Tigers’ men track qualifies five for NCAA nationals on first day of East Preliminaries

LSU's Tzuriel Pedigo of Parkview Baptist will try and defend his NCAA outdoor title in the javelin at this year's meet which begins Wednesday in Eugene, Oregon. PHOTO BY: LSU athletics.

Five LSU men’s track and field athletes secured spots in the 2021 NCAA outdoor championships with quality performances on day one of the NCAA East Preliminaries on Wednesday at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla.

JuVaughn Harrison, Rayvon Gray, Jon Nerdal, Jake Norris and Tzuriel Pedigo all punched their tickets to the nationals June 9-12 at the University of Oregon’s Haywood Field as the top 12 athletes in each event advanced.

Harrison and Gray, the best long jumping duo in the nation, finished first and eighth respectively.

Harrison took only one jump and went 26 feet, 8½ inches, the best wind legal long jump ever at the NCAA East Preliminaries and a stadium record. Grey registered a best leap of 24 feet, 11¾ inches.

Nerdal took ninth in the hammer throw with a hurl of 216 feet, 2 inches. Norris placed 11th with a mark of 214 feet, 3 inches.

Pedigo launched the best javelin throw of his collegiate career on his second attempt, firing the spear 246 feet, 5 inches to finish fourth in the field of 48 competitors. The mark improves upon the No. 2 spot he already owns in the LSU record book, and it ranks as the eighth best mark in the NCAA this season. It was Pedigo’s best throw since July of 2019 at the U20 Pan American Championships.

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