Checking The Record Book: Post-Outdoor Season

Here’s a number for you: 36.

That’s how many combined records in championship events fell across five collegiate divisions this outdoor season.

From The USTFCCCA InfoZone: Records & Lists

Nine of those were collegiate records, including six that were set at the 2024 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships: Leo Neugebauer of Texas in the decathlon (8961); Nickisha Pryce of Arkansas in the 400 meters (48.89); Doris Lemngole of Alabama in the steeplechase (9:15.24); Parker Valby of Florida in the 5000 meters (14:52.18); Arkansas in the 4×400 relay (3:17.96); and Rhema Otabor of Nebraska in the javelin throw (64.19m/210-7). Both 10,000-meter records also fell during the season with Valby and Nico Young of Northern Arizona doing the respective honors (30:50.43 for Valby; 26:52.72 for Young), as did the standard in the women’s shot put thanks to Jaida Ross of Oregon and her 20.01m (65-7¾) heave.

No division downed more known records than the NAIA with 13. It was a near-even split between records set by men and women at six and seven, respectively.

NCAA Division II athletes demoted seven previous all-time bests to second (or worse), while those in NCAA Division III and the NJCAA were responsible for the seven remaining record-breaking efforts with four and three, respectively.