O-H-I- Oh, Reynolds Was Fast!
Butch Reynolds of Ohio State saw something for the first time all year coming into the homestretch of the 400 meters at the 1987 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships at LSU’s Bernie Moore Track Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
That “something” was competition in the form of 1985 NCAA champ Roddie Haley of Arkansas, who was even with Reynolds off the final turn.
Reynolds had become a sensation during the outdoor season, lowering his PR from 45.37 to 44.10 – not just a collegiate record, but the fastest ever by anyone at low altitude. None of his races that spring were close.
But the Buckeye poured on the gas, only easing up as he crossed the finish line in 44.13 for a new meet record. UCLA’s Danny Everett (44.47) overtook Haley (44.82) for second place.
Reynolds almost broke the meet record of 44.30 in the heats, running an eye-popping 44.43 while winning by more than one second. The fastest NCAA prelim previously was 44.74 by Washington State’s Gabriel Tiacoh in 1986 – the year he set the MR of 44.30 in the final.
“I hope this win and my times prove that I am a world-class athlete and I can go with the best,” said Reynolds. “I really feel that the world record of Lee Evans (43.86) is within my reach now.”
It would take a little more than a year, but Reynolds got the WR with a 43.29 that lasted for 11 years until Michael Johnson ran 43.18 in 1999.
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.
UCLA’s Vickers Ruled The 400 Hurdles
Janeene Vickers of UCLA was the first woman to win multiple NCAA DI titles in the 400 Meter Hurdles.
Wykoff Wins Stacked NCAA 100 Final
Frank Wykoff won a stacked 100-yard final at the 1930 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships that featured six current or former world record holders.
Nehemiah Cruises To All-Time World Best In 1979
Renaldo Nehemiah of Maryland set an all-time world best of 12.91 (+3.5) in the 110 Hurdles at the 1979 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships and won by 0.64 seconds.
Liquori Is Mr. Sub-4 At NCAAs
Marty Liquori won three consecutive mile titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, all in sub-4 times.
The 800 Is A Clark Family Affair
The 800 was a family affair for the Clark family, as Hazel Clark and Joetta Clark were the first sisters to win individual titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Johnson Unrivaled In The Heptathlon
Jacquelyn Johnson of Arizona State won four heptathlon titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships between 2004 and 2008.
Northrop Doubles Down In A Unique Way
Phil Northrop scored in unique ways at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships while competing for the Michigan Wolverines.
Texas A&M’s Mills Set 440-Yard WR In 1969
Curtis Mills set a world record in the 440-yard dash at the 1969 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships when he won in 44.7.
Crouser Family Rules NCAA Throwing Events
In 1982, Dean Crouser and Brian Crouser were the first siblings to win individual titles in different events at the same NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Richardson Sprints To Record Day In 2019
Sha’Carri Richardson of LSU broke the collegiate record in the 100 meters with her time of 10.75 at the 2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, among other feats.