Henning, Holliday among top honorees

• Written for The LSWA
• Published: Jul 4, 2009 - Page: 2C

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LSU sophomore Walter Henning captured two of the special awards announced by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association on its final team of the 2008-09 athletic year, the All-Louisiana Track and Field team.

The team is made up of the top three times or distances recorded in the state in the outdoor season. The special awards were voted on by the state track and field sports information directors.

Henning was named the men’s top field athlete and the newcomer of the year for a first-year nonfreshman performer in Louisiana.

The other men’s awards went to Trindon Holliday of LSU (track athlete of the year) and Richard McKay of Louisiana-Monroe (freshman of the year).

The women’s awards went to: LaTavia Thomas of LSU (track athlete of the year), Heather Davis of Louisiana-Monroe (field athlete of the year), Rachel Laurent of LSU (freshman of the year) and Lashannda Worthy of Louisiana Tech (newcomer of the year).

LSU’s Dennis Shaver was chosen as the coach of the year.

Henning, who transferred from the University of North Carolina, has proven to be one of the premier throwers in the history of the LSU track and field program after his first season.

The two-time All-American was the NCAA runner-up in the hammer throw, becoming the third LSU player to earn All-America honors in the event. He broke the LSU record by more than 13 feet.

Holliday, a three-time All-American, became the third LSU athlete in the past four years to win the NCAA title in the 100-meter dash at the NCAA Championship. His personal-best time of 10.00 seconds is ranked No. 5 in the world this season as of mid-June.

McKay earned freshman honors after winning the Sun Belt Conference javelin championship and advancing to the NCAA outdoor championships.

On the women’s side, Thomas earned three All-America honors as part of the runner-up NCAA 4x400 relay team, finishing third in the 800 meters and taking fifth in the indoor 800. In the outdoor 800, she shattered her own personal best with a time of two minutes, 1.56 seconds, No. 2 all-time at LSU.

ULM’s Davis won three major high-jump titles: at the Sun Belt indoor and outdoor meets, and the Mideast Regional Championship.  She repeated as the LSWA’s field athlete of the year and ended her career as only the third ULM field athlete to advance to three outdoor championships.

LSU’s Laurent burst onto the scene as one of the nation’s premier pole-vaulters, becoming to first Lady Tiger to be crowned Southeastern Conference champion in the event.