CATHOLIC'S PAUL CATALANATTO COMPETES AT THE 2023 LHSAA STATE OUTDOOR MEET!
The fence that LSU head track and field coach Dennis Shaver and his staff are building around the state to keep the nation's best athletes at home got a little longer over the weekend as Catholic javelin thrower Paul Catalanatto announced on Instagram that he is committed to the LSU Tigers.
Catalanatto threw the javelin 15 feet further than his nearest in-state competitor in 2023, although it took him until the post season to really unleash his full potential. He finished second at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Oregon with a season best throw of 209-8. The mark earned the senior a silver medal as Washington's Brayden Platt (228-1), the nation's No. 1 returner in the event for 2024.
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Going into the 2024 season, Catalanatto ranks No. 3 in the nation among returners.
"I am extremely excited to announce my commitment to LSU," Catalanatto posted on Instagram over the weekend. "I'd like to thank my family, friends, coaches, and all others for supporting me. I am grateful for the opportunity Coach Kokhanovsky has given me. Finally, I want to thank my mom for her constant support and my dad for his blessings everyday. Job's not finished."
At LSU, Catalanatto is set to join other Louisiana javelin throwers including two-time NCAA javelin champion Tzuriel Pedigo, Jack Larriviere, and Jackson Rimes.
Last month, Scotlandville's Makeriah Harris, one of the nation's top high school hurdlers, signed with the LSU Tigers.
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