Norwood posts Top 10 national mark in LSU 400-meter debut

Morgan City alum Vernon Norwood hit the track for his first 400 meter run this past weekend at Texas A&M’s Aggie Invitational, and the LSU junior has already made waves.
Norwood turned in a second-place finish with a time of 46.31 Saturday, good enough for a top 10 ranking national in the 2014 NCAA indoor rankings.
Norwood’s mark also finished just one one-hundredth from breaking into the LSU Top 10 in school history.
He was topped only by Texas A&M All-American Aldrich Bailey Jr., who clocked in at 46.25.
Norwood's season-opening time ranked No. 7 nationally in the 2014 indoor season.
Later, Norwood anchored the Tigers to a season-best 3:06.62 in the 4x400 meter relay. The Tigers’ relay, which also included Quincy Downing, Darrell Bush and Cyril Grayson, lowered its season best by nearly two seconds. The time is ranked No. 4 in the NCAA indoor season this year.
Norwood had the fastest split on the relay in 46.12.
Texas A&M won the 4x400 meter relay in 3:06.18.
Overall, LSU finished as runner-up to Texas A&M in the men’s standings with 91 points. The Aggies scores 150 points.
Earlier this season on Feb. 1, Norwood competed in the New Mexico Invitational as he finished runner-up in the 600 meter run with a time of 1:19.24. Teammate Blair Henderson won the race in 1:18.75.
Norwood anchored the Tigers’ 4x400 meter relay to a winning, and at the time, season-best mark of 3:08.29.
He was joined by Bush, Downing and Grayson on the relay.
Overall, the Tigers finished second in the meet as they scored 103 points. Nebraska won the even with 138.5 points.
LSU will return to action Friday and Saturday at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark.
In other track and field news, Tri-City area athletes competed in Southern Miss’ KMS Invitational in Birmingham on Jan. 30.
Southeastern Louisiana University’s and Central Catholic alumni Nia Stewart and Kendall Robinson as well as the University of Louisiana at Monroe’s Jonathan Jeffcoat, a Patterson alum, were in action.
Robinson finished third in the men’s high jump with a leap of 6-06.75. His teammate, Kadarius Williams, tied for first in the event with a leap of 6-08.75.
Stewart finished fourth in the women’s 60-meter dash with a time of 7.62 while her leap of 18-01.5 in the women’s long jump was good enough for seventh place.
Jeffcoat placed sixth in the men’s 3,000 meter run with a time of 9:22.99. Teammate Hillary Kirwa won the event in 8:41.55.
Southeastern will return to action Saturday at the McNeese Indoor Invitational III in Lake Charles, while ULM will compete in the Texas Tech Invitational in Lubbock, Texas, Friday and Saturday.