2002-2004 UL Trackster Lawrence Willis

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LAFAYETTE — Most members of Louisiana’s track and field teams view the indoor season as a tune-up period for their preferred outdoor campaign.

That’s especially true for Lawrence Willis, who burst into prominence with his two victories in last weekend’s UNO Invitational at Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans.

Willis, who is coming off minor knee surgery, was careful during indoor meets. Now fully recovered, he can focus on performance.

A personal-best 24-5 1/2 in the long jump and an impressive 50-1 1/4 triple jump earned the Cajun leaper NCAA regional qualifying marks in the first serious outdoor test of the season.

“I just wanted to get a mark,” Willis said. “I wanted to have something to start with, something I could go forward with. I wanted to see where I was.

“It’s going to get better.”

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South Louisiana Publishing
Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Lawrence Willis is going to nationals. The University of Louisiana’s star triple jumper recorded the second-best performance of entrants here Saturday in the inaugural NCAA Mideast Regional track and field meet hosted by Ohio State to qualify for next week’s NCAA Championships

The top five finishers in each event advance to the national meet in Sacramento.

Willis, who entered the weekend’s meet with a fifth-best 53-11 1/4 in the region from the May 3 LSU Twilight Meet, won his section with a 53-10 1/2 effort.

The only performer to top Willis here was Richard Smith of Arkansas, who bested all entrants with a 54-1 1/4.

Willis was the only Ragin’ Cajun to achieve the national meet.

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Cajuns’ Willis 4th in NCAA meet

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Univeristy of Louisiana’s Lawrence Willis achieved All-American status and finished fourth in the nation here Saturday in the men’s triple jump at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

The Sun Belt Conference champion had a best effort of 53-10 1/4, coming on his first attempt of the evening, to finish his junior season on a high note.

Southern California senior Julien Kapek was the triple jump winner with a 56-2 jump on his second attempt, while Auburn junior Leevan Sands edged USC sophomore Allen Simms, 55-6 1/4 to 55-5 1/2 for second place.

Sands achieved his best jump on his third try, while Simms’ 55-5 1/2 came on his final try.

While Willis was fourth in the triple jump, other Louisiana competitors included LSU’s Lejuan Simon (8th, 52-6) and John Moffitt (9th, 51-11 3/4).

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Cajuns’ Willis relishes fourth place NCAA effort


June 17, 2003

LOUISIANA La. — Lawrence Willis was surrounded by the finest triple jumpers in the nation last week, and he showed he belonged with the best of them.

The Louisiana junior is back in class at summer school this week after placing fourth in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday in Sacramento to earn All-America acclaim.

“I was anticipating finishing 10th, because that’s where I ranked going into the meet,” Willis said. “But I was looking forward to the meet and hoping to finish higher.

“I thought if I performed like I had all year and got a good jump I could finish in the top five.”

That’s exactly what happened, as Willis bolted to a 53-10 1/4 on his first attempt in the finasls and finished behind Southern Cal’s Julien Kapek (56-2), Auburn’s Leevan Sands (55-6 1/4) and Southern Cal’s Allen Simms (55-5 1/2).

Kapek is a senior, but the next three jumpers are juniors so Willis can count on stiff competition in the future, too.

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Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[Turbine]

53-10 1/4 and 4th in the nation is great.

That is an improvement of 2 feet 5.25 inches over last years 51-05.00 that Lawrence won the Sunbelt with.

It is also 1 foot and three quarters of an inch better than the jump that landed him in second place at LSU TAMU event a year ago.

Finally it is a whole 3 feet 9 inches better than his 50'01.25 performance that won at the University of New Oleans Outdoor Track & Field Invitational at Tad Gormley Stadium just this year.

Congratulations Lawrence Willis on becoming coach Lance Veazey's 1st All-American.

