Rice’s Roberts Cooked Up Pole Vault Greatness
Dave Roberts wasn’t in the lead until making his final pole vault attempt at the 1973 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships at LSU’s Bernie Moore Stadium.
The senior from Rice had won the 1971 and 1972 NCAA meets, but he found himself behind after a third-attempt clearance at his opening height of 17-0 (5.18m).
Even though it was a clutch make for Roberts, he would need one more in order to win and put himself in never-before territory.
The proving ground was the event’s final height of 17-4 (5.28m), and everything came down to the final attempt after Terry Porter of Kansas and Florida’s Mike Cotton missed three times. At that point Cotton held the lead with Porter ahead of Roberts as all of the places were determined on fewer misses.
Roberts made tie-breaking procedures moot with a final-attempt clearance, and his victory was also significant in that it made him the event’s first three-time winner without a tie.
As a post-collegian, Roberts went on to set two world records, including one at the 1976 U.S. Olympic Trials with a pole borrowed from then-WR holder Earl Bell, a young Arkansas State star who would later match Roberts’ feat of three solo NCAA titles in the pole vault.
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.
Oregon’s Washington Made NCAA History In 2016
Ariana Washington of Oregon became the first freshman woman to sweep the 100 and 200 at the same NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 2016.
Juskus Capped Whirlwind Week With Title
Mike Juskus of Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) won the NCAA DI & NCAA DIII javelin titles in 1981.
Stanford Had Opponents Seeing (Cardinal) Red
Stanford’s distance runners led them to great success in the late 1990s, which resulted in a national title in 2000!
Ostrander Made Steeplechase History
Allie Ostrander of Boise State became the first woman in the history of the NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships to win three consecutive steeplechase titles.
UCLA’s Boldon Bounced Back With 100 MR
Ato Boldon of UCLA set a meet record in the Men’s 100 Meters at the 1996 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Let’s Discus(s) Some NCAA Throwing History
Cliff Felkins & Eric “Duke” Kicinski both won discus titles at the NCAA DI & NCAA DII level and were members of Texas Tech’s national championship team in 2019.
“Year Of The Vault” Ends In Epic Duel
Sandi Morris and Demi Payne raised the bar in the Women’s Pole Vault during an epic 2015 season that was dubbed “The Year of the Vault.”
Lalang Avenged Loss, Made History
Lawi Lalang beat Edward Cheserek in a thrilling duel to set a meet record in the 5000 Meters at the 2014 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships & doubled back to finish runner-up in the 1500 Meters the next day.
Wolcott Hurdled Into NCAA History
Fred Wolcott of Rice won five NCAA hurdling titles at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, including three consecutive crowns in the 220-yard version.
Tarr Family Collects Father-Daughter NCAA Crowns
Jerry Tarr & Sheila Tarr were the first father-daughter pair of each win an individual NCAA title at the NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships.