Senior and versatile athlete Quincy Downing looks to leave a strong track and field legacy at LSU.
“Whether it’s a record or being an NCAA champion,” Downing said, “I want to leave a mark somewhere. Hopefully this season I can be a national champion.”
Downing has been an elite sprinter on all levels throughout his career, but has recently added hurdling to his repertoire and has excelled in both events for the LSU track and field team.
The Cleveland native is a six-time All-American and has earned All-Southeastern Conference honors three times. With many accolades to choose from, Downing considers his third-place finish in the 400-meter hurdle event at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor National Championships his collegiate career’s biggest moment.
Downing was new to the event and unexpectedly qualified for the NCAA final. Even more surprising was Downing’s third place finish, a tribute to his relentlessness in mastering the skills necessary to succeed as a hurdler.
“The most defining moment was last year when I made it to NCAAs in the final hurdles.” Downing said. “I proved to everybody that I could be a great 400 hurdler.”
Downing also won his first collegiate national championship last year as a key part of the 4×400 relay team. Along with Darrell Bush, Cyril Grayson and Vernon Norwood, he brought home LSU’s first indoor title in the event since 2006.
The senior has an athletic background and is a relative of former NBA players Jannero Pargo and Dwayne Washington. He’s also related to Major League Baseball player Al Downing, who played 14 years in the major leagues with the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Track wasn’t always Downing’s main sport — he focused on basketball in elementary and middle school.
“I was a basketball player throughout my youth,” Downing said. “My dad took it upon himself to put me in track more than basketball. I ran summer track meets and made a name for myself.”
However, Downing gave up basketball in high school because the basketball season overlaps with the indoor track season. He became one of the most heralded recruits in the country, winning three indoor state championships and four regional championships as a member of Glenville (Ohio) High School’s relay team.
Downing chose LSU as his college destination after also considering Texas A&M and Florida. He credits long-time LSU assistant and current Clemson coach Mark Elliot and LSU head coach Dennis Shaver for convincing him Baton Rouge was the ideal place for him.
“It was a hard decision,” Downing said. “[Elliot] and Coach Shaver convinced me I could become great and make my professional career even better.”
After being around sports his whole life, Downing is majoring in sports administration with a concentration in sport leadership.
“He’s a very motivated guy,” Shaver said. “He has that confidence about what it is he has to get done. He’s a very determined and very dedicated athlete, and we’re proud he’s on our team.”
Downing enters his final season a more versatile athlete than when he arrived in Baton Rouge and is looking for a strong finish. For Downing, leaving a legacy at LSU is of the utmost importance.
“My high school coach taught me to always put a name on something,” Downing said. “Whether it’s a record or being an NCAA champion, I want to leave a mark somewhere. Hopefully this season I can be a national champion.”
You can reach Mario Jerez on Twitter @ @MJerezIIITDR.