Tigers Win Seven Events On The Way To NCAA Men's Title

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor/Photos by Phil Yearian

The combination Olympic team hopefuls JuVaughn Harrison and Terrance Laird, alone, was enough to put Louisiana State in contention for its first men's track and field championship since 2002. 

Upon those stout building blocks, LSU got major contributions from Louisiana natives Sean Burrell and Tzuriel Pedigo on the way to a dominant team victory Saturday at Eugene's Hayward Field. 

"You mention 2002, that is the year I was born. It’s been 19 years," said Burrell, who was one of the stars of Friday's final session for the men, running a World U-20 record of 47.85 in the 400-meter hurdles while becoming another Olympic team contender. "It’s a blessing and an honor. It represents not just Louisiana but everyone."

INTERVIEWS | PHOTOS by Kim Spir

Harrison did what Harrison does. He won the long jump Wednesday and then overcame a rare first miss in the high jump on Friday before taking flight and winning the competition by four inches at 7-7.75 (2.33m). Then he had the bar raised to 7-10 (2.39m) and took three attempts at Hollis Conway's legendary 1989 collegiate record (7-9.75/2.38m). 

In completing a "triple double" – winning the the long and high jumps at three consecutive NCAA Championships going back to 2019 – he set himself apart as one of the clutchest competitors in meet history. 

Laird started the night off by taking the stick in the 4x100 relay and running down Georgia's Matthew Boling – no easy feat – and delivering the Tigers' record 10th title in the short relay. 

Then Laird overcame local favorite Micah Williams of Oregon in the 100 meters, gaining the advantage in the final 20 meters on the way to a victory in 10.05. 

In the 200, Laird attempted to become the first man since Florida State's Walter Dix in 2007 to win the 4x100, 100 and 200 on the same day. 

But Florida freshman Joe Fahnbulleh put a stop to that, galloping down the homestretch after falling behind on the curve. Fahnbulleh's late rush overtook Laird in the last five meters and he won the 200 in 19.91 into a slight (-0.4) headwind. 

LSU's 84 points made the non-qualification of the 4x400 relay a non-issue. 

Oregon, second with 53 points, also had plenty to celebrate with three victories that brought the biggest crowd yet in the school's new stadium to its feet. 

Cole Hocker executed perfectly in the 1,500 meters and beat 2019 champion Yared Nuguse in 3:35.35 to become the fourth-fastest collegian ever at the distance. 

In the 5,000, Cooper Teare sprinted to the win over the final 200 meters as if he hadn't already run 12 laps at record pace. Teare ran 13:12.27 as the top 12 finishers all ran PRs. 

Northern Arizona's Luis Grijalva was second in 13:13.14 and Campbell's Athanas Kioko ran 13:13.47 for third. 

Behind them came Hocker, who went from ninth to fourth in the final 400 and ran 13:18.95 just 90 minutes after running 3:35.35.

Oregon got another win in the triple jump as freshman Emmanuel Ihemeje uncorked a first-attempt 56-2.75 (17.14m) that held up as the winner. For more than an hour, jumpers took aim at that mark but only Tennessee's Jah-Nhai Perinchief got close, with his 55-10.50 (17.03m), also on the first attempt.

Ihemeje became the first male athlete to sweep the indoor and outdoor triple jump titles since Marquis Dendy of Florida in 2015. 

Not to be left out, the performance of the night probably belonged to North Carolina A&T's Randolph Ross, who smoked the field in the 400 meters final and ran 43.85 for the fastest time in the world this year and the third-fastest time in collegiate history. 

Ross later ran 43.60 on the second leg of the 4x400 relay, which won in 3:00.92. Trevor Stewart anchored the victory, an historic first for a Historically Black College/University. 

Arizona State's Turner Washington completed a double in the throws, taking the discus title at 208-1 (63.42m) after Wednesay's shot put win. Washington became the first male competitor since Filip Mihaljevic of Virginia in 2017 to sweep the shot put and discus titles in the same year.

He also followed former Sun Devil star Ryan Whiting in 2010 in securing indoor and outdoor shot put championships, along with the discus title in the same year.