LSU Women's Track & Field Vacates NCAA Title

Published: November 16, 2012, 02:49 PM (CT) by Will Stafford (@WillStaffordLSU), Associate SID Share on tweetComments
BATON ROUGE - The LSU Women's Track and Field team will be required to vacate its 2012 NCAA Outdoor team championship due to a student-athlete's use of a stimulant banned by the NCAA that is commonly found in over-the-counter nutritional supplements.

LSU's senior sprinter Semoy Hackett tested positive for the NCAA banned stimulant Methylhexaneamine during the 2012 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships. It is a stimulant that was identified on the NCAA's published list of banned substances beginning in the 2011-12 athletic season.

"I've been informed I tested positive for a banned stimulant at the NCAA Championships last year, which has resulted in the LSU team vacating the NCAA Championship," Hackett said. "I want to express my apologies to my coaches, my teammates, LSU and our fans. Although this was unintentional, I'm deeply sorry this will have such a negative impact on my team and LSU."

NCAA rules require any team that competes with an ineligible athlete is required to forfeit participation in the championship of its respective sport. LSU is required to return the team trophy it received in winning the team title at the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Championships, and the individual members of the winning 4x100-meter relay team, of which Hackett was a member, will be required to return their individual event awards.

"It's unfortunate the team will be required to vacate the NCAA Championship due to the actions of one individual, but we will certainly comply with the NCAA's instructions in this matter. We support the policies that the NCAA has set to promote fair competition," said LSU head track and field coach Dennis Shaver. "This is disappointing news for the LSU Track and Field program, but our hard work and pursuit of excellence will continue on and off the track."

"While we are disappointed as a University, we respect the decision of the NCAA in this matter," said LSU's Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Joe Alleva. "We have a proud athletic tradition at LSU, particularly in the sport of track and field. We will continue that championship tradition as we move forward."

courtesy lsu