Hook ‘Em, Courtney: Okolo Starred At NCAAs
Courtney Okolo already made a name for herself before she stepped on the track at Historic Hayward Field for the 2014 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Less than four weeks earlier, Okolo broke the collegiate record in the outdoor 400 with a 50.03 effort to win the Big 12 Conference crown. That was 0.07 seconds faster than what Monique Henderson turned in at the 2005 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships for the previous best, so many felt Henderson’s meet record was also on borrowed time.
History would have to wait for Okolo, as she went 50.23 for her first NCAA Outdoor title. That being said, it is currently the fastest mark ever turned in by a sophomore in meet history.
Okolo returned to the track the following afternoon to close out the meet with the Longhorns’ 4×400 relay. She scorched the track with a sizzling 49.57 anchor – which was then the second fastest carry ever recorded in meet history – and helped Texas dip under the previous meet record at 3:24.21 and hit the second fastest mark in collegiate history.
All of those efforts led Okolo to being named a finalist for The Bowerman, collegiate track & field’s highest honor. While Okolo didn’t win that year, she returned to the same stage two years later after completing the 400-meter quadruple in 2016 (Okolo swept both 400s and anchored title-winning 4×400 relays at the NCAA Championships) and laid claim to the prestigious award.
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.
Ritchie Doubles Down In The Throws
Meg Ritchie of Arizona became the first woman in the history of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships to win any two events in 1982.
Three-For-Three: Woodruff Made It Look Easy
John Woodruff of Pittsburgh won three consecutive 800/880 titles at the NCAA Track & Field Championships from 1937 to 1939.
The Tie Goes To The Runner(s)
Bill Straub of Army and Jim Murphy of Air Force TIED for the 5000-meter title at the 1964 NCAA Track & Field Championships!
Ottey’s Audacious Quadruple In 1983
Merlene Ottey of Nebraska sought to win NCAA titles in the 100, 200, 400 and 4×100 relay in 1983.
He’s Great: LSU’s Davis Soars To History
Walter Davis, who turns 41 today, scored 22¼ points at the 2002 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championship to lead LSU to the national team title.
Scott Neilson Is NCAA T&F’s Mr. Canada
Scott Neilson of Washington won four consecutive hammer throw titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships between 1976 and 1979.
A Crowning Moment For Rogers In 2017
Back in 2017, Raevyn Rogers of Oregon dazzled at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships with a victory in the 800 and a sizzling anchor on the winning 4×400 relay.
Robinson Brothers Make NCAA T&F History
Can you name the first set of siblings to win NCAA Track & Field titles? We’ll give you a hint: Their last name is Robinson.
UTEP’s Nyambui Goes 7-For-7 Outdoors
Suleiman Nyambui of UTEP never lost a race at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships. He went a perfect 7-for-7 over four years.
Oxy’s Gutowski Vaults To Record Heights
Bob Gutowski of Occidental won the pole vault at the 1957 NCAA Outdoor Championships with a clearance of 4.82m (15-9¾), a mark that surpassed the world record but was never ratified.