This is LSU Track & Field INTRO THIS IS LSU PREVIEW COACHES ATHLETES AN ERA OF REVIEW HISTORY EXCELLENCE RECORDS 1993 1989 2003 ince 1897, LSU track and field has built an illustrious history not rest in the Tigers' hands until the final event when Matt Gordy filled with some of the most memorable performers and cleared 14 feet in the pole vault for the first time in his career to S achievements in the school’s colorful athletic heritage. From secure LSU's first ever national championship. its quiet birth at the Tulane Spring Games to its seat atop collegiate It took 54 years for LSU to again sit atop the nation's elite, but in track prominence, there are two factors that have remained 1987 the Lady Tigers did it twice. In only the program's sixth season, consistent in the 108-year history of the program -- success through the Lady Tigers, led by NCAA individual champions Schowanda hard work and an unmatched will to win. Williams, Sylvia Brydson and Sheila Echols, swept both the indoor H. Warren Taylor, Jr., LSU track and field historian, wrote it best, and outdoor national titles. The Lady Tigers repeated their outdoor "Tom Sherburne and Devall drew the signal distinction of being the success in 1988, but 1989 and 1990 saw the LSU track program reach first men of the Old War Skule to carry the purple and gold on the a pinnacle. The two seasons brought a combined five national titles cinder path. That they failed to win in their events does not distract to Baton Rouge as the men and women each won NCAA Outdoor from their envious place in Tiger track history; for they were the titles in 1989 and 1990 and the women added an additional indoor forerunners of a host of sterling athletes that have established a title during the 1989 season. LSU's amazing accomplishments during record of consistent winning unsurpassed in the southland." the two year span marked the first time in NCAA history that the The rest is history. same school won both the men's and women's titles at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. In 1991, the Lady Tigers pulled off another sweep, again claiming the top team spot at both the indoor and outdoor national meets. One of the most memorable moments in LSU track lore came at the 1992 national championships in Austin, Texas. Trailing Florida entering the final day of competition, the Lady Tigers used a team effort to rally and defeat the Lady Gators (87-81) for an unprecedented sixth consecutive national crown. The Lady Tigers again demonstrated their dominance by winning two more national titles in 1993. They won their fourth indoor national championship in seven years in the last event, winning the 4x400-meter relay in a then-school record time of (3:33.63). The Lady Tigers then went 80 miles south of where they started their outdoor streak in 1987 to win their seventh consecutive NCAA outdoor championship.They did it in record breaking fashion, scoring a school record 93 points, to outscore the meet's runner-up by an astounding 49 points. 2002 Men’s NCAA Outdoor National Champions In 1996, the Lady Tigers made history by winning their 10th straight NCAA Outdoor title. Never before had a women's team National Championships reached double figures in consecutive titles in any NCAA sport. Led After winning five SIAA (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic by seniors D'Andre Hill, Kim Carson, and Zundra Feagin, who all Association) conference championships between 1913-1922 and brought home individual titles, the Lady Tigers stormed into Eugene, capturing three consecutive SIC titles, Tiger track and field burst onto Ore., and took their place in history. the national scene with an improbable upset of heavily favored While an outsider might look on and perceive that an 11th Southern California to win the 1933 national championship at Soldier consecutive NCAA Outdoor title in 1997 was just another day at the Field in Chicago, Illinois. The LSU track team was led by the speed of office, it was far from it. A heavy underdog, the Lady Tigers used a Glen "Slats" Hardin and the strength of Jack Torrance. Hardin set new 43-point final day explosion to capture the outdoor national crown world records in the 440-yard dash (47.1) and 220 low hurdles (22.9), once again in Bloomington, Ind. The competition came down to a while Torrance did the same in the shot put (52-10). single event - the 200-meter final. LSU qualified Astia Walker and Despite the record breaking performances, the national title did Peta-Gaye Dowdie, while Texas countered with two runners as well. 82 2007 LSU TRACK & FIELD MEDIA GUIDE This is LSU Track & Field INTRO THIS IS LSU PREVIEW COACHES ATHLETES REVIEW HISTORY RECORDS 1933 1997 2002 The Lady Tigers knew they