An Illustrious Career For Charlie Craig

Celebrating A Century of NCAA Track & Field Championships

An Illustrious Career For Charlie Craig

Charlie Craig not only found a new school in the fall of 1962, but a new event as well – the triple jump.

Newly enrolled at Fresno State, Craig was a 23-11¾ (7.31m) long jumper from Fresno City College before the California Community College Athletic Association even had the triple jump. In fact, the event was relatively new everywhere – even the NCAA didn’t hold the event every year until 1959.

Also new in 1963 was the NCAA College Division, a meet for smaller schools that predated the current Division I/II/III setup (larger schools then competed in the University Division).

The College Division was so strong in the new event that its 1-2 from that meet duplicated the finish at the University Division with Norm Tate of North Carolina Central beating Craig, 51-0¼ (15.55m) to 50-2¼ (15.29m).

The Tate/Craig duo returned in 1964 with a different order of finish as Craig won the College Division meet at 51-9¼ (15.78m), before taking the University Division competition with a wind-aided 51-8¾ (15.76m) to win by more than a foot as Tate was third.

Craig – who earlier in the season had set a collegiate record of 52-4 (15.95m) – had two other marks in the meet that would have won at 51-1½ (15.58m) and 51-0¼ (15.55m).

After retiring from competition, Craig became a Hall of Fame coach, starting the Cal State Bakersfield program from scratch in 1972. Under his tutelage the Roadrunner program had 18 NCAA Division II champions and 195 All-Americans. Craig was inducted into the USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame in 2008.

posted: October 17, 2020
1921-2021
The NCAA's First Championships

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.

Memorable Moments
Gerber Graduated To Elite Company
June 1, 1984

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.” 

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
June 19, 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.

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.