Track and Field Set for Return Trip to Lake Charles on Friday

Contact: Matt Hebert

LAFAYETTE – Coming off a weekend of record-setting performances and numerous Top 10 finishes the Ragin' Cajuns men's and women's track and field squad takes in its second in-state meet of the 2013 season when they travel west on Interstate 10 to the McNeese State campus on Friday.

Head coach Lon Badeaux and his troops are participating in the Jeff Davis McNeese Invite at the Ralph O. Ward Recreation Complex in Lake Charles.

This is the Ragin' Cajuns' second appearance in Lake Charles this season, opening the campaign two weeks ago in the McNeese Invite.

The meet is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. with the women's weight throw and men's shot put. Running events will start at 4 p.m. with the men's and women's 55 meter dash and 55 meter hurdles.

A group of nearly 500 athletes representing 10 schools is expected in attendance. For the Cajuns, though, the participation will be a little “light” as the February stretch run is on the horizon.

“We will be taking a smaller group this week,” Badeaux stated. “Our main focus will be improving marks mainly in the jumps and throws with a small group out on the track.”

Last week at Arkansas State, Albert Fournette claimed a title in his season debut, Jasmin Fusilier took first place in long jump and triple jump and school indoor records were set in women's high jump (Lindsey Harmon), women's pole vault (Meredith Driskell) and women's weight throw (Brittany Blunt).

Michael Vani has been the top collegian in pole vault each of the first two weekends and is coming of a 16-foot plus vault at ASU (4.92m/16-1 ¾).

In UL's earlier trip to Lake Charles, Stacy Imagbe claimed the women's long jump title (5.86m/19-2 ¾) and Louisiana saw a 2-3-4 finish in women's triple jump with Fusilier (2nd – 11.82m/38-9 ½), Ta'Shania Bean (3rd – 11.82m/38-9 ½) and Tarvia Conway (4th – 11.72m/38-5 ½) comprising the trio.

Through two weeks, the Cajuns have Top 5 leaders among Sun Belt competitors in the men's and women's 55 meter dash – Justin Jones and Alexis Malone. Kacey Elphage sports the league's third-best 55 meter hurdles time at 7.83 seconds.

Harmon's school record-setting high jump of 1.76m/5-9 ¼ set at ASU last weekend is the third-best mark among Sun Belt competitors.

Vani, who finished as the top collegian in the last trip to McNeese, is one of only three SBC athletes to vault above 16 feet this season, that marking coming at ASU (4.92m/16-1 ¾).

Meredith Driskell has been a consistent performer for the Cajuns' women in pole vault. After just missing out on a vault of 11 feet at McNeese (3.35m/10-11 ¾), she easily surpassed the 11-foot barrier with a vault of 3.65m/11-11 ¾.

Live results from Friday's Jeff Davis McNeese Invite are available by clicking here.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

Track and Field Set for Return Trip to Lake Charles on Friday

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