ON THIS DAY: Kerley Set 400-Meter CR In Austin
Going into the 2017 outdoor season, no collegian had gone sub-44.00 in the 400 within the confines of the collegiate season. Quincy Watts of Southern California held the collegiate record at that exact mark since his victory at the 1992 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Austin, Texas.
Indoors, Fred Kerley of Texas A&M made his presence felt that year with a few of the fastest marks in collegiate history. Kerley ripped two laps in 45.02 in his season opener at the Clemson Tiger Paw for what was the No. 3 spot on the all-time chart. Fast forward to the postseason and Kerley lowered his PR to 44.94 at the SEC Indoor Championships, in turn setting an all-time collegiate best on an oversized track. Then, Kerley went even faster in front of his home crowd at the NCAA Indoor Championships, winning the 400-meter title in 44.85 to become the fourth-fastest man in world history.
Get your popcorn ready, folks. It’s about to get good.
Even though Kerley didn’t make his outdoor debut until mid-April at the Michael Johnson Classic, he didn’t show any signs of rust. Kerley stopped the clock at 44.60 for what was the third-fastest mark in collegiate history that early in the season (The only two men two who ran faster were Vernon Norwood of LSU in 2015 at 44.44 and Watts in 1992 at 44.46).
Magic followed three weeks later at the SEC Outdoor Championships, where Kerley scorched a 44.09 in the prelims for the second-fastest, in-season collegiate performance behind Watts’ near 25-year-old record. Read that again, though: Kerley did that in the prelims.
After winning the SEC title at 44.30 – a time slowed by inclement weather, in which Kerley said he “didn’t adjust anything … but I was racing, instead of just running my race today” – he turned his attention to the all-important NCAA postseason.
Getting to the quarterfinals of the NCAA DI West Preliminary Round in Austin, Texas, proved easy for Kerley, as he clocked a comparatively-pedestrian 45.95 to win his first-round section.
Given the high-stakes nature of the ensuing afternoon, Kerley had a championship mindset.
“I was running smart yesterday to set up the race for today,” Kerley said after the meet. “Coach (Alleyne) Francique and I were talking about the collegiate record being set in Austin and it would be wonderful to break it here in front of him. I just want to keep on improving.”
Everybody in attendance at Mike A. Myers Stadium – including Watts, then and now an assistant coach at Southern California – knew what was coming next. On May 26, 2017, exactly four years ago today, Kerley covered 400 meters in 43.70 to demolish Watts’ collegiate record and become the seventh-fastest man in world history.
Several weeks later, Kerley completed the NCAA sweep with a 44.10 effort at Historic Hayward Field and anchored the Aggies to 4×400 relay glory with a 43.99 split. Kerley’s margin of victory in the 400 was 0.59 seconds, the largest in meet history since 1992 (If you don’t know who won that race, then you haven’t been paying attention: Quincy Watts by 0.84 seconds).
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.
Event Dominance Propelled South Carolina’s Run
South Carolina rose to prominence in the late 1990s to early 2000s thanks to a trio of extremely talented sprinters.
Calhoun High Hurdled Into The Record Book
Lee Calhoun of North Carolina Central set meet records in back-to-back years at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships!
Howl Yes! Bell Vaulted To Greatness
Earl Bell won three consecutive pole vault titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships between 1975 and 1977,
McLaughlin Had No Hurdling Competition
In 2018, Sydney McLaughlin set a 400H collegiate record in May and then posted the largest margin of victory in NCAA DI meet history one month later.
Oregon’s Jerome Sprinted To NCAA Glory
Harry Jerome won two national titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, highlighted by a meet record in the 100 meters in 1964.
Levins Kicked Past Competition In 5K/10K
Cam Levins swept the 5K & 10K at the 2012 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships and won The Bowerman that same year.
Russell Dominated The 100H At NCAAs
Gillian Russell won three career 100H titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, doing so between 1993 and 1995.
Fosbury Flopped To High Jump Glory
Dick Fosbury, creator of the “Fosbury Flop,” won back-to-back high jump titles at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 1968 and 1969 with meet records in both years.
Fleshman Starred In The 5000 Meters
Lauren Fleshman posted three victories in the 5000 meters at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in her career.
X-Man Reigned At 2006 NCAA Meet
Xavier Carter won four national titles at the 2006 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, completing the only 100-400 sweep and helping the title-winning 4×100 and 4×400 relay teams.