Event: Pole Vault (IN: 14-0 ½; OUT: 14-1 ¼)

All-American
SEC Champion
2-time All-SEC

2009
Finished her freshman season as the most prolific pole vaulter in the history of the LSU women’s track and field program ... Became the first Lady Tiger to win All-America honors in the pole vault with a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in College Station, Texas ... Cleared a mark of 13 feet, 7 ¼ inches at the indoor national meet ... Also became the first Lady Tiger to be crowned SEC champion in the event with an indoor personal best clearance of 14-0 ½ at the SEC Indoor meet ... Was an automatic qualifier for the NCAA Indoor Championships after posting a mark of 13-9 ¼ to finish fourth in the event at the Tyson Invitational ... Also made her first career appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, where she finished in 11th place with a clearance of 13-9 ¼ ... Earned her second All-SEC honor of the 2009 season by tying for second place at the SEC Outdoor Championships with a mark of 13-5 ¼ ... Is the only Lady Tiger to win the vault title in the university division at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays ... Set a new overall personal best of 14-1 ¼ at the Texas Relays ... Followed that performance by being crowned pole vault champion at the 115th Penn Relays with a clearance at 13-10 ½ ... Was named the Women’s College Athlete of the Meet for Individual Events after setting a new Penn Relays meet record of 13-10 ½ in her first career appearance at the meet ... Is currently the LSU indoor and outdoor school record holder in her specialty.

PRIOR TO LSU
One of the most prolific pole vaulters in the history of high school track and field in the United States ... Was the nation’s top-ranked pole vaulter for the Class of 2008 during her senior season ... Ranks No. 2 all-time among high school girls in the history of the sport with a personal best clearance of 14 feet at the Nollie Arcement Relays during the outdoor season of her senior year ... Was featured in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces In The Crowd” in its publication released May 2, 2008, for her record-setting performance ... Was the fourth-place finisher in the pole vault at the 2008 IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland ... Cleared a height of 13-11 ¼ at the World Championships before fouling out of the competition with the bar resting at 14-1 ¼ ... Earned the right to represent her country at the World Championships by winning a gold medal at the USA Junior Championships in Columbus, Ohio, with a meet record clearance of 13-10 ... Also dominated the competition during the indoor season of her senior year as she swept pole vault titles at the Nike Indoor Nationals in Washington, D.C., and the National Scholastic Indoor Championships in New York ... Successfully defended her title after also winning the pole vault at the Nike Indoor Nationals in 2007 ... Her indoor personal best of 13-9 ¼ set at the state meet in 2008 ranks No. 4 all-time indoors by a high school girl in the United States ... A six-time indoor and outdoor state champion in Louisiana, she won back-to-back Louisiana Gatorade Track and Field Athlete of the Year awards in 2006 and 2007 ... Was named a three-time Track and Field News All-American and a three-time American Track and Field All-American from 2006-08 ... Was also a member of the Girls All-USA Track and Field Team by USA Today for her performance in 2007.

PERSONAL
Full name is Rachel Anne Laurent ... Born on Sept. 21, 1989 ... Daughter of Charlie and Paula Laurent ... Both parents attended LSU ... Has two siblings: Amber and Nicholas ... Was an outstanding student at Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma, where she was a member of the Honor Roll and National Honor Society ... Plans to pursue a degree in economics at LSU.