BATON ROUGE - Southeastern's Chris Carter was selected as the Male Field Athlete of the Year as the Louisiana Sports Writers Association announced its all-state track and field teams and postseason awards Saturday.
Carter, a junior from Walker, was one of 11 Southeastern athletes honored in 12 events. The teams were determined by top times submitted by track and field sports information directors throughout the state in 21 men's and women's events. The top three athletes in each discipline comprise the team. Individual awards were voted on based on nominations submitted by the SIDs.
Carter became just the fifth Division I All-American at Southeastern since 1980 when he finished sixth in the javelin with a throw of 229-7 at the NCAA Championships. The Louisiana product out of Walker also established a new school record (236-7) and won the Southland Conference title in the event. He went on to finish second at the NCAA Mideast Regionals and eighth at the USA Championships.
Joining Carter among Southeastern athletes on the men's side were Joey Valure, who was second in the 1,500-meter run, Sean Allerton who was third in the 10,000-meter run, Asbel Ngetich who was third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and James Randall who was third in the triple jump.
Six Lady Lions were honored in seven events led by Mandy Wallace, who was second in both the 5,000- and 10,000-meter run. Wallace, a junior from Cardinal, Ontario, turned in her performances early in the outdoor season before being sidelined with a stress fracture.
Joining Wallace on the LSWA team were Katie Isola and Kalette Crawford, who were first and second respectively in the hammer throw, Erica Cronin who was second in the pole vault, Melissa Jones who was third in the high jump and Shanna Lilkas who was third in the 1,500-meter run.
LSU's Dennis Shaver and Louisiana Tech's Gary Stanley were named the named the Louisiana Men's and Women's Track and Field Coaches of the Year.
Shaver, in his first season at the helm of the LSU program, lead his men's team to a pair of top-20 finishes at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships, as the Tigers finished 20th at the indoor meet and third at the outdoor championships. Shaver coached his athletes to a total of eight All-American honors and four-All-SEC accolades. In addition, his sprinters broke the 17-year old collegiate record in the 4x400-meter relay, winning the national title in 2:59.59.
Stanley was named both the Western Athletic Conference's Indoor and Outdoor Coach of the Year after guiding the Lady Techsters to sweep of this year's conference crowns. Just the third school in conference history to accomplish the feat, Tech did so in dominating fashion, winning the indoor title by the largest margin in league history, while handily taking home top honors at the outdoor championships. In addition, Stanley coached his athletes to four school record marks, while qualifying 23 to the regional championships and eight to the NCAA meet.
On the women's side, Hazelann Regis of LSU was named the Track Athlete of the Year and Louisiana Tech's Ayanna Alexander was named the Field Athlete of the Year, while LSU's Kelly Baptiste earned Freshman of the Year honors and Tech's Donesha Spivey was named the Newcomer of the Year.
The men's honors went to Bennie Brazell of LSU for Track Athlete of the Year, LSU's Xavier Carter for Freshman of the Year and UL-Lafayette's Kyle Ward for Newcomer of the Year.
With just in indoor season of eligibility to compete, Regis earned a trio of All-America honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships. The St. Andrew's, Grenada, native was the national runner-up in the 400 meters, clocking a school record time of 50.92 in the finals. She also finished fourth in the 200 meters and anchored the Lady Tigers to a fourth-place showing in the 4x400-meter relay.
Alexander, a native of Falls Church, Va., swept the WAC indoor and outdoor triple jump titles, while taking home All-America honors in the event at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The senior turned in a season-best leap of 43-2 ½ and leaves Tech with the school record, five conference titles and a pair of All-America honors in the event.
Baptiste was a three-time All-America award winner in her inaugural campaign. The Tobago native finished fourth in the 100 meters, eighth in the 200 meters and anchored the Lady Tigers to a fourth-place finish in the 4x100-meter relay at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The NCAA Mideast Regional champion in the 100 meters also sweep short sprint gold at the Carifta Games, the Caribbean nation's under-20 championships, winning titles in both the 100 and 200 meters.
A mid-term transfer, Spivey was Tech's high-point performer at both the WAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Indoors, the junior from Palm Bay, Fla., placed second in the 60 and 200-meter dashes as well as the long jump. Outdoors, she won the 100 meters and placed third in the 200, while leading Tech to the WAC title in the 4x100 relay.