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. . .
Bennie Brazell of LSU was named the men’s Track Athlete of the Year, while national champion Brian Johnson of Southern tied with Lawrence Willis of Louisiana for Field Athlete of the Year. Kellie Willie of LSU was named the Freshman of the Year, while Derek Richardson of Louisiana was named the Newcomer of the Year for first-year in Louisiana non-freshmen.
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Tying Johnson was Willis who won the triple jump both indoors and outdoors in the Sun Belt Conference. He was second in the NCAA Regional with a leap of 53-10 and then finished the year with a fourth place All-America showing at the NCAA Outdoors with a best effort of 53-11 and one-quarter.

Willie as a freshman ran on three national championship relay teams, including anchoring the LSU 4 x 400 team to national titles indoors and outdoors. He twice earned All-American honors in the 400 meters with his fifth place outdoor finish time of 45.14 marking the fourth best time in school history.

Louisiana’s Richardson qualified for the NCAA Regional meet in the long jump in his first year of competition with an effort of 24-7 at the Sun Belt Conference meet where he finished third.

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LOUISIANA La. - University of Louisiana track & field standout Lawrence Willis was honored as Sun Belt performer of the week after a second place finish in the triple jump competition at the Houston Invitational.

The 2003 All-American triple jumper earned second place overall and first among collegians after a provisional regional qualifying mark of 52-06.00 at the Yeoman Field House. Willis also placed fifth overall in the long jump competition with jump of 22-10.50.

The Iota, La., native, recorded the third longest triple jump in Ragin’ Cajuns history at the 2003 LSU Twilight with a distance of 53-11.25 to win the event.

Willis was named 2003 All-Louisiana Field Athlete of the Year while after winning the 2002 and 2003 Indoor and Outdoor Triple Jump Championships in the Sun Belt Conference.

Willis will next compete along with the rest of the Ragin’ Cajuns at the 2004 LSU Purple Tiger Indoor Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 24.

LOUISIANA SI

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RAGIN' CAJUNS TRACK & FIELD TURNS IN TWELVE TOP FIVE PERFORMANCES AT LSU INDOOR MEET

BATON ROUGE- Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns indoor track and field team competed at the 2004 LSU Indoor Invitational Saturday in the first of three consecutive meets for the team at the Carl Maddox Fieldhouse.

Louisiana held their own against the 24-team field, which included 11 fellow in-state schools. The Ragin' Cajuns placed in the top five in twelve events, including an NCAA automatic qualifying mark by men's triple jumper Lawrence Willis.

Willis finished second overall in the triple jump competition with a distance of 53-11.00 to set a personal best indoor mark for himself and qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships.

The Ragin' Cajuns received a strong performance in the 60-meter dash as sophomore sprinter Jarvis Murchison qualified and placed third overall in the finals with a time of 6.89.

Fellow teammate Kade Slaughter also qualified for the finals in the 60-meter and placed sixth overall in a time of 6.94, before leading the team with a fourth place finish time of 22.56 in the 200-meter dash.

Other notable men's performances included senior Lawrence Leben who finished with a 60-meter hurdle time of 8.13 to place fourth overall and junior Frederick Flugence who placed fifth in the long jump with a distance of 22-01.75.

The Ragin' Cajun men's 4x400 relay team finished fourth overall out of 15 teams with a time of 3:22.00.

On the women's side sophomore Stacey Young captured the 800-meter title by over four seconds in a time of 2:22.66.

Senior distance runner Natalie Gillis turned in a personal best indoor time of 10:26.36 to place fifth overall in the 3,000-meter race, while pole vaulter Andree Bonvillain placed fifth overall in her event with a mark of 10-11.75.

The Ragin' Cajuns track and field team will return to the Carl Maddox Fieldhouse next Friday to compete in the Bayou Bengal Invitational.

LOUISIANA SI

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Willis tops Cajuns’ effort

BATON ROUGE — Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns indoor track and field team competed at the 2004 LSU Indoor Invitational Saturday in the first of three consecutive meets for the team at the Carl Maddox Fieldhouse.

