UL track makes strides in first year under Mahfouz

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • July 19, 2009

Charlie Mahfouz’s reaction summed it all up.

One year after the UL men’s and women’s track and field programs saw three of their athletes earn All-Louisiana honors, the Ragin’ Cajuns doubled that total with six on this year’s squad in their first season under coach Mahfouz.

Chris Roy (pole vault), Antwain Keyes (high jump) and Paula Parker (1,500-meter run) all finished with the state’s top mark this year in their respective events.

Jasmine Anderson (100-meter hurdles), Taryn Simmons (400-meter hurdles) and Jasmine Manuel (triple jump) each placed among the top three in Louisiana.

Perhaps even better news: Parker, a junior, was the only upperclassman of the six athletes. Roy, Anderson and Simmons are sophomores. Keyes and Manuel were freshmen.

Roy and Simmons are repeat All-Louisiana selections from a year ago.

"I think this is definitely a big thing for us," Mahfouz said. "It’s important that those kids get recognized like that. This state has good competition and good track athletes.

"It’s definitely a feather in our cap for those athletes and will help promote our program."

Roy dominated in the pole vault as a sophomore, winning his first seven meets and advancing to the NCAA Mideast Regional meet before narrowly missing out on automatically qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

The sophomore from Breaux Bridge won the Sun Belt Conference pole vault title at 17 feet, 0.75 inches – the best-ever mark at Dean Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tenn. He cleared a state-best 17-2.69 on April 18 at the LSU Alumni Gold meet.

Keyes, a Lafayette High graduate, logged the state’s top mark in the high jump this year as a freshman at 6 feet, 10.75 inches on March 21 at the Louisiana Classics. He also was second at the Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Championships on May 10 at 6-8.75.

Parker, a junior, had the top time in the 1,500-meter run with a mark of 4:45.08 on March 27 at the LSU Tiger Relays.

Simmons, a sophomore, was second in the state in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:00.04 at the LSU Alumni Gold meet on April 18.

Manuel placed second in the triple jump in Louisiana as a freshman after clearing 40 feet, 5.75 inches at the LSU Tiger Relays.

Anderson, a sophomore, was third in the state in the 100-meter hurdles with a mark of 13.96 seconds at the Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships on May 10.