Track's Relay Team Takes Advantage of Last Chance

AMES, Iowa -- The LSU men’s track and field team sent its 4x400-meter relay to the Lied Athletic Center at Iowa State on Saturday in hopes of improving its NCAA provisional qualifying time and put itself in a position to compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships next weekend.

The foursome of junior Armanti Hayes, sophomore Jamar Howard, freshman Ade Alleyne-Forte and freshman Robert Simmons did just that by cutting more than two seconds off of its seasonal-best time with a clocking of 3 minutes, 7.29 seconds at the Cyclone National Qualifier.

With their performance, the Tigers are now ranked No. 9 nationally in the 4x400-meter relay and are in position to be among the 11 teams competing in the event at the NCAA Championships.

The LSU men lined up with a seasonal-best time of 3:09.58 in the 4x400 relay set back on Feb. 7 in a runner-up finish at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational at The Armory in New York.

The Lady Tigers also improved their NCAA provisional qualifying time in the 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:37.07 at the Cyclone National Qualifier, while sophomore middle distance runner Richard Jones crossed the finish line with a new indoor personal best of 1:49.66 in the 800 meters to improve his provisional qualifying time entering the weekend.

On Monday, the NCAA selection committee will announce its list of athletes accepted to compete at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships next weekend. The national meet is set to begin Friday at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium in College Station, Texas.