Track & Field: Four First-Place Finishes Propel Ragin’ Cajun At McNeese Indoor
Matt Sullivan, Associate Director of Athletics Communications
LAKE CHARLES – Kyle Baudoin and Damon Guidry each claimed titles in men’s events while Kimmie Rushford and Shalei Matthews each claimed titles in women’s competition to lead the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns track and field team on Friday at the McNeese Indoor II College meet at the Ralph O. Ward Recreation Complex.
Louisiana scored 113 points and placed second overall behind host McNeese in men’s competition with the Ragin’ Cajuns finishing fourth in women’s events with 50 points.
Baudoin earned his second straight individual title in the men’s pole vault as he was one of two Ragin’ Cajuns to finish in the top-6. Baudoin claimed the individual crown after clearing the bar 16-6 ¾, with Matthew Standridge finishing sixth (14-7 ¼).
Guidry ascended over the field in the men’s high jump, clearing the bar at a season-best 6-10 ¼ on his final attempt. Freshman John Joseph earned a second-place finish for Louisiana in the men’s long jump (23-8) with freshman Obdarius Ware placing fifth (23-4 ¾).
Shaquille Singuineau (54-1 ¾) and Dominique Williams (59-0 ¼) each recorded second-place finishes in the shot put and weight throw, respectively, for the Ragin’ Cajuns and Graham Sokol earning a fourth-place finish in the weight throw (55-10 ½). Louisiana placed two athletes in the top-5 in the men’s triple jump with freshman Rylan Theyard finishing third (46-3 ¼) and Ware fifth (40-9).
Louisiana picked up a pair of second-place finishes in running events with Hannes Burger (8:28.11) competing in the men’s 3,000-meter run and Tyrell Hargrove (1:22.31) in the 600-meters.
Rushford, who led a 1-2 finish for Louisiana in the women’s pole vault, cleared the bar at a personal-best 12-4 ½. Alexa Johnson claimed second-place in the pole vault for the Ragin’ Cajuns (10-11 ¾) with Juliette Smith finishing fifth in the shot put (38-0) and Maliya Crouch sixth in the weight throw (48-4).
Matthews led Louisiana in the women’s triple jump after posting the top mark at 39-4. She was joined in the top six by Helena Tibbs, who posted a mark of 35-4 ½ to finish sixth.
Louisiana’s Hailey Hesterman (5:17.92) and Teresa Bruning (5:17.96) finished third and fourth, respectively in the women’s mile run while freshmen India Brown (59.70) and Sydnea Guidry (1:02.34) were third and sixth in the 400-meters.
Louisiana will return to action on Friday (Feb. 1) when it travels to Baton Rouge to compete at the LSU Bayou Bengal at Carl Maddox Field House.
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