After establishing school track and field records at two different high schools, Omaha North's LaQue Moen-Davis sets her sights on Texas A&M and volleyball.
Signing her name to a national letter of intent in February not only guaranteed
Omaha North (Neb.) track and field standout LaQue Moen-Davis an opportunity to compete for two-time defending national outdoor champion Texas A&M. Her signature also guaranteed the Vikings senior an opportunity to compete in two sports.
For Moen-Davis, that was important considering she embarked on a monster athletic load from middle school through her high school career. She was apprehensive about being bored.
"I am used to being so busy," Moen-Davis said of her need to compete. "I don't know what I'd do. It would really be difficult to play just one sport. It's pretty exciting."
LaQue Moen-Davis has her name all overthe Nebraska track record books, andshe wants to add it more.
Courtesy photo
After getting the OK from the Aggie coaching staff to compete in a second sport, Moen-Davis opted for basketball. But the possibility of injury was far too great, and the clash of schedules between the two sports forced her future coaches to balk at that idea.
Moen-Davis then chose volleyball, a sport she played for the first time last fall.
"At first, (volleyball) was kind of a struggle," Moen-Davis admitted. "But it was fun. And the more I played, the better I got. I love the environment and doing all of the volleyball stuff."
From wrestling and playing football in middle school to competing in basketball, softball, volleyball and of course track and field, Moen-Davis has excelled in every endeavor she took an interest in.
The six-sport star considered hitting the gridiron while attending seventh grade. However, tackle football was not offered, forcing Moen-Davis to forfeit that opportunity. The starting tight end didn't hesitate, however, when the opportunity arose to butt heads playing tackle football in the eighth grade.
"I'm basically a competitor," Moen-Davis said of the half-dozen sports she tackled throughout middle school and high school. "I wanted to try something different each year. I'm kind of a tomboy, I guess. I like full contact. Yes, I like the physical (challenges) of playing sports."
Track coach Eric Johnson said it makes sense that Moen-Davis is more than just a track athlete.
"She is a freakishly good athlete with a lot of God-given talent," he said. "I can't speak for volleyball, but the sky is the limit for her in track. She is a tremendous athlete with a great drive for success. She doesn't like to lose."
As well as Moen-Davis has performed elsewhere in athletics, it's been on the track and in the jumping pits that she's made a name for herself. Moen-Davis transferred from Omaha Central in time for her junior season and now holds school records at two different Omaha high schools.
Continue reading{PAGEBREAK}MaxPreps' (2011) fourth-ranked long jumper nationally placed her name atop the Omaha Central record books in the 100-meter high hurdles (13.983 seconds), long jump (19 feet, 6 inches) and in the triple jump (40-6 1/2) as a sophomore. She also tied Avrie Welton for the school mark in the high jump (5-6) and ran a leg on the school's top 800-meter relay time of 1:45.32 during the same season.
Last year, Moen-Davis set Viking standards in the high jump (5-6), long jump (20-2 3/4) and in the triple jump (42-4). The impact of holding records at two schools is not lost on Moen-Davis.
"It's kind of a big deal," she said. "It's great to be remembered for that. Now I have to work to get better."
As for competing against her former teammates?
"I'm definitely very competitive," Moen-Davis said. "At least I get to see my old friends. I do get the traitor word and stuff at times, but it's all in fun. They're still my good friends."
When the Nebraska state track meet rolls around in May, Moen-Davis will be trying for a four-year sweep in the 100 high hurdles after winning Class A gold in the event as a freshman, sophomore and a junior. The jumping extraordinaire has lost just twice in the short hurdle event during her prep career, yet she considers the triple jump to be her best event. Each loss was to Viking teammate Brianna McGhee at Lincoln High's Beechner Athletic Complex. Moen-Davis is listed second on the Cornhusker State's all-time charts in the event, while McGhee sits seventh.
"We definitely get each other going regardless of which race we're running," Moen-Davis said of the push she gets from McGhee. "She's a very good athlete and I expect her to do a lot next year. She's somebody that I can expect to break a couple of my records."
The very threat of losing those school and state records, just a year after completing her prep eligibility, has Moen-Davis striving for some big numbers this spring. She wants to push her records out there.
"I want all-class gold in four events," Moen-Davis said after winning three such medals a year ago. "I also want a (state meet) record. In the triple jump I want to go 42…43…44. My goal in the long jump is to clear 21 and I want to run the 300 hurdles in 45 seconds or less. Over the summer I ran the 100 hurdles in 13.7. I'd like to hit that mark again, or lower."
Except for a third-place finish in the long jump as a freshman, the Nebraska state record holder in both the long and the triple jumps would be attempting to capture a sweep in the long jump as well. Instead, the 12-time Nebraska state track and field meet medalist will have to settle for going after her third straight career gold in the event.
"It has been a lot of fun," remarked Johnson on being able to coach Moen-Davis. "She can do some amazing things. Now it's just a matter of tweaking some things. While most athletes make marked improvements when they add an inch here or there, she is capable of adding 6 inches to a foot."
