While six Tiger alumni competed in the Pan American Games last week, the current Tigers and Lady Tigers who qualified didn’t participate.
“We had some that qualified to participate, but we didn’t submit their names to go because they would miss two weeks of school during the fall semester,” said track and field coach Dennis Shaver. “It just wasn’t feasible for them to weeks.”
Shaver said it was easier for athletes to run in the world championships because they missed the first week or two of school rather than during and directly after midterms for the Pan American Games.
He said since most athletes want to run in the world championships or the Olympics rather than the Pan American Games, they won’t risk missing school.
“No disrespect to the Pan Am Games, but the Olympics are the Olympics,” said assistant coach Bennie Brazell.
Former Tiger Isa Phillips finished second in the 400-meter hurdles at the Pan American Games while competing for Jamaica. Phillips, who was the 2007 NCAA champion for the 400-meter hurdles, was the second fastest 400-meter hurdler at LSU behind Brazell, who used to run for LSU.
Former Lady Tiger Kenyanna Wilson ran the first leg of the silver-medal winning 4×100-meter relay for the United States. Wilson was a member of LSU’s 2011 NCAA championship for the same event.
Brazell said the only rule for collegiate athletes competing in those meets is that they can’t get paid.
Brazell and assistant coach Mark Elliott said athletes running in those meets make LSU look better and help recruiting.
“Its another tool that we have that we don’t have to do anything about or pay for,” Elliott said. “If you’re achieving what you want for the program here at LSU and developing that athlete to where they can go back and represent their country, chances are more [recruits from that country] will