• By SHELDON MICKLES
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: May 29, 2009

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — For lack of a better term, LSU track and field coach Dennis Shaver calls the NCAA Mideast Regional the first round of the NCAA Championships.

Without getting too complicated, that’s the best way Shaver said he can describe it to his third-ranked Lady Tigers and eighth-ranked Tigers. The two-day NCAA Mideast Regional, which begins today at the University of Louisville, is a precursor to the real thing.

And, he said, it’s as simple as this: finish in the top five in individual events or top three in relays and you automatically earn a ticket to the NCAA meet to be held June 10-13 in Fayetteville, Ark. The regional is one of four being contested today and Saturday.

LSU has the largest contingent of the Louisiana schools that will be represented this weekend. Athletes from Southern, Louisiana-Lafayette, Southeastern, Tulane, Nicholls State, McNeese State, Northwestern State, Louisiana Tech, Louisiana-Monroe and Grambling will be trying to qualify for nationals as well.

“We just went through the purpose of the meet with our athletes,” Shaver said Tuesday. “Really, it’s the first round of the NCAA Championships. The goal is to make the final and be in the top five or top three in relays.”

Nothing else matters this week, Shaver said. After worrying about times, heights and distances since the outdoor season started back in late March, the next two days are about placing.

“It’s complicated, and the thing I don’t like about it is you don’t know who advanced to the NCAA meet from the other regionals until you leave your meet,” Shaver said. “I’ve never been a fan of the regionals, but we’ll do what we can at the meet.

“What you have to do is go there and have fun and enjoy the competition,” he said. “The reality of it is that fifth place is as good as first in individual events.”

Athletes who have earned top times and marks earlier in the season can also gain entrance into the NCAA meet as an at-large entrant when the field is filled — as long as they have completed their event. But they’re not guaranteed of getting in.

“No team is able to win a national championship this weekend, but it can put a team in good position two weeks from now,” Shaver said. “It’s important that our athletes advance this weekend so they can help our teams compete for a national championship.”

As usual, LSU will be well-represented in the meet. Twenty-six men and 17 women have qualified along with both 4x100- and 4x400-meter relay teams, which have posted the fastest times in the Mideast region.

LSU’s regional leaders are Trindon Holliday in the 100 (10.01 seconds), Jeremy Hicks in the long jump (26 feet, 3 inches), Samantha Henry in the 100 (11.19) and 200 (23.06), and Brittani Carter in the high jump (6-0).

Holliday leads the nation with his personal-best time that he recorded in winning the Southeastern Conference title on May 17. He also anchors the 4x100 team that leads the region with a time of 38.86 seconds.