March 4, 2011

BATON ROUGE, La. - Four Tigers competed, Friday, at the LSU Last Chance Invite, each hoping to improve either their potential for a bid to the NCAA Indoor Championships or to gain experience for the outdoor season against the highest quality competition.

Senior Knut Syversen helped his chances the most at the Last Chance, with his career-best 21.14m (69' 4.25") weight throw placing him on the cusp of an invite to the NCAA Championships. Entering the weekend's competition, Syversen's throw would place him eighth nationally. He finished just over a foot away from an automatic national qualifier.

"This is an important step for Knut and for our program," said head coach Kevin Robinson. "This mark should assure him a place in the championships and is a huge deal for our program."

For Syversen, if he were to qualify, it would be his first trip to the NCAA Indoor Championships. He was an NCAA Regional outdoor qualifier in 2008 and 2010.

Other Tigers who competed in Baton Rouge were freshman sprinter Taurean Nixon, who was fifth in the 60m dash with a 6.85 mark; junior Robert Jackson, who was third in the 60m hurdles with an 8.13 mark; and junior Karlis Pujats, who tied for third in the pole vault with a 5.03m (16' 6.00") height.

Pujats may have already earned a spot in the field in College Station next week, based on the merit of his school-record 5.36m (17' 7.00") pole vault mark at the Rod McCravy Memorial, Jan. 28.

The NCAA Indoor Championship field will be announced, Monday.