Lendore Capped Dream Year At NCAAs

Celebrating A Century of NCAA Track & Field Championships

Lendore Capped Dream Year At NCAAs

June 13, 2014

Going undefeated in an event like the 400 is no small task.

Deon Lendore of Texas A&M was a giant among men six years ago.

From his first indoor race at the Texas A&M Quadrangular to his final outdoor competition of the season at Historic Hayward Field, Lendore turned away all competitors in his signature event. Lendore posted a perfect 8-0 record in 400-meter finals and added another victory in the 200 to boot. He was also a member of the Aggies’ vaunted 4×400 relay team that won the NCAA outdoor title and helped them finish runner-up in the 4×100 relay.

That resume led Lendore, who celebrates his 28th birthday today, to win The Bowerman, collegiate track & field’s highest honor, over a pair of incredible distance runners who rewrote the record book that year – Oregon’s Edward Cheresk and Arizona’s Lawi Lalang.

Lendore introduced himself to the world in late February when he won the 400-meter title at the SEC Indoor Championships with a world-leading time of 45.03. That mark also made him the fourth fastest performer in collegiate history at the time (Lendore has since dropped to 8th). 

Just a few weeks later, Lendore easily won the NCAA title in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He went 45.21 for a 0.25-second victory over Vernon Norwood of LSU, who’d win the event the next year.

Lendore then turned his attention outdoors and his 44.90 at the Sun Angel Classic was one of two times that he went sub-45 during the season. The other instance came at the SEC Outdoor Championships at 44.36 to become the seventh fastest collegian ever (Lendore is now 12th).

At the 2014 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Lendore held off Oregon’s Mike Berry at the finish line for a 0.05-second victory in the 400 – 45.02 to 45.07. That victory came one day before Lendore anchored the runner-up 4×100 relay as well as his 44.10 final tote on the 4×400 relay that gave Texas A&M a winning time of 2:59.60 for the third fastest mark in meet history.

Lendore is a five-time global medalist, taking home one Olympic bronze medal as part of Trinidad & Tobago’s 4×400 relay team at the 2012 London Games and four other World Championship medals between the indoor (three) and outdoor (one) installments.

posted: October 28, 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
Mikkola Set Javelin MR With Huge Win

Esko Mikkola was a two-time JT winner at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. When Mikkola won in 1998, he set a MR of 81.86m (268‑7) and won by 17 feet!

Little Made Big 400H History
June 11, 2016

Shamier Little won three consecutive 400H titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships between 2014 & 2016. Little became the No. 2 performer in collegiate history with her 53.51 winner in 2016.

Ellerbe Won After Film Review In 1939

Mozelle Ellerbe won back-to-back 100-yard dash titles at the NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships in 1938 & 1939. His victory in the 2nd year was confirmed by a film review.

McCullouch Ran Legendary Times At NCAAs

Earl McCullouch of Southern California won back-to-back 120H titles at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships and was a member of a WR-setting quarter-mile relay team.

Walton Started It All In The 800

Delisa Walton won the first women’s 800 at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 1982. Walton is the mother of Ebonie Floyd, who finished 2nd in the 2007 100.

Gipson, Ugen Made Long Jump History

Whitney Gipson & Lorraine Ugen were the first teammates to win women’s long jump titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in consecutive years (Gipson in 2012; Ugen in 2013).