by R.J. Marse
LSU Sports Information
Andrea Linton has been hopping, skipping and jumping her entire life.
A two-time outdoor All-American triple-jumper from Montego Bay, Jamaica, Linton has improved by leaps and bounds in her indoor performance this season.
The difference, she says, is all mental.
“The difference has been the mindset that I have,” Linton said. “I used to tell myself that I can’t do well indoors, but this year I’ve just changed my mind and decided I want to do well and I’ve been able to be successful.”
Linton’s hurdle wasn’t been her ability to perform well – she jumped 43 feet, 4 ¼ inches a year ago – it’s been her inability to perform well consistently throughout the indoor season.
She’s overcome that hurdle this year thanks, in part, to another year of experience and a new coach in first-year assistant Todd Lane, who, while at the University of Miami, was voted the top women’s jumps and combined events assistant in the East Region by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association in 2007.
“She’s just more mature,” said LSU head coach Dennis Shaver. “She has taken a more confident approach as to what she’s capable of doing. She has really been able to perform in each meet week in and week out this entire indoor season.”
Just two weeks ago, Linton won an individual SEC title in the triple jump while helping LSU win its first SEC indoor championship since the 1999 season.
“It feels great to win an SEC title as a team, especially because this group of girls we have now is about to graduate and we feel like we’ve left the program in a better place than it was when we arrived at LSU three or four years ago,” Linton said.
“I think when you get someone who is a senior that’s pretty good, they don’t always adapt well to change, but Andrea’s been open-minded and as a result the whole team is benefitting from her performances,” Shaver said.
Linton’s improvement hasn’t gone unnoticed. She was recently named the USTFCCCA South Central Region Women's Field Athlete of the Year for her performance in 2008.
“The improvement that she has made from last year to this year has been phenomenal,” Shaver said. “You have to give her a great deal of credit, as well as Coach Lane, who has been working with her this year.”
At the SEC Indoor Championships, Linton posted a personal best of 44-6 ¼ in the triple jump. That’s a full foot-and-a-half better than last year. She also flew to a personal best mark of 20-10 in the long jump to finish in third place and earn valuable points for the women’s team on their way to the conference title.
“Just reflecting back from last year to this year, it’s just a whole different attitude that she has in her daily approach to things,” Shaver said.
Heading into the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships this weekend, the LSU women’s team finds itself atop the national rankings and in position to win its 12th NCAA indoor title in school record, which is far more than any other women’s program in collegiate track and field.
After ending an nine-year title drought in SEC competition, the women’s team looks to mimic the LSU football team by taking home a national title this weekend. The Lady Tigers won their last indoor national title in 2004.
Linton feels the team has the ability to win and knows she can be counted upon to do her part.
“I know my teammates can depend on me because I’m just going to go out there and do it,” Linton said. “If everyone can do what’s expected of them this weekend, we should be national champions.”
From a coaches’ standpoint, it’s nearly just as simple.
“All I can do is encourage the athletes,” Shaver said. “When you go to the championship meets, all you can do is what you’ve been doing the entire regular season.”
That doesn’t mean it will be easy.
“It’s going to be a challenge for them this weekend,” Shaver said. “It’s great to be ranked in the top spot and gain respect from your peers, but when it comes to the meet, everyone out there is trying to win a championship.”
As a competitor, Linton is a bit more confident than her coach.
“I sure am ready to go to the NCAA Championship,” Linton said. “If I can get another personal best, then I’ll probably be able to score some points for the team. That would be a successful meet for me.”
“I’m not that nervous because I’ve changed how I look at it. I’m only competing against myself now. I want to do better than I’ve ever done. I’m not worried about anyone else.”