Gehrmann Starred In The Mile/1500
Don Gehrmann of Wisconsin – the first athlete to ever win three NCAA titles in the mile/1500 meters – rarely had a particularly fast time.
“I only ran for place,” Gehrmann recalled in 2012 to Gary D’Amato of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “I never ran for time.”
That place was almost always first, as Gehrmann was blessed with a kick that was once described as “burning high-octane gas while the others were powered with low-grade fuel.”
Gehrmann entered the 1947 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships as a 19-year-old freshman having defeated reigning NCAA champion Bob Rehberg of Illinois for the Big Nine (now Big Ten) mile title. At the NCAA meet, Gehrmann stayed too far back to use his kick and finished fourth as Penn State’s Gerry Karver won.
Gehrmann wouldn’t lose a collegiate track race – at any distance – again.
Just a sophomore in 1948, Gehrmann won the NCAA 1500 and three weeks later added the U.S. title. He would eventually finish seventh in the London Olympics after falling on the last curve by stepping on the curb.
Gehrmann won the 1949 and 1950 NCAA miles by more than two seconds each time, but the Milwaukee native’s dominance began to grow beyond collegiate competition. Indoors in 1949, he won the famous Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games, outkicking Wim Slijkhuis of the Netherlands, who won Olympic 1500-meter bronze in London.
That race was the first of four consecutive Wanamaker Mile victories as Gehrmann compiled a record of 39 consecutive mile wins from 1949-52.
Gehrmann displayed incredible range, finishing runner-up twice in the NCAA Cross Country Championships in 1948 and 1949 (when the distance was 4 miles) and clocking an indoor collegiate record for the 880 (1:51.5 in 1949). His speed made him a fixture on the Badgers’ mile relay team, even anchoring the 1950 squad to a conference win after winning the mile and 880.
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.
Texas’ Turner Soared To Triple Jump Greatness
Terri Turner was a two-time TJ champion at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. When Turner won her 2nd title in 1986, she set an all-time world best of 13.66m (44-9¾).
Stanford’s Rothert Starred In The Shot Put
Harlow Rothert won three consecutive shot put titles at the NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships between 1928 & 1930. He set meet records in both 1929 and 1930.
Indiana’s Kharun Set Javelin MR In 2003
Irina Kharun won the javelin title at the 2003 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships with a meet record heave of 61.82m (202-10). It also helped her win by more than 30 feet!
Hume Brothers Had Officials Seeing Double
Twins Robert & Ross Hume purposefully tied for the mile crown at the 1944 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. They tried again in 1945, but officials gave Ross the win.
Woo Pig Sooie! McLeod Sizzled Track In 2015!
Omar McLeod clocked a sizzling 13.01 (+3.9) to win the 110HH at the 2015 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. Only one man had ever gone faster in meet history at the time.
Felicien Starred In The 100H At NCAAs
Perdita Felicien won back-to-back 100H titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships in 2002 & 2003. She set a MR of 12.68 in the semifinals on the way to title No. 2.
Truly “Unbroken,” Zamperini Shined At NCAAs
Louis Zamperini set a meet record in the mile of 4:08.3 at the 1938 NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships. Zamperini, who also won the mile in 1939, saw his record last 15 years.
Hughes Soared To Three Consecutive HJ Titles
Tanya Hughes was the first woman to win three high jump titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships. Hughes did so consecutively in 1991, 1992 & 1993.
Kyriazis Made Point With Javelin In 2017
Ioannis Kyriazis set a meet record in the javelin of 82.58m (270-11) and won by more than 19 feet at the 2017 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships.
Sharpe Bounded To Meet History In 1956
Bill Sharpe became the first man to eclipse the 50-foot barrier in the triple jump at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 1956. Sharpe won with his 15.36m (50‑4¾) effort.