Kiss The Competition Goodbye
Balazs Kiss of Southern California didn’t waste any time in becoming just the fourth man to win an event at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in four straight years.
Kiss – whose full name is pronounced “BOWL-osh Keesh” – opened up the 1996 NCAA meet with a hammer throw of 80.86m (265-3), a meet record that gave him a victory by 11.04m (36-2) – the largest winning margin for any event in meet history.
His NCAA hammer meet record, which still stands, has only been bettered once by a collegian – by Kiss himself in 1995 at 81.94m (268-10). In fact, no collegian has come within 10 feet of Kiss’s best, and he owns the eight longest collegiate hammer throws all-time and the six longest in NCAA meet history.
After Kiss’ collegiate record in 1995, Trojan throwing coach Dan Lange noted how special Kiss was: “He doesn’t have any weaknesses,” he told Jim Dunaway for Track & Field News. “He’s big, strong, extremely athletic and he has an incredible work ethic. He has a great attitude and is extremely strong mentally.”
At the time, Lange was looking to Kiss’ summer of 1995 – “I don’t see why he can’t win a medal at the Worlds” – but in finishing fourth there his debut on a major global podium would have to wait until the 1996 Olympics, despite extending the all-dates collegiate best that summer to 82.56m (270-10).
At the Atlanta Games, Kiss showed his major-meet mettle, throwing over 260-feet (79.24m) four times with his best a gold medal-winning effort of 81.24m (266-6).
As dominant a collegiate thrower as Kiss was, he survived a scare as a sophomore in 1994, when he battled a hip injury. With two fouls at the NCAA Championships he advanced to the final with a safety effort – at least for him – of 68.82m (225-9). He then climbed out of sixth place to eventually win at 74.84m (245-6). His winning margin that year – just 2.42m (7-11) – was the only one of his NCAA victories less than 10-feet.
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.
Spearmon Sprinted Past Stacked 200 Field
Wallace Spearmon Jr. won back-to-back 200m titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 2004 & 2005. He ran 19.91 (-0.7 m/s) in 2005 to beat a loaded field by 0.17 seconds.
Collegiate Record For BYU’s Andersen
Kassi Andersen set a collegiate record in the steeplechase of 9:44.95 at the 2003 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships, capping a three-year streak in which BYU athletes won the event.
Hook ‘Em, Ivan: Wagner Tied Best HJ Margin
Ivan Wagner won the high jump at the 1997 NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships by more than four inches to tie the largest margin of victory in meet history.
Mason’s Muzzio Starred In Decathlon
Rob Muzzio won back-to-back decathlon titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 1984 & 1985. His victory in 1985 was by 3 points, the smallest margin in meet history.
Roesler Dusted The Competition In 2014
Laura Roesler won the 800 at the 2014 NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships with a negative split (61.06/60.16) & the 2nd largest margin of victory in meet history (1.70 seconds).
Fuchs Went Back-To-Back In Shot Put
Jim Fuchs won back-to-back shot put titles at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 1949 & 1950. He set a meet record in that first year, heaving the orb 17.10m (56-1½).
Lash Led Indiana Dominance In NCAA’s First 5K
Don Lash led a 1-2-4 finish by Indiana in the 5K at the 1936 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. It was the first time in meet history that one team had three top-4 finishers in that event.
Surprise! Brown’s Win Sent Texas A&M To Title
Kamaria Brown beat Jenna Prandini by 0.007 seconds for the 200-meter title at the 2014 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships. It was the smallest margin of victory in meet history.
Coleman Cruised To The Bowerman In 2017
Christian Coleman dazzled at the 2017 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships and set a collegiate record in the 100!
Blanford Blitzed 100H Record Book
Rhonda Blanford set an all-conditions meet record in the 100 Hurdles of 12.70 at the 1985 NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships. She also won the race by 0.30 seconds!