Oregon’s Washington Made NCAA History In 2016
Before 2016, no freshman woman had completed the same-year sweep of the 100 and 200 in the history of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Look closer and you’ll see that only one freshman had won the 100 in the previous 34 years (Angela Williams of Southern California in 1999 on her way to four in a row) and the best finish by a freshman in the half-lap final was national runner-up (Muna Lee of LSU in 2001 and Shalonda Solomon of South Carolina in 2005).
So, it would have been easy to write off Ariana Washington’s chances that year purely based on where she stood coming into the meet. The Oregon freshman sat in a tie for 11th on the seasonal Descending Order List in the 100 at 11.18 and 26th in the 200 at 22.97 – both marks that she turned in at the Pac-12 Outdoor Championships less than one month earlier.
Many learned over the years to doubt “Hayward Magic” at their own peril.
Washington starred on the big stage in front of her hometown crowd at Hayward Field.
After posting the fastest time in the semifinal of the 100, Washington beat Ashley Henderson of San Diego State by 0.01 seconds for the national title (10.95 to 10.96 with a 2.6 m/s tailwind). It was also the Ducks’ fourth 100-meter crown in the past five years: Washington followed in the footsteps of two-time champion English Gardner (2012 and 2013) and 2015 The Bowerman winner Jenna Prandini.
Less than one hour later, Washington returned to the track for the final of the 200. This time, she had posted the second fastest mark in the semifinal and would start alongside teammate and top qualifier Deajah Stevens. Together, they wanted to score big points to allow Oregon to keep pace with eventual champion Arkansas in the team standings.
Once the gun went off, Stevens and Washington left the other competitors standing still. And by the time the race ended – some 22.21 seconds later – Washington made history and posted the third fastest wind-legal winning time in meet history behind Dawn Sowell’s collegiate record in 1989 (22.04) and Dezerea Bryant’s mark from the previous year (22.18).
Washington continued her winning ways at the NCAA Championships as a sophomore, matching her outdoor 200-meter crown with the indoor version in 2017. And while she never topped the podium again as an individual — a runner-up finish in the 200 at the outdoor meet that year would be best she did — Washington helped the Ducks complete the only Triple Crown by an NCAA DI women’s program as they won national titles in cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field during the 2016-17 academic year.
The NCAA and collegiate track & field will mark a momentous milestone in the spring of 2021 -- the 100th anniversary of the NCAA Championships and with that, the NCAA Track & Field Championships. In June 1921, the University of Chicago hosted the first track & field championships in NCAA history.
This point can’t be emphasized enough: Not only was the event the first for NCAA track & field, but the first championships for any sport under the sponsorship of the NCAA.
To celebrate, over each of the next 365 days, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) will celebrate moments, student-athletes, and coaches that have made a century’s worth of championships special. From humble beginnings to important historical milestones to the modern-day, collegiate track & field has evolved with the American society.
The 2021 edition of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships begin with preliminary round action on May 27-29 in Jacksonville, Fla., and College Station, Texas. The championships final site and culmination of the celebration is slated for June 9-12, 2021 at the newly rebuilt Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
Oregon’s Burleson Races To Meet’s First Sub-4 Mile
ON THIS DAY: Dyrol Burleson of Oregon recorded the first sub-4 minute mile in meet history at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Burleson finished in 3:59.8 and used a 55.2 closing lap to seal the deal.
Nebraska’s Greene Equals 100-Yard World Record
ON THIS DAY IN 1967: Charlie Greene of Nebraska equaled the world record in the 100 yards with his time of 9.1 at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Twice As Nice For Texas’ Richards In 2003
ON THIS DAY: Sanya Richards of Texas became the first freshman (man or woman) to win the 400 & double back to anchor the winning 4×400 relay team.
Hubbard Makes World History At NCAAs
ON THIS DAY: DeHart Hubbard of Michigan achieved the first ratified world record ever set at the NCAA Championships in 1925.
Barringer Caps Legendary Collegiate Career
Exactly 11 years ago, Jenny Barringer of Colorado became the first woman to win the steeplechase three times in a career at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Villanova’s Reid Completes Historic 1500-5K Double
Sheila Reid of Villanova completed the first 1500-5K double at the same NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships on June 11, 2011!
Brazier Makes History Two Laps At A Time
Donavan Brazier of Texas A&M set the collegiate record of 1:43.55 in the Men’s 800 Meters at the 2016 NCAA Track & Field Championships.
Wottle Leads Eight Men Under Four Minutes
On this day in 1973, Dave Wottle of Bowling Green led eight runners under the 4-minute barrier for the mile – just the second time such depth had occurred anywhere in the world.
Fight On! Southern California’s Historic Day
Three collegiate records in 80 minutes is what Southern California’s men’s team did ON THIS DAY back in 2018.
Holloway’s Texas Two-Step Into The Record Book
On this day in 2019, Grant Holloway of Florida broke Renaldo Nehemiah’s 40-year-old collegiate record in the Men’s 110 Hurdles.