LAFAYETTE The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns track and field team will open its 2015 outdoor season on Saturday when it travels to Lake Charles to compete in the Cowboy Relays "Bob Hayes Louisiana Challenge" at the Cameron Communications Track Complex.

Louisiana, which will participate in both the men's and women's events, will be joined by host McNeese State along with Northwestern State, New Orleans, Southeastern Louisiana, Nicholls State, Loyola, Xavier, ULM, Alcorn State, Texas Southern, Grambling, Jarvis Christian, Southern, Tulane, Southwest Christian, Wiley College, and several unattached athletes.

The meet will get underway at 9 a.m. with the women's hammer throw and men's javelin. Running events will start at noon with the men's and women's 4x200-meter relay. The running events are set on a rolling schedule and will end with the men's and women's 4x400-meter relays.

Scoring will be done with a SWEEPS format with the team with the highest total points combined in the men's and women's scoring will take home the "Bob Hayes Trophy" which is in honor of former McNeese State track coach and athletic director Bob Hayes. Louisiana won the trophy last year by edging out McNeese.

"We are excited about getting the outdoor season started," head coach Lon Badeaux said. "We added some athletes in a few events in outdoor that will really help us within the (Sun Belt) conference."

The Ragin' Cajuns will bring a veteran team on the men's side, highlighted by 2014 Indoor All-American Justin Victor, who is scheduled to compete in the hammer throw. Returning All-Sun Belt Conference performer Morgan Cormier will also provide leadership on the men's side for Louisiana with Devin Davis, Dionte Heath, freshman Tyler Hughes, Will LeBlanc and Matthew Rice.

Several newcomers will make their outdoor debuts on the men's side for Louisiana, including transfers Jeryl Brazil (LSU) and Jacolby Cooper (Louisiana Tech), along with freshman Arthur Price.

"It will be nice to get Justin Victor back to compete for us in his final season," Badeaux said. "He should be the best hammer thrower in the conference and one of the best in the NCAA's. We also add freshman Bartul Basic, who has a personal best that should rank him high in the conference. I'm also interested to see where some of our late additions (Jeryl Brazil and Arthur Price) have developed into since they had a late start being mid-year additions."

On the women's side, All-Sun Belt Conference performers Tia Mitchell and Joya Tardieff will be some of the key figures for the Ragin' Cajuns with Alexandra Harrell and Jasmin Fusilier looking to build off an all-conference performance during the indoor season.

Addie Shafer, who finished fifth in the javelin as a freshman at the 2014 Sun Belt Outdoor Championships, returns for the Ragin' Cajuns with senior Amber Sharp, sophomore Chelcie Sonnier and newcomer Madison Meche joining her in the event.

Newcomers Alena Hrusoci, DaNay Rowland, Courtney Broussard and Caitlin Domingues will make their outdoor debuts for Louisiana, which finished seventh at last year's SBC Championships before earning a third-place finish at last month's SBC Indoor Championships.