Brazell finished his career as the Tigers' all-time All-America awards leader, earning 14 accolades throughout his career, including four during his senior season. The Houston native was the 2005 NCAA runner-up in the 400-meter hurdles after clocking a personal best and school record time of 47.67. He also ran the third leg on LSU's national champion and collegiate record breaking 4x400-meter relay team. In addition, Brazell helped the Tigers to additional All-America honors in the 4x100 relay and the indoor 4x400 relay.
LSU's Carter was named both the SEC's Indoor and Outdoor Freshman Runner of the Year after earning a trio of All-America honors during his first season in Baton Rouge. The NCAA runner-up in the 200 meters, Carter anchored the Tigers' 4x400-meter relay team to the national title in the event in collegiate record time. In addition, the SEC and Mideast Regional 200-meter champion ran a leg on LSU's 4x100 relay team that also earned All-America status.
Ward was an NCAA regional qualifier in the 110-meter hurdles that finished third at the Sun Belt Conference Championships with a season-best time of 14.01.
In the list of best times, it was Alleyne Lett of LSU that topped the charts in three events, the 110-meter hurdles, the discus and the decathlon, while fellow Tiger Kelly Willie posted the state's top times in both the 100 and 400 meters.
Baptiste notched the state's top times in the 100 and 200 meters on the women's side. Louisina Tech's Doria Appleberry led the way in the 100-meter hurdles and was second in the 400 hurdles. In the field, LSU's Katie McKeever turned in top marks in the shot put and discus and Lady Tiger Megan Akre was the top performer in the multi-events.
Individual Special Awards - Men
Track Athlete of the Year - Bennie Brazell, LSU
Field Athlete of the Year - Chris Carter, Southeastern
Freshman of the Year - Xavier Carter, LSU
Newcomer of the Year - Kyle Ward, UL-Lafayette
Coach of the Year - Dennis Shaver, LSU
Best Times/Marks in the State - Men
100 Meters
Kelly Willie, LSU, 10.11
Johnathan Holland, Louisiana Tech, 10.26
Ravyn Hayward, Northwestern St., 10.41
200 Meters
Xavier Carter, LSU, 20.02
Kelly Willie, LSU, 20.45
J.D. Henry, Northwestern St., 20.81
400 Meters
Kelly Willie, LSU, 44.97
Xavier Carter, LSU, 45.65
Reginald Dardar, LSU, 46.52
800 Meters
Jamison Carter, LSU, 1:51.96
Michael Hendry, LSU, 1:53.43
Stefan Malmqvist, Louisiana Tech, 1:53.77
1,500 Meters
Patrick Gavin, LSU, 3:46.42
Joey Valure, Southeastern, 3:47.85
Stefan Malmqvist, Louisiana Tech, 3:47.99
5,000 Meters
Sam Mwape, LSU, 14:34.03
Patrick Gavin, LSU, 14:46.36
Walter Whitfield, UL-Lafayette, 14:50.91
10,000 Meters
Jimmy Wiggins, LSU, 29:50.94
Sam Mwape, LSU, 29:54.13
Sean Allerton, Southeastern, 33:22.37
110-Meter Hurdles
Alleyne Lett, LSU, 13.68
Nolan Jackson, Louisiana Tech, 13.75
J.D. Henry, Northwestern St., 13.90
400-Meter Hurdles
Bennie Brazell, LSU, 47.67
Chad Leath, Northwestern St., 52.70
David Miller, Louisiana Tech, 53.27
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
Walter Whitfield, UL-Lafayette, 8:54.75
Kinsey Dinnel, Louisiana Tech, 9:19.67
Asbel Ngetich, Southeastern, 9:22.25
4x100-Meter Relay
LSU, 38.77
Northwestern St., 40.29
Louisiana Tech, 40.30
4x400-Meter Relay
LSU, 2:59.59
Northwestern St., 3:09.64
Louisiana Tech, 3:10.92
Pole Vault
Ryan Lancon, McNeese St., 16-7 ¼
Todd Bourgeois, McNeese St., 16-7
Andre Bertrand, McNeese St., 16-1
High Jump
Darrick Brown, McNeese St., 6-10 3/4
Derrion Harris, Northwestern St., 6-10 3/4
Cameron Waugh, Northwestern St., 6-8 3/4
Long Jump
Mathew Craig, Louisiana Tech, 24-7
Alleyne Lett, LSU, 24-4 ¼
Darrick Brown, McNeese St., 24-4 1/4
Triple Jump
Willie Bradley, LSU, 52-2
Cedric Scott, Northwestern St., 51-1 3/4
James Randall, Southeastern, 50-2 1/2
Shot Put
Matt Vincent, LSU, 57-0
Issa Banna, Northwestern St., 56-1 1/2
Jason Morgan, Louisiana Tech, 54-1
Discus
Alleyne Lett, LSU, 178-4
Matt Vincent, LSU, 175-4
Jason Morgan, Louisiana Tech, 174-6
Javelin
Chris Carter, Southeastern, 236-7
Cody Fillinich, Northwestern St., 218-4
Shane Curlee, Northwestern St., 215-5
Hammer
Rabun Fox, LSU, 188-2
Matt Vincent, LSU, 174-7
Daniel Yarbrough, Northwestern St., 167-4
Decathlon
Alleyne Lett, LSU, 7,550
Jon Fagan, McNeese St., 6,662
Gavin Fleming, LSU, 6,365
Individual Special Awards - Women
Track Athlete of the Year - Hazelann Regis, LSU
Field Athlete of the Year - Ayanna Alexander, Louisiana Tech
Freshman of the Year - Kelly Baptiste, LSU
Newcomer of the Year - Donesha Spivey, Louisiana Tech
Coach of the Year - Gary Stanley, Louisiana Tech
Best Times/Marks in the State - Women
100 Meters
Kelly Baptiste, LSU, 11.26
Ashley Owens, LSU, 11.47
Gloria Asumna, Tulane, 11.50
200 Meters
Kelly Baptiste, LSU, 22.93
Nina Gilbert, Louisiana Tech, 23.25
Latonia Wilson, Louisiana Tech, 23.45
400 Meters
Nina Gilbert, Louisiana Tech, 52.93
Latonia Wilson, Louisiana Tech, 52.94
Deonna Lawrence, LSU, 52.95
800 Meters
Tanya Osbourne, LSU, 2:05.12
Meisue Francis, LSU, 2:08.41
Ruth Nanyinza, LSU, 2:09.35
1,500 Meters
Ruth Nanyinza. LSU, 4:30.16
Lisa Green, Tulane, 4:35.24
Shanna Lilkas, Southeastern, 4:39.22
5,000 Meters
Katie Denton, LSU, 17:10.47
Mandy Wallace, Southeastern, 17:35.10
Rachel Bryan, Tulane, 17:59.74
10,000 Meters
Katie Denton, LSU, 35:39.94
Mandy Wallace, Southeastern, 37:12.52
100-Meter Hurdles
RaNysha LeBlanc, LSU, 13.23
Doria Appleberry, Louisiana Tech, 13.28
Jessica Ohanaja, LSU, 13.38
400-Meter Hurdles
Doria Appleberry, Louisiana Tech, 57.79
Brigitte Ladouceur, Louisiana Tech, 59.50
Kelly Gram, McNeese St., 1:02.52
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
Breeka Johnson, Northwestern St., 12:00.00
4x100-Meter Relay
LSU, 43.67
Louisiana Tech, 44.25
Tulane, 45.49
4x400-Meter Relay
LSU, 3:33.94
Louisiana Tech, 3:34.86
Tulane, 3:39.26
Pole Vault
Calah Young, LSU, 11-11 3/4
Erica Cronin, Southeastern, 11-6
Megan Duet, LSU, 11-5 3/4
Haley Blount, Northwestern St., 11-5 3/4
High Jump
Shontae Harris, LSU, 5-8 3/4
Dianne Harrison, LSU, 5-8 3/4
Melissa Jones, Southeastern, 5-8 3/4
Long Jump
Tina Harris, LSU, 21-4 3/4
LaToya Payne, LSU, 20-8
Bejide Williams, Louisiana Tech, 20-3 1/2
Triple Jump
Ayanna Alexander, Louisiana Tech, 43-2 1/2
Tina Harris, LSU, 42-5 1/4
Stephanie Sowell, Northwestern St., 42-2 3/4
Shot Put
Katie McKeever, LSU, 51-7 3/4
Helmi Leppanen, Tulane, 49-9 1/4
Shaterika Allen, Louisiana Tech, 48-0
Discus
Katie McKeever, LSU, 168-0
Monica Williams, Louisiana Tech, 162-3
Cierra Butler, Louisiana Tech, 147-9
Javelin
Brenda-Grace Hunt, Louisiana Tech, 186-8
Victoria Simon, McNeese St., 156-1
Amanda Harmata, LSU, 153-8
Hammer
Katie Isola, Southeastern, 154-10
Kalette Crawford, Southeastern, 144-5
Staterika Allen, Louisiana Tech, 141-6
Heptathlon
Megan Akre, LSU, 5,067
Camilla Hatlen, Tulane, 5,055
Amber Metoyer, Louisiana Tech, 4,877
