SMU’s Ezeh Hammered Out Greatness
Dave Wollman said he could divide his 28-year SMU coaching career into “BF and AF: Before Flo and After Flo.”
“Flo” is Florence Ezeh, the only woman to win three NCAA Division I hammer throw titles.
While Ezeh (pronounced “Uh-Zay”) made her coach realize the mental aspect of an athlete was as important as the physical, everyone else saw the results of her tremendous competitive fire.
Ezeh won her final NCAA title in 2001 with a dominant performance that had never been seen before. She wasted no time in breaking her own meet record from the previous year – doing so on her first attempt – and then put four more marks past it as well. By the time the dust settled, Ezeh increased her meet record to 66.85m (219-4) in Round 5.
“She loves training and competing, but never really liked the NCAA meet,” Wollman told Jon Hendershott of Track & Field News. “She puts so much pressure on herself. But she’s very pleased with three throws over 66m (216-6) and three titles.”
Ezeh, who was born in the African nation of Togo and moved to France with her family when she was young, didn’t win the 2000 NCAA quite as easily. Although Ezeh was defending champion, she trailed after three rounds to Nebraska’s Melissa Price, who had thrown a then-meet record of 64.24m (210-9). Ezeh came through in Round 4, extending the meet record to 64.58m (211-10) for the crown.
Indoors, Ezeh added two NCAA titles in the weight throw for a combined total of five – two fewer than the seven accumulated by UCLA’s Seilala Sua for the most by a female thrower in NCAA Division I history. Were it not for Ezeh’s heroics at the 2000 NCAA Indoor Championships, Sua’s total would be eight. Sua had taken the lead in Round 5 at 21.03m (69-0) before Ezeh’s last-round winner of 21.32m (69-11½).
“Until that last throw – I was scared – the confidence wasn’t there,” Ezeh told Bert Rosenthal of the Associated Press (Ezeh had lost the year before by 8 cm/3 inches). “Something in me was shaking. Then my power started to diminish. My power came back. I said ‘I can’t be second again.’”
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.
SIU’s Roggy Dominated The Javelin In 1978
Bob Roggy won the javelin title at the 1978 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships by more than 20 feet. Roggy qualified first for the final with a MR heave of 89.30m (293‑0).
Makusha Made History In Bowerman Year Of 2011
Ngoni Makusha became just the fourth man in meet history to win individual titles in both the 100 and LJ. It was his 3rd career LJ crown and he set a CR in the 100 of 9.89.
George Mason’s Gage Shocked The NCAA LJ In 1988
Nena Gage won the long jump at the 1988 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in a shocking upset over Gail Devers.
Texas’ Thompson Marveled In NCAA Distance Events
Jerry Thompson won three career distance titles at the NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships. His first came in 1943. Then he won again in 1947 & 1948 after serving in World War II.
Grinnell’s Paulu Sprinted To NCAA History
Leonard Paulu was the first athlete to complete the 100-200 double in NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships history in 1922. That also made him the 1st to win back-to-back 100 titles, too.
Scott Won Back-To-Back NCAA Hammer Titles
Candice Scott won back-to-back hammer throw titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 2003 & 2004. Scott set a meet record of 69.77m (228-11) in that first year.
Drouin Soared To The Bowerman In 2013
Derek Drouin won two career HJ titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. When Drouin won in 2013, he was only the fourth man to clear 2.34m (7-8) in meet history.
Watts Made Quick Work Of NCAA 400
Quincy Watts set a meet record in the 400 of 44.00 at the 1992 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships. It lasted 25 years until 2017.
Iowa State’s Koll Rolled To 5K-10K Crowns
Lisa Koll won three career titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in dominant fashion. Her average margin of victory in those 5K & 10K races was 37.73 seconds.
LSU’s Hardin Completed Unique 440-220H Double Twice
The nearly unheard of 440-220H double was so nice that Glenn Hardin did it twice! Hardin became the first to do so in meet history in 1933 and then swept them again in 1934.