The past two weekends have seen the LSU track and field teams compete in consecutive on-the-road meets.
The teams competed in the 79th annual Texas Relays from April 5 to 8 and the Miami Elite Invitational this past weekend and compiled several national-best times.
The men’s 4 x 400-meter relay team highlighted LSU’s performance in the Texas Relays with a nation-best time of 3 minutes, 2.31 seconds.
The foursome of Reggie Dardar, Melville Rogers, Xavier Carter and Kelly Willie finished first in a field which included four relay teams from last year’s national championship final.
Willie then joined Richard Thompson, Tyler Sant and Marvin Stevenson to finish with another nation-leading time. They completed the 4 x 100-meter relay in 38.97 seconds, to finish first in the event for the third consecutive year.
It was the first time since 1980 that a school won both the 4 x 400 and the 4 x 100-meter events.
“It was a great performance,” said LSU coach Dennis Shaver. “I know for a fact that is the fastest LSU has ever run at the Texas Relays. The only other time that we’ve run faster than that is at the NCAA Championships.”
Willlie finished first for the third straight time in the men’s 100-meter race after running a time of 10.18.
The women’s 4 x 400-meter relay team of Meisue Francis, Cynetheia Rooks, Brooklynn Morris and Deonna Lawrence ran the fifth-fastest time in school history, crossing in 3:28.23.
The time still was not enough to win their 10th straight relay title. LSU finished outside first place for the first time this season and ended the streak at nine.
Also finishing just outside first place was All-American Kelly Baptiste.
The sophomore was edged in the 100-meter race by Texas’ Marshevet Hooker after clocking the nation’s second-best leading time of 11.14.
“To win the 4 x 100, the 4 x 400 and to be the open 100-meter champion is huge,” Shaver said. “We switched the order up in the 4 x 400 so Kelly could anchor. The guys wanted to see him carry the baton across the finish line.”
Both Baptiste and Willie were named SEC Runners of the Week for their performances in the Texas Relays.
After an impressive showing in Austin, the men’s and women’s teams both took top-six national rankings – men at No. 4 and women at No. 6 – into Miami.
Carter, who is ranked No. 1 in the 200-meter, helped LSU live up to its ranking. He ran a this season’s world-leading time of 20.13 in his first 200-meter outdoor race of the season.
“Xavier has been running the 400-meter so he has a little more strength at the end of his race,” Shaver said. “He ran the race he was supposed to. He was quite a bit faster in his second 100, so I was real pleased with his effort.”
The foursome of Carter, Thompson, Willie and Stevenson took home the 4 x 100-meter relay crown, clocking a stadium and meet record time of 38.89, which also leads the NCAA.
The women’s team saw many athletes qualify for the regional championships.
Lawrence, Francis and Rooks qualified first in the 400 meters.
Sophomores Morris and Baptiste joined them in qualifying after running times of 23.31 and 23.33, respectively, in the 200.
In the men’s field events, freshman Chad Radgowski regionally qualified in the javelin after finishing third in the event.
After two consecutive away trips, coach Shaver said his athletes will welcome this weekend’s LSU Alumni Gold meet at Bernie Moore Stadium.
“I know now we are looking forward to getting back home and running on our own track.” Shaver said.
 
Contact Jeff Martin at [email protected]