Auburn’s Glance Made Them Look Twice
“Fast” and “young” came together in a big way at the 1976 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
Auburn freshman Harvey Glance was a sensation even before entering the meet, having twice tied the hand-timed world record of 9.9 in the 100 meters during the spring.
The 19-year-old was at his best in the NCAA 100 final, thanks to “a flawless start and fine early acceleration,” reported Bob Hersh for Track & Field News, who also noted that Glance showed second-half strength to pull away from Tennessee’s Reggie Jones, the last frosh to win the 100 in 1974.
Glance crossed the finish line in 10.16, the fastest time recorded by a collegian as automatic timing was just becoming common. His winning margin of 0.17 seconds has been bettered only twice in the event.
The Tiger came back a day later to win the 200, again over another former NCAA champ in James Gilkes of Southern California (Gilkes won the 1974 NCAA while at Fisk). This time the photo-finish equipment came in double handy, providing accurate times and helping to sort the order as both were timed in 20.74.
Glance’s sprint double was the first by a freshman in the meet since Buddy Young of Illinois in 1944, and when combined with his NCAA Indoor 60-yard win in March, made him the first athlete to sweep all three sprints in the same year.
The next month the native of Phenix City, Alabama (on its border with Georgia), earned a gold medal leading off the U.S. 4×100 team at the Montreal Olympics. Glance won the NCAA 100 again in 1977 and added third-place finishes in 1978 and 1979 to become the first man in meet history to score four straight years in the event.
As a post-collegian Glance won another major gold medal, running the third leg on the U.S. 4×100 team at the 1987 World Championships. He later served as head coach for his alma mater (1991-1996) as well as archrival Alabama (1997-2011).
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.