Devers Reached Legendary Status In 1988
It wasn’t until her 15th career final that Gail Devers of UCLA won her first title at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Devers made it a statement victory, winning the 1988 NCAA 100 meters by a whopping 0.28 seconds – almost twice as large a margin as the meet had ever seen before.
The time was also incredible – a wind-aided 10.86 – that made Devers the fastest collegiate woman under any conditions. Devers earlier had set the wind-legal collegiate record of 11.05 just two weeks earlier at the Pacific 10 Championships.
Asked if the monkey was off her back, Devers responded: “Yeah, monkey, refrigerator, house – whatever you want to call it.”
But there was still work to do – Devers had two more finals and every point was crucial as UCLA was in the middle of a knockout team battle with defending champ LSU.
Some 30 minutes later, Devers lined up for the 100-meter hurdles final, an event in which she held the American record and collegiate record after scorching a 12.61 at the Pac-10 meet.
In a dramatic race, Devers led until crashing into the ninth hurdle, which allowed Arizona State’s Lynda Tolbert to take control and win in a meet-record 12.82. Defending champ LaVonna Martin of Tennessee (12.85) and Devers (12.90) followed in the meet’s first trio of sub-13 hurdlers.
At this point, Devers had amassed 26 points in the meet as she was also runner-up in the long jump and had anchored UCLA’s second-place 4×100 relay team. That was second-most points in meet history to the 28 that Nebraska’s Merlene Ottey accumulated in 1983.
But UCLA trailed LSU by five points in the team race, and the concluding 4×400 would decide the team crown. Devers – normally the Bruins’ anchor – ran the second leg and recorded her fastest-ever split of 51.4. In a thrilling finish, UCLA – anchored by freshman Janeene Vickers – won the race but runner-up LSU scored enough to win the team title by three points (61-58), then the closest women’s team finish in meet history.
Devers finished the meet with point totals that have yet to be equaled by any woman in meet history – 28½ points in a single meet and a career total of 71¼ points.
Post-collegiately, Devers earned legendary status as one of the world’s all-time greats. She is the only athlete – man or woman – with multiple Olympic or World Championships gold medals in the 100 meters (3) and the hurdles (3).
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’ Hooker High Jumped To NCAA Glory
Destinee Hooker won three career high jump titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships, including a massive victory in 2009 by more than two inches.
De Grasse Sprinted To Otherworldly Double
Andre De Grasse completed the 100-200 double at the 2015 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships with scorching times: 9.75 (+2.7) in the 100; 19.58 (+2.4) in the 200.
Merritt Broke Long-Standing 110H MR In 2006
Aries Merritt broke a 28-year-old meet record in the 110H when he won the crown at the 2006 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 13.21.
UGA’s Torrence Made NCAA History With Double
Gwen Torrence completed the 100-200 double at the 1987 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. Torrence was also the first woman to finish top-8 four times in the 100.
Bayer Gave It His All For NCAA 1500 Title
Andrew Bayer won the 1500 at the 2012 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships in one of the closest finishes in meet history – 0.01 seconds.
Tipton Led 1-2-3 Oregon Finish In 1964 JT
Les Tipton led the first podium sweep of any event in the history of the NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships. Tipton and his Oregon teammates went 1-2-3 in the 1964 javelin.
K-State’s Jones Captured Heptathlon Crown In 2015
Akela Jones won the heptathlon at the 2015 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships with 6371 points. That is the fourth-best score in both collegiate history & meet history.
Same Athletes, Same Result For LSU At NCAAs
The LSU foursome of Bennie Brazell, Pete Coley, Robert Parham, Kelly Willie swept the 4×100 & 4×400 crowns at the 2003 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships.
Martin Won Distance Titles For Two Programs
Francis (Frank) Martin made history twice in the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
FSU’s Williams Soared To Jumps Double In 2009
Kim Williams swept the horizontal jumps at the 2009 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. Williams was particularly dominant in the TJ, winning at 14.38m (47-2¼) & by nearly 2 feet.