Edwin Roberts was more than just present when the NCAA Division II had its origin, even though the meet had not yet gained its current name. It was called the NCAA College Division Championships, and Roberts swept the 100- and 220-yard dashes at the first edition in 1963 as freshman.
That was the beginning of a great career as North Carolina Central (known then as North Carolina College) was building a powerhouse. And Roberts, likewise, got better – he earned a pair of bronze medals at the 1964 Olympics before winning two more NCAA DII 220 titles to become the first – and still only – man with three titles in the event.
Roberts helped the Eagles soar to some of their highest moments in the sport.
NCCU’s third-place finish in the 1963 DII team standings remains its highest ever, and in 1964 NCCU won its first-ever team crown in the CIAA – a conference dating back to 1921. NCCU’s first wins at the Penn Relays – 1964 (4×100) and 1965 (4×200) – both included Roberts, with the latter being inducted into the Relays’ Wall of Fame in 2015.
Roberts is already a member of several Halls of Fame, including the NAIA, a meet in which he also won three 220-yard titles.