had to outscore Texas by a single point to win the title. Walker finished second, while Peta-Gaye Dowdie placed fifth. Nanceen Perry and Angie Vaughan of Texas placed third and fourth. When the points were added up, LSU had outscored Texas 12-11 in the most crucial race of the meet, giving LSU the one point advantage it needed to clinch the overall title, 63-62. In addition, the Lady Tigers claimed a fifth consecutive NCAA Indoor crown in 1997, their eighth in an 11-year span. Taking into account both the indoor and outdoor totals, the Lady Tigers claimed 19 of a possible 22 NCAA Championships between the 1987-97 seasons, creating a dynasty unmatched by any other in women's athletics. In 2000, the Lady Tigers regained the title they last held in 1997, winning their 12th national title in 14 years at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The Lady Tigers scored 46 points on the final day of competition to edge USC, 58-54. In 2001, it was LSU once again picking up a national title, this time however, it was the Tigers stealing the spotlight. Needing a miracle in the final event of the NCAA Indoor Championships, the Tigers' prayers were answered when the foursome of Robert Parham, Lueroy 1992 Women’s NCAA Outdoor National Champions Colquhoun, Pedro Tunon and Alleyne Francique won the 4x400-meter relay, while TCU failed to score, giving the Tigers a 34-33 edge over The Tigers rode the coattails of jumpers John Moffitt, LeJuan the Horned Frogs in one of the most exciting finishes in NCAA history. Simon and Willie Bradley to their first indoor crown since the since Walter Davis scored 18 of the Tigers' 34 points, winning the triple 2001 season. Moffitt won the long jump title and was then part of the jump and finishing second in the long jump. Tigers' unprecedented 1-2-3 finish in the triple jump as Simon took The 2002 season marked another compelling chapter in LSU first, Moffitt finished second and Bradley came in third. track history as both the men's and women's teams brought home national championships. The Lady Tigers claimed LSU's first title of Olympics and World Championships the season, winning the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Since 1928, LSU track and field has been well represented in Ark. Led by individual national champions Muna Lee (200 meters), major international competition. Sid Bowman, LSU's first Olympic Nicole Toney (triple jump) and Marian Burnett (800 meters) LSU competitor, started the trend with a sixth-place finish in the triple scored 57 points to dethrone defending national champion UCLA. jump at the Amsterdam games in 1928. Tiger trackmen Glen "Slats" The men's national title came at the NCAA Outdoor Championships Hardin and Bowman each later placed at the 1932 Los Angeles in front of a home crowd at the Bernie Moore Track Stadium. Seniors Olympic Games as Hardin became LSU's first medal winner, taking Walter Davis and Claston Bernard carried the Tiger squad as Davis second in the 400 hurdles and Bowman finished seventh in the triple won individual gold in both the triple jump and the long jump and jump. Bernard outlasted the competition to claim gold in the decathlon. At the 1936 Berlin games, Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany watched 2003 saw the Lady Tigers repeat history, sweeping the women's as LSU's Hardin, Jack Torrance and Billy Brown competed for the United NCAA indoor and outdoor titles for the ninth time in school history States. Hardin made history in the 400 hurdles, becoming the first LSU and the first time since 1997. LSU's golden season began in track athlete to ever win an Olympic gold medal. Fayetteville, Ark., as individual national titles by Muna Lee in the 60 LSU's next Olympic Games participant came in 1964 as Billy and 200-meter dashes and Lolo Jones in the 60-meter hurdles Hardin ran the 400 hurdles for the United States in Tokyo, Japan. It proved to be the catalyst for the Lady Tigers' second straight indoor would then be 24 years before LSU had another athlete perform in crown. That winning performance was followed by an equally this international arena again. impressive outing at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in The 1988 summer games in Seoul, South Korea, saw six LSU Sacramento, Calif. The Lady Tigers' low altitude collegiate record and athletes compete for five different countries. Schowonda Williams meet-winning time of 42.55 in the 4x100-meter relay kick started and Sheila Echols represented the United States; Robin van Helden, LSU's winning ways as eight top-eight performances on the final day Holland; Mikael Olander, Sweden; Lavern Eve, Bahamas and Angela of competition sealed the Lady Tiger victory and the NCAA title Phipps, Canada.