LSU Track & Field Wraps Up Fall Training

Track & Field Wraps Up Fall Training
Updated: December 23, 2009, 11:34 a.m. (CT)
by Will Stafford, Associate Sports Information Director Comments

The LSU track and field teams are gearing up for another banner year this spring and are in the midst of a strenuous fall training regimen designed to help them compete against the nation’s best. The Tigers and Lady Tigers form the premier combined program in all of collegiate track and field with an impressive 31 NCAA championships and 46 Southeastern Conference championships all-time.

The last in a nine-part series updating LSU’s progress during the fall training season will look ahead to the 2010 season.

BATON ROUGE – The start of the 2010 season is now less than one month away and members of the LSU track and field program are anxious to compete after wrapping up their fall training programs and heading home this weekend for the Christmas break.

LSU’s student-athletes will reconvene on campus Jan. 6 as they start to put the finishing touches on their preparation for the start of the 2010 season.

“I am very pleased with the intensity that our athletes have brought to training each and every day during the fall. That’s been a point of emphasis for us all semester,” said LSU head coach Dennis Shaver. “They have prepared themselves very well to compete at the highest level this season. I know they are anxious to get it going and see where they stack up against the nation’s best this spring.”

The 2010 season is one of great anticipation for both the men and women at LSU as the teams welcome a host of All-America performers from a year ago back to the squad this season.

The Tigers are sure to be led by a pair of national title contenders as senior Trindon Holliday returns for a final indoor season after being crowned NCAA 100-meter champion in his final appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2009. Junior Walter Henning also makes his return as one of the elite throwers in the country following his NCAA runner-up performance in the hammer throw a year ago.

The Tigers return five other All-America performers from 2009, including senior Armanti Hayes (4x100, 4x400), senior Richard Jones (Benicia, CA)(800 meters, 4x400), sophomore Ade Alleyne-Forte (4x400), sophomore Barrett Nugent (4x100) and sophomore Robert Simmons (400 meters, 4x400).

The Lady Tigers also return a wealth of talent from a season ago as seniors Samantha Henry and LaTavia Thomas are sure to lead the way in their final season in the purple and gold.

Henry earned a team-leading five All-America honors in 2009 with her performance in the 60-meter dash, 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash during both the indoor and outdoor seasons. She also ran the third leg on LSU’s 4x400-meter relay team that finished as the national runner-up at the NCAA Outdoor meet.

Thomas anchored the relay to that NCAA runner-up finish during the outdoor season while running a best time of 3 minutes, 28.82 seconds for the season. The former NCAA Indoor champion in the 800 meters also earned a pair of All-America honors in the half-mile run, including an impressive third-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a personal-best time of 2:01.56.

The Lady Tigers also welcome back the services of five other All-Americans from 2009, including senior Kayann Thompson (4x400), junior Brittani Carter (high jump), junior Brittany Hall (800 meters, 4x400), junior Kenyanna Wilson (60 meters, 100 meters) and sophomore Rachel Laurent (pole vault).

The Tigers and Lady Tigers kick off the 2010 indoor season on Jan. 22 when they play host to the Purple Tiger Classic at the Carl Maddox Field House.

Courtesy LSU