay and will look to Kelly Willie, Pete Coley, Marvin Stevenson and Bennie Brazell to do so.
Willie said the Tigers will look to win the event.
“First priority is to win,” Willie said. “We feel like the time will come along. If we win, we’re just working on the things we need to work on like handoffs, but it would be nice to get down to a 38.”
John Moffitt, the Southeastern Conference Male Field Athlete of the Year, and LeJuan Simon will be competing in field events for the Tigers. Both are ranked in the Top 5 nationally for long jump and triple jump.
After the Penn Relays, the team will get two weeks off to prepare for the SEC Championships held in Oxford, Miss., May 13-16.