UL held its own against the 24-team field, which included 11 fellow in-state schools. The Ragin’ Cajuns placed in the top five in 12 events, including an NCAA automatic qualifying mark by men’s triple jumper Lawrence Willis.

Willis finished second overall in the triple jump competition with a distance of 53-11 to set a personal best indoor mark for himself and qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships.

The Ragin’ Cajuns got a strong performance in the 60-meter dash as sophomore sprinter Jarvis Murchison qualified and placed third overall in the finals with a time of 6.89.

Teammate Kade Slaughter also qualified for the finals in the 60-meter and placed sixth overall in a time of 6.94, before leading the team with a fourth place finish time of 22.56 in the 200-meter dash.

Other notable men’s performances included senior Lawrence Leben, who finished with a 60-meter hurdle time of 8.13 to place fourth overall, and junior Frederick Flugence, who placed fifth in the long jump with a distance of 22-1.75.

The Cajun men’s 4x400 relay team finished fourth overall out of 15 teams with a time of 3:22.0.

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[RaginRash]

Geaux Lawrence!

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LOUISIANA La. - University of Louisiana track and field triple jump standout Lawrence Willis received Sun Belt Performer of the Week honors for the second consecutive week after adding another milestone to his impressive resume with an NCAA automatic qualifying mark at the LSU Indoor Invitational.

The Iota, La., native finished first among current collegians and second overall in the triple jump competition with a personal best indoor distance of 53-11.00. His performance at the LSU Indoor followed another collegiate triple jump title at the Houston Invitational on Jan. 17.

In 2003 Willis earned All-American honors after finishing fourth at the NCAA Championships in the triple jump. He recorded the third longest mark in Ragin’ Cajuns history with a distance of 53-11.25 at last year’s LSU Twilight Invitational.

Willis was also named 2003 All-Louisiana Field Athlete of the Year after winning the 2002 and 2003 Indoor and Outdoor Triple Jump Championships in the Sun Belt Conference.

The 2004 Indoor season continues for the Ragin’ Cajuns this Friday in the LSU Bayou Bengal Invitational at the Carl Maddox Fieldhouse in Baton Rouge.

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Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns Track & Field 2004 Indoor Results

Women’s Results:

1/17- Houston Invitational, Houston, Texas- 60: Levi 8.62 prelims. 200: 13th Glover 26.56. 400: 6th Young 1:00.02, 19th Wilson 1:03.28. 800: 11th Legere 2:29.46, 13th Credeur 2:30.42. 5,000: 1st Gillis 18:32.61, 4th Block 21:17.69. 60H: Stonum 9.85 prelims, Brandon 10.87 prelims, Octave 12.69 prelims. 4x400 Relay: 10th 4:05.86. Distance Medley: 6th 13:31.42. Pole Vault: T9th Bonvillain 10-06.00., T9th Caffey 10-06.00. Long Jump: 8th Johnson 17-09.75.

1/24- LSU Indoor Invitational, Baton Rouge, La.- 60: Levi 8.39 prelims. 200: 17th Glover 26.57, 34th Stonum 27.64, 40th Brandon 29.50. 400: 12th Glover 1:01.40, 24th Wilson 1:02.80. 800: 1st Young 2:22.66, 4th Credeur 2:27.46, 6th L. Zaunbrecher 2:28.34. Mile: 10th A. Zaunbrecher 5:33.62, 21st Legere 5:50.53, 23rd Block 5:53.07. 3,000: 5th Gillis 10:26.36. 5,000: 13th Clement 21:09.56. 60H: 10th Octave 9.16, 9.13 prelims, Stonum 9.47 prelims, Brandon 10.88 prelims. Distance Medley: 6th 12:53.34. 4x400 Relay: 7th 4:03.50. Long Jump: 5th Johnson 17-10.75. Triple Jump: 7th Johnson 37-02.50. Pole Vault: 5th Bonvillain 10-11.75, 9th Caffey 10-00. Shot Put: 23rd Chapman 35-11.25.

