Jack Davis Was Ahead Of His Time
Jack Davis of Southern California easily won a record three NCAA high hurdles titles.
It was in a second event that he found close competition.
As a sophomore in 1951, Davis began a three-year stretch of scoring the most points on a USC national championship team. He won the 120-yard hurdles in 13.7, two tenths better than the meet record, then added a third in the 220-yard low hurdles. Though his 120H victory by three tenths of a second stood, the meet record didn’t as the starter claimed Davis used an illegal advantage to propel himself out of the blocks.
“I didn’t get a rolling start,” Davis was quoted as saying by Cordner Nelson in Track & Field News. “I was rocking back at the gun.”
The closest finish Davis had in an NCAA high hurdles race came in 1952 when he equaled the 110H meet record of 14.0 to win by two tenths over Stanford’s Bob Mathias. For the versatile Mathias – who won the 1948 Olympic decathlon gold while in high school – it matched his best finish in the NCAA meet as he was also second in the 1951 discus (Mathias repeated as Olympic gold medalist in 1952).
With 1952 being an Olympic year, the NCAA contested events at metric distances – and that included the 400-meter intermediate hurdles instead of the 220-yard lows – so Davis added a different second event, the flat 200-meters. Davis recorded the fastest heat time at 21.4 and followed with a 21.5 semi, both times finishing ahead of defending champ George Rhoden of Morgan State. In the final, though, Drake’s Jim Ford overtook Davis to win by a tenth in a meet-record 21.0 (Rhoden did not compete in the final).
“I didn’t know I could run a 200,” said Davis, who reportedly entered the event on a bet with his coach. “I tried to beat the gun in my heat.”
By 1953, the native of Glendale, California, was a clear favorite for a record third NCAA high hurdles title – especially after a silver medal to Harrison Dillard in the Olympics the previous summer, when both were timed in 13.7.
Davis not only won his third high hurdles title, but also completed his first NCAA double, winning both events over Joel McNulty of Illinois – the 120H by three tenths in 14.0 and the 220H by two tenths in 23.3. The 14.0 was just a tenth off the meet record, while the 23.3 had then been bettered in meet history on a curve by Dillard at 23.0 and Jesse Owens and Fred Wolcott at 23.1.
It wasn’t until 2019 that Davis’ three victories in the men’s high hurdles at the NCAA Division level were matched: Eventual The Bowerman winner Grant Holloway of Florida completed his trio of 110H crowns with his collegiate record of 12.98.
After college, Davis set three world records in 1956 and repeated a silver-medal finish in the Olympics, again with the same time as the winner (North Carolina Central’s Lee Calhoun, 13.5).
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.
Mikkola Set Javelin MR With Huge Win
Esko Mikkola was a two-time JT winner at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. When Mikkola won in 1998, he set a MR of 81.86m (268‑7) and won by 17 feet!
Little Made Big 400H History
Shamier Little won three consecutive 400H titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships between 2014 & 2016. Little became the No. 2 performer in collegiate history with her 53.51 winner in 2016.
Comenentia Completed Historic Double In 2018
Denzel Comenentia became only the third man in the history of the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships to complete the HT-SP double back in 2018.
Ellerbe Won After Film Review In 1939
Mozelle Ellerbe won back-to-back 100-yard dash titles at the NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships in 1938 & 1939. His victory in the 2nd year was confirmed by a film review.
Saunders Won Back-To-Back SP Titles, Set CR
Raven Saunders won back-to-back SP titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 2015 & 2016. Saunders set a CR & MR of 19.33m (63-5) in that second year.
McCullouch Ran Legendary Times At NCAAs
Earl McCullouch of Southern California won back-to-back 120H titles at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships and was a member of a WR-setting quarter-mile relay team.
Hