UTEP’s Hoglund First To Crack 70-Foot Barrier
It would be an understatement to say that Hans Hoglund of UTEP had a great day in the shot put at the 1975 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Provo, Utah.
The first thrower in the competition, Hoglund opened with a PR 67-11 (20.70m) to improve on the meet record of 67-9¼ (20.65m) set by legendary Randy Matson of Texas A&M in 1967.
As it turned out, that first-round effort would have won the competition by more than two feet, but the Miner senior was far from done.
BOOM!
Hoglund followed in Round 2 with a bomb that landed well beyond the end of the dirt portion of the sector, more than 68-feet away.
The mammoth heave was initially announced as 70-0½, then changed to 70-0¼. When it was changed a second time to 70-0 (21.33m), announcer Dwain Esper told the officials, “Gentlemen, that’s far enough.”
Sure enough, the re-measuring was complete and Hoglund had become the world’s 10th member of the 70-foot club – and its first left-hander.
Hoglund had two more legal efforts – both also over the meet record when the event began – for a glorious afternoon as he finished his collegiate career with his four farthest throws and a comfortable NCAA victory by more than four feet.
It was the fifth career NCAA shot put title for Hoglund, who won the NCAA Outdoor in 1973 as well as the NCAA Indoor from 1973-75 (setting indoor meet records in 1974 and 1975).
Even better for UTEP was that freshman teammate Hans Alstrom – like Hoglund, a Swedish native – finished second, and the 18 combined points proved even bigger than their marks. The Miners went on to win their first team title in program history.
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.