LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Men’s and Women’s Indoor track and field officially kicked off its 2023 season on Friday when it travels to Baton Rouge to compete in the annual LSU Purple Tiger at Carl Maddox Field House.

Saturday’s meet was the first of five tuneups for Louisiana before competing in the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships on Feb. 20-21 in Birmingham, Ala. The Ragin’ Cajuns will also compete in events at Vanderbilt (Jan. 20-21), Houston (Jan. 27), McNeese (Jan. 27) and Samford (Feb. 11).

Both squads have plenty of experience returning and with the addition of several quality additions to both teams, head coach Lon Badeaux and his coaching staff have high expectations during the indoor campaign

MEN’S INDOOR PREVIEW

Heading the list of returnees on the Men’s side is reigning Sun Belt Indoor 200-meter champion Brock Appiah. Appiah led a trio of Ragin’ Cajuns who made the 200-meter final at last year’s competition, where the men finished third as a team with 119 points. He clocked a winning 21.24 seconds followed by freshmen Caemon Scott (21.43) in third and Kashie Crockett in fourth (21.50). Appiah was the highest of four finalists in the 60 as well, clocking a 6.79 for a second-place finish. Sophomore Trejun Jones as fourth at 6.86, Scott finished seventh with a 6.91 and Crockett was eight at 6.94.

Every other scorer from last year’s Indoor meet also returns led by multiple All-Conference performer Nathan Fergusson in the 400 (4th, 48.00), Antoni Hoyte-Small (6th in the 400, 48.40), the 800 duo of Baptiste Dupril-Dupre (4th, 1:53.48) and Joe Patterson (7th, 1:54.91).

In the field, the Cajuns return several top performers including Rylan Theyard who scored in all three jumps (fifth in the High jump [6-8], sixth in the Triple Jump [49-3½] and seventh in the Long Jump [23-1¾]).

Theyard was joined in the top eight by John Joseph in the Triple Jump (fifth, 49-0¾) and eighth in the Long Jump (22-9¾) and Obdarius Ware in the Long Jump (sixth, 23-8¼). Tyren Hannah led the throws group with a fourth-place finish in the weight throw (57-3) and finishing fifth in the shot put (51-8½) .

The Cajun men added several key additions who should add both quality and depth to this year’s group. Among the newcomers expected to make an immediate impact are NAIA All-American hurdler Loubert Dagrin who has bests of 7.94 in the 60 hurdles and 7.18 in the 60; freshman Jeremy Nelson from Ouachita High School, the No. 7-ranked high school triple jumper in the nation in 2022, McNeese transfer and multiple All-Southland Conference performer Ronnie Jackson, Louisiana Class 3A state sprint champion Christopher Gravois and pole vaulter Tim Gale.

WOMEN’S INDOOR PREVIEW

A year ago the Women’s track and field team finished fourth at the SBC Indoor Conference Championships. And much like the men, they are poised to make a run for the title with a solid group of returnees and a strong group of newcomers added to the mix.

Serenity Rogers returns to defend her 60-meter hurdle crown after winning a year ago with a school record 8.31 mark, the second-fastest in school history. Also returning is Kiana Foster who was second in the 60-m dash with a time of 7.39. Shemia Odaine (7.44) and Kennedy London also made the Conference 60-meter final at 7.44 and 7.58, respectively. Foster was also fourth in the 200 (24.21) and London made the finals of the 60-meter hurdles.

Odaine led the way in the field events for the women, finished third in the long jump at 19-9. Other returning field event scorers include Taylor Davis (5th in the Triple Jump, 40-2¾) and seventh in the High Jump (5-6½) ; Cammi Martinez (fourth in the Pole Vault, 12-4); Ariel Young (sixth in the Triple Jump, 40-2½), and Ivana Cecchetti who was eighth in the Pentathlon.

The lone distance scorer to return is Haley Salsbury (eighth in the mile, 5:05.55). Marin Barras and Brooklynne Wilson are the top returners in the throws group.

The women brought in several performers expected to make huge contributions to this year’s squad led by Akron transfer Jacqueline Pokuaah, who earned multiple All-MAC honors.

Others expected to help immediately include Kayla McCray, a transfer from Indian Hills CC, Moe Bridgen, a transfer from the University of South Dakota, Laila Guy the Louisiana Class 5A state champion in the shot put, Hollie Stewart, the NJCAA National champ in the javelin and third in the shot put at the NJCAA National Indoor, Kayla Meyers, one of the top high school hurdlers in Texas and Courtney Wiltz, the Louisiana Class 5A runner-up in the outdoor 100 hurdles and Long Jump.