Rollins Rewrites Hurdling History
Collegiate hurdling records learned to live in fear very quickly when Brianna Rollins (now Rollins-McNeal) stepped on the track in 2013.
After all, her very first final of the year at The Tiger Challenge in early January resulted in the still-standing collegiate record of 7.78 in the 60 Meter Hurdles. And before the 2013 outdoor season ended, Rollins had each of the three fastest indoor marks in collegiate history and each of the two fastest outdoor marks in the 100 Meter Hurdles, both of which were set in a dynamo performance at the 2013 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Historic Hayward Field.
Rollins entered the NCAA outdoor meet that year with her eyes fixated on completing an undefeated senior year in the sprint hurdles and etching her name atop the collegiate outdoor record book a few more times.
It didn’t take long for Rollins to do either: Try a grand total of 24.86 seconds.
On Thursday, Rollins won her semifinal heat in 12.47 (+1.2) and bettered the seven-year-old collegiate standard set by Ginnie Powell of Southern California by the slimmest of margins – 0.01 seconds (Powell ran 12.48 to win the NCAA title in 2006). That also marked a 0.07-second PR for Rollins, who had clocked a slightly wind-aided 12.54 to win the event at the Texas Relays earlier that year.
Then, on Saturday, Rollins blitzed the final and left no doubt that she was the unquestioned queen of the sprint hurdles. Rollins lowered her PR and collegiate record to 12.39 (+1.7) and won by 0.40 seconds over Kori Carter of Stanford, who had set a collegiate record of her own in the 400 Meter Hurdles the day before. That also tied Rollins with Gillian Russell of Miami (Fla.) for the largest margin of victory in meet history.
Rollins didn’t stop there, though. After the collegiate season, the future winner of The Bowerman set the American record at 12.26 to win the U.S. title and then staged an epic come-from-behind victory to win the gold medal at the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow.
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.
Gerber Graduated To Elite Company
Farley Gerber of Weber State turned the steeplechase at the 1984 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships into an ultimate game of “Catch Me If You Can.”
Jenkins Set Low-Altitude Meet Best In 1999
LaTasha Jenkins of Ball State set a low-altitude meet best of 22.29 in the 200 meters at the 1999 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships!
Rice Cooked On The Course & Track
Greg Rice, winner of the first NCAA cross country title OTD in 1938, also won two career crowns at the outdoor championships, both in the 2 mile.
Prandini Dazzled At NCAAs In 2015
2015 The Bowerman winner Jenna Prandini scored 26 points at the NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships that year, winning the 100 and finishing runner-up in the 200 and long jump.
Devers Reached Legendary Status In 1988
Gail Devers scored 28½ points at the 1988 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships: 100 (1st, 10.86w), 4×400 (1st, 51.4 split), LJ (2nd, 6.55m | 21-6), 4×100 (2nd), 100H (3rd, 12.90).
Hall Equaled 120H World Record In 1969
Erv Hall won the NCAA title in the 120 Yard Hurdles at the 1969 NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships, one day after setting the world record of 13.2 in the prelims.
Tulloch Shook Nerves, Dominated Javelin
Valerie Tulloch became the first woman in NCAA DI history to win three javelin titles, doing so in 1992 and then back-to-back in 1994 & 1995.
Seagren Vaulted Into The Record Book
Bob Seagren won two career pole vault titles at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. He set meet records with victories in 1967 (5.28m/17-4) and 1969 (5.35m/17-7).
Gophers’ Gordien Golden With The Disc
Fortune Gordien finished runner-up in the discus at the 1943 NCAA Championships, spent two years in the Navy during World War II and then won three consecutive titles between 1946 and 1948.
Price Was Right In The Hammer
DeAnna Price won back-to-back hammer throw titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 2015 and 2016.