\"Well the weather was not what we had hoped for, but it could have been a lot worse,\" said LSU head track and field coach Dennis Shaver. \'They did a good job. For example that is that fastest that Bennie Brazell has ever opened up in the 400-meter hurdles. I was very pleased with that.\"
All-American and Olympic finalist Bennie Brazell finished first in the 400-meter hurdles with a regional qualifying time of 49.40. In the 100-meter dash both Ashley Owens and Olympic gold medalist Kelly Willie finished first. Owens won it in a regional qualifying time of 11.52, while Willie also had a qualifying time of 10.32. Jessica Ohanaja finished second in the women\'s 100-meter hurdles with a qualifying time of 13.90.
\"To see Kelly Willie and Ashley Owens, on a day where the weather isn\'t quite as good, to come out and repeat their performances is good,\" said Shaver. \"You see consistency in their performance levels is so important.\"
In the 400-meter dash Reginald Dardar (46.52) and Marvin Stevenson (47.20) both had qualifying times as they finished 3-4 overall. For the women, Deonna Lawrence (53.32) and Brittany Harris (54.55) also had qualifying times as they finished 2-3. Meisue Francis finished fourth with a time of 54.90 just missing the regional qualifying standard.
\"Brittany Harris in the 400-meters didn\'t get to go to last years regional, so that was good,\" said Shaver. \"It was a big personal best for her.\"
The Tigers swept the 4x100-meter relay. Andrea Linton, Deonna Lawrence, Brooklyn Morris and Ashley Owens combined to regional qualify in the 4x100-meter relay with a time of 45.66. Richard Thompson, Marvin Stevenson, Kelly Willie and Bennie Brazell combined to qualify in the 4x100-meter relay with a time of 40.11.
\"It was nice just to get a chance to run the 4x100-meter relays,\" said Shaver. \"Its one of those things that right now they have to learn to play the roles, like an Andrea Linton, who is long jumping, has to come and run. She has to cope with that like a Myra Combs used to and come and run on the relay.
In the 4x400-meter relay, Reginald Dardar, Austin Benton, Bennie Brazell and Kelly Willie finished first with a qualifying time of 3:05.87 edging out the LSU Olympian team. For the women, Brooklyn Morris, Tanya Osborne, Meisue Francis and Deonna Lawrence finished second to the Tiger Olympians with a qualifying time of 3:33.94.
Karmen Payne finished second in the women\'s long jump with a regional qualifying mark of 20-3 3/4. Shontae Harris and All-American Tina Harris finished 1-2 in the women\'s high jump with marks of 5-8 3/4 and 5-7 1/4.
Senior Matt Vincent won the men\'s shot put with a qualifying mark of 55-4 1/4, while Katie McKeever won the women\'s discuss with a qualifying mark of 168-0. In the women\'s javelin, Amanda Harmata finished second with a regional qualifying and personal best mark of 153-8.
Patrick Gavin finished second in the men\'s 1500-meters with a personal best and qualifying time of 3:46.42. Katie Denton finished first in the 5000-meters with a time of 17:40.18 just missing the regional qualifying mark.
\"We felt like the effort was there from everyone,\" said Shaver. \"There were a few people that certainly we felt like are ready to perform better. They have to figure it out.\"
Kelly Ann Baptiste will be back from Trinidad next weekend as the Tigers will be back in action. LSU will go on the road to Starkville, Miss. to compete in the Bulldog Invitational April 2.