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Men’s Results:

1/17- Houston Invitational, Houston, Texas- 60: Slaughter 7.02 prelims, Murchison 7.08 prelims, Judice 7.26 prelims, Roqumore 7.62 prelims. 200: 7th Slaughter 22.35, 8th Shanklin 22.55. 800: 16th Bernard 2:04.02. Mile: 12th Campbell 4:37.54, 15th Ryan Dupree 4:44.31. 5,000: 2nd Rugu 15:36.00, 3rd Whitfield 16:06.09, 6th Lemaire 16:57.38. 60H: 15th Leben 13.54, 8.19 prelim, Roqumore 9.16 prelim. High Jump: 11th J. Hebert 6-03.25. Pole Vault: Lowry NH. Long Jump: 5th Willis 22-10.50, 17th Minton 20-03.50. Triple Jump: 2nd Willis (NCAA Provisional Mark) 52-06.00.

1/24- LSU Indoor Invitational, Baton Rouge, La.- 60: T3rd Murchison 6.89, 7.01 prelims, 6th Slaughter 6.94, 7.01 prelims, Bell 7.15 prelims, Judice 7.21 prelims, Smothers 7.28 prelims, Roquemore 7.43 prelims. 200: T4th Slaughter 22.56, 28th Bell 23.63. 400: Shanklin FS, Darby 55.42. 800: 11th Martin 2:04.87, 14th Campbell 2:06.99. Mile: 9th Campbell 4:35.09, 10th Whitfield 4:35.52, 15th Lemaire 4:47.07, 18th Schexnayder 4:51.13, 20th J. Gillis 4:53.88. 3,000: 11th Whitfield 8:52.87, 12th Rugu 8:53.46. 5,000: 7th DJ Hebert 16:59.71. 60H: 4th Leben 8.13, 8.15 prelims, Roquemore 8.72 prelims, Distance Medley: 6th 10:39.18. 4x400 Relay: 4th 3:22.00. Long Jump: 5th Flugence 21-09.50, 11th Minton 20-09.75. Triple Jump: 2nd Willis (NCAA Automatic Mark) 53-11.00, Minton ND. Pole Vault: 9th Lowry 14-05.25.

LOUISIANA SI

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Willis jumps ahead of pack. Cajuns’ standout has best triple jump in the country.

LOUISIANA La. — Lawrence Willis has a definite thirst for knowledge.

It’s no accident that he also has the best indoor triple jump in the nation among major colleges in the early stages of the 2004 track and field season.

The University of Louisiana senior from Iota always takes the time to ask for tips from fellow competitors, small things he can do that will add up to big results.

“I get a little bit of information at every meet,” said Willis, who reached an NCAA automatic qualifying mark with a 53-11 effort last Saturday at the LSU Indoor Invitational.

“There are little things, like my running off the board and holding my phases a lot longer. And on my landing, I’m constantly being told I need to get better there.

“I also share the information I get with my teammates, because it helped me out.”

Willis will not jump when the Ragin’ Cajun men and women compete in LSU’s Bayou Bengal Invitational today at the Cal Maddox Fieldhouse, taking a turn instead at the 200, but there’s no question where his focus is this year.

He placed fourth at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 2003 with a 53-10 1/4 effort, earning All-America status in an event won by Southern Cal’s Julien Kapek at 56-2.

“The way I was performing in the triple jump, I knew that was the event I wanted to stay with and try and take it to the next level,” said Willis, who competed in the long jump, triple jump, high jump and 400 meters in addition to playing basketball at IHS.”

“We knew coming out of high school that Lawrence was talented,” Louisiana coach Lance Veazey said. “But he was a 46, 47-foot triple jumper. The last year or two, it’s like a light went off and he said, ‘So, this is how you triple jump.’

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Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com