The LSU track and field program will host its third outdoor meet of the season as they welcome a host of teams and professionals to Bernie Moore Track Stadium for the LSU Alumni Gold meet on Saturday (April 23).
Admission to the meet is free.
LSU will be competing against 11 collegiate teams and some professionals, including a number of LSU alumni. The meet begins for LSU at 12 p.m. with two-time national champion Lisa Gunnarsson set to compete in the pole vault.
The track events get started at 1:30 p.m. sharp with the running of the 4×100 relays.
LSU has six individuals ranked inside the top 10 of the NCAA in action including the aforementioned Gunnarsson from above; Gunnarsson owns the fourth highest clearance in collegiate history with a bar of 15’3” (4.65 meters) from back in late March. Favour Ofili, the collegiate record holder in the 200 meters, will compete in the 100 meters individually at 2:50 p.m. She ran a personal best of 11.00 seconds two weeks ago in the event, a time that puts her fifth on the national list.
Alia Armstrong and Eric Edwards Jr., two of the top hurdlers in the nation, are on the schedule for their focused event. Armstrong currently has the No. 1 time in the NCAA this season with a 12.33, slightly winded, and Edwards Jr. ranks No. 2 on the national list with a wind-aided 13.24. The 100 and 110 meter hurdles begin at 2:10 p.m.
In the field events, nationally ranked Morgan Smalls (long jump) and Nyagoa Bayak (high jump) will be hoping to jump long and high. Smalls notched a season best of 21’ 1.25” (6.43 meters) a week ago to rank ninth on the national list, and Bayak has cleared a personal best bar of 6’ (1.83 meters) twice this outdoor season to rank No. 10 nationally.
LSU’s nationally ranked 4×100 relay, that is currently ranked No. 3 in the NCAA, will be in action as well to kickoff the running events at 1:30 p.m.
The Tigers will have 26 women and 23 men suited up for action on Saturday.
A total of 15 former LSU athletes will be in competition as well highlighted by 2020 Tokyo Olympians Vernon Norwood, Michael Cherry, Aleia Hobbs, Akanni Hislop, and Damion Thomas. Norwood and Cherry both helped the Team USA 4×400 relay to gold in Tokyo, and Norwood also garnered bronze for Team USA in the mixed 4×400 relay.
Hobbs captured silver as a member of the Team USA 4×100 relay.
Other former LSU athletes set to compete at the meet are Lolo Jones, Arthur Price, Tyler Terry, 2022 world indoor silver medalist Mikiah Brisco, Jahnoy Thompson, Cassandra Tate, Quincy Downing, Aaron Ernest, Jon Nerdal, and Rayvon Grey.
USTFCCCA Rankings
The LSU women are ranked fourth and the men are seventh halfway through the outdoor season.
Parking
LSU’s Alumni Gold meet coincides with the LSU spring football game at 1 p.m. on Saturday, so parking will be available on a first come, first serve basis around campus.
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