The LSU track and field team reached new heights, breaking multiple records during Friday’s Purple Tiger meet in Baton Rouge.
LSU opened its doors to the Carl Maddox Field House for an indoor meet with 14 other teams in the 2025 season opener.
Four athletes entered the LSU all-time performance lists throughout the day in their respective events, while others achieved new personal records across the field.
On the field, Machaeda Linton debuted for the Tigers, leaving her competition in the dust in the women’s long jump with a new PR of 21 feet 0.75 inches. Her leap of faith moved her up to No. 9 on the LSU all-time performance list and gave her the win 2.5 feet clear of her teammate, Taylor Fingers, who came in second.
Freshman Josiah Gaynor made his collegiate debut and competed in the men’s long jump event, where he set a new PR of 24 feet 8.25 inches. He placed second, only an inch behind NCAA No. 1 ranked Meridian’s Tafadzwa Chikomba.
Louisiana native Ambria Langley won the women’s shot put event, recording a PR of 46 feet 9 inches.
Kam Franklin was an inch shy of first in the men’s high jump, reaching a height of 6 feet 11.5 inches, but the 6 foot-4 inch freshman achieved a new all-time best result for LSU at No. 9 in his first collegiate meet. Kuda Chadenga claimed third place with a 6 foot 9.75 inch high jump.
Senior Johanna Duplantis soared above the rest in the women’s pole vault, reaching a new PR of 13 feet 3.75 inches and the fourth all-time best for LSU.
On the track, LSU took the top two spots in the men’s 60-meter hurdle preliminary round, with Jahiem Stern clocking a PR of 7.70 seconds and Matthew Sophia at 7.77 seconds.
The final race resulted in Sophia remaining at No. 2 with a 7.72 and Stern crossing the finish line first with another PR and a Carl Maddox Field House record as No. 5 in all-time at LSU and No. 3 in the nation for his 7.64 second time.
Tiger Olympian Alia Armstrong is back for her fifth year. She holds the women’s 60-meter hurdle and was back on track after winning bronze at the NCAA Indoor Championship last year.
Armstrong qualified for the 60-meter hurdle finals with a time of 8.18 seconds and ran away with the win at 8.03 seconds with a three-tenths-long gap to the second.
Another 2024 Olympian, Tima Godbless, managed a PR of 7.22 seconds in the 60-meter sprint prelims, ranking her No. 3 in the nation. Alumna Kortnei Johnson and Aniyah Bigam completed a top-three lockout for LSU.
Competing in her second event, Linton qualified in fifth position at 7.46 seconds.
Ultimately, Johnson was the fastest of the top eight in the finals with a time of 7.33 seconds, followed by Linton, the quickest of the collegiate runners, and Bigam and Godbless, who claimed fourth and fifth.
The men’s 60-meter prelims saw 2024 SEC Outdoor Champion Jaiden Reid qualify for the finals in fifth. The only athlete representing LSU in the final, Reid sprinted into victory, clocking in at 6.73 seconds.
In the women’s one-mile race, the top nine finishers all competed for LSU, including senior Michaela Rose, who won in 4:41:87. Lorena Rangel was not far off in second place, and Ella Chesnut set a new PR in third.
Next, the Tigers found more success in the men’s one-mile race that came down to half a second. Making his debut for LSU, 18-year-old Michael Vocke was first, recording a 4:10:85 time in a new PR.
The 3000-meter races were a showcase of talent for LSU, with Gwyneth Hughes snagging first in the women’s at 10:01:48 and eight seconds in front of teammate Sophie Martin in second.
The eventful day ended with the men’s race, the tightest yet, as Casey Goetschel and Hugh Carlson battled it out for the win. The two 19-year-olds gained a new PR each: Goetschel first at 8:25:43 and Carlson second at 8:25:69.
Next Friday, Jan. 24, LSU will hope to break more records at the Red Raider Invite in Lubbock, Texas.
After a historic 2024 season, the Tigers hit the ground running in their home opener and will want to keep that momentum pushing into next week’s meet.
