Norwood named state's top male track athlete

NCAA Indoor and Outdoor 400-meter champion Vernon Norwood of LSU led the special award winners on the Louisiana Sports Writers Track and Field College Team announced this past weekend by the organization.
Norwood not only swept the NCAA titles in the 400 meters but also anchored the winning 4x400-meter relay team at the outdoor championships last month. The Morgan City High alum clocked in at 45.31 in the indoor final and 45.10 in the NCAA outdoors. Norwood ran a personal best of 44.44 to win the 400 meters at the LSU Alumni Gold meet April 18, and was No. 5 in the world rankings for the 2015 outdoor season.
Norwood also was a member of the Tigers’ 4x100-meter along with Joshua Thompson, Tremayne Acy and Aaron Ernest and its 4x400-meter relay, with Quincy Downing, Cyril Grayson and Fitzroy Dunkley. Both relays recorded the top times in the state with the 4x100 clocking in at 38.62 in the NCAA finals on June 12, and the 4x400 finishing in 3:01.63 at the SEC Championships on May 16.
He is joined on the team by Southeastern Louisiana University’s Kendall Robinson, a high jumper and Central Catholic High School graduate.
Robinson, a junior, tied for the third-best jump in the state at 6 feet, 9 inches with his teammate, Kadarius Williams.
Both achieved the height April 25 at the Rice Twilight.
ULL’s William LeBlanc had the top height at 6 feet, 11 inches.