HAMMOND, La. – With the Summer Olympics coming up in Rio Janeiro in August, many collegiate athletes – both past and present – are using every opportunity they can this spring to train for a spot in the Games.
   
    That certainly applies to this weekend's Southeastern Lion Invitational whose field includes not only current track and field athletes but a collection of past national champions and All-Americans as well.
   
    Among those scheduled to compete for host Southeastern are sophomore Devin King, currently ranked number one in the NCAA in the pole vault and an USATF Olympic Trials qualifier; and 2015 All-American thrower Jermisha Frazier.
   
    Southeastern senior thrower Alex Young, a two-time All-American who became the Lions' first Division I national champion this past indoor season, is red-shirting this outdoor season but is scheduled to compete unattached in the hammer, shot put and discus. Former Lion All-American Adonson Shallow, who still holds the meet and Southeastern Track Complex record in the hammer, is also scheduled to be in the shot put and discus.
   
    Also scheduled to appear are Trecey (Rew) Hoover, the 2011 NCAA discus champion for Northwestern State; former LSU All-American Charlene Lipsey; and former Tiger standout Josh Thompson.
   
    Southeastern head coach Sean Brady is looking forward to seeing some familiar faces at the meet.
   
    "I'm anxious to have our alumni base coming back," Brady said. "It's always good to see them. We have an alumni tent and it's usually full throughout the meet with alum who just drop in and want to see how their team is doing."
   
    Nearly every in-state school will be represented in the meet. Joining Southeastern are Southland Conference rivals McNeese State, New Orleans, Nicholls and Northwestern State, along with Dillard, Loyola-New Orleans, Tulane, UL-Monroe, Xavier-New Orleans. Also scheduled to compete are Lamar, West Alabama, NIYTC Elite, NRR, the Shreveport Speed Track Club and the U.S. Express Elite Track Club.
   
    The 2016 Southeastern Lion Invitational gets underway Friday at 3 p.m. with the men's and women's hammer throw to be held at the North Campus throwing field located off West Tornado. The meet then moves to the Southeastern Track Complex Saturday with the field events starting at 10:30 a.m. and the running events beginning at 1:30 p.m. Live stats will be available at www.LionSports.net.
   
    The meet will be the fifth Southeastern has hosted at the Track Complex which opened in 2012. Lion Invitationals were held from 2012-14 before last season's was rained out. The Lions went on to host the 2015 Southland Conference Outdoor Championships at the facility.
   
    And while Southeastern has had success on the road this season, Brady is looking forward to finally getting to compete in front of a home crowd.
   
    "There's some familiarity and anytime you run at home, whether it be any sport, there are some inherent advantages to that," Brady said. "We know this facility. We know how the track feels, we know how the rings are going to feel under our feet. It should bode well not only for great competition but for great marks."
   
    The Lion Invitational will be held in conjunction with Southeastern's Super Lion Saturday which also features home events by the baseball, softball and football teams as well as the LAA Green and Gold 5K Run.
 
Southeastern Lion Invitational
Event Schedule
Friday, April 15
3 p.m.              Men's Hammer (followed by women's hammer) at North Campus Hammer throwing field located off West Tornado, by soccer facility.
 
Saturday, April 16
Field Events
10:30 a.m.       Shot Put (Women followed by Men)
10:30 a.m.       Javelin (Men followed by Women)
12:30 p.m.       Discus (Men followed by Women)
1:30 p.m.         Women's Long jump (followed by Women's Triple Jump)
                        Men's Long Jump (followed by Men's Triple Jump)
2 p.m.              Men's High Jump (followed by Women's High Jump)
2:30 p.m.         Women's Pole Vault (followed by Men's Pole Vault)
 
Running Events
(all running events, women, then men.)
1:30 p.m.         4 x 100 relay
1:55 p.m.         1500 meters
2:30 p.m.         100hh/110hh
2:55 p.m.         400 meters
3:25 p.m.         100 meters
3:45 p.m.         800 meters
4:20 p.m.         400 hurdles
4:50 p.m.         200 meters
5:20 p.m.         3000 meters
6:25 p.m.         4 x 400 meters
 
*Running events will go on a rolling schedule.
*Schedule is subject to change