MSU Set To Host Jace Lacoste Invitational
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Remembering and honoring a former Bulldog will be the theme this weekend as Mississippi State track and field hosts the 15th Jace Lacoste Invitational on Friday and Saturday at Carl Maddox Track Complex.
Lacoste, who was a 1990 graduate, split his time at MSU between campus involvement and competing for the track and field team, where he was an All-SEC decathlete and All-SEC Scholar Athlete. Lacoste lost his life in 1995 as he was traveling back to MSU to watch his younger brother, Paul, make his first start at middle linebacker for the Bulldogs.
MSU enters the meet boasting the nation’s 12th-ranked women, thanks to impressive finishes in recent competition. The squads are looking forward to the opportunity to compete in front of hometown fans, friends and family.
"Competing at home is always a good thing," MSU coach Steve Dudley said. "The energy of performing in front of people you know are rooting for you is infectious, and it pushes an athlete to compete at the highest level. Hopefully we can harness that energy and use it to our advantage as we compete this weekend."
Joining the Maroon and White in competition include Alabama, UAB, Florida State, Iowa State, Missouri State (women), Oklahoma and Virginia Tech. The competition adds three teams in this week’s USTFCCCA top 25 as the Crimson Tide men hold the No. 9 spot, while the FSU women are 10th and Virginia Tech women are 16th.
The meet begins Friday at 6 p.m. with the women's hammer throw and concludes with the men's and women's 5000-meter run at 9 p.m.
Action will resume on Saturday at noon with field events, while races begin at 2:30 p.m. with the women's 4x100-meter relay. The Invitational is scheduled to finish at 5:55 p.m. with the men's 4x400-meter relay.
Admission is free for fans, and complete meet information can be found at www.hailstate.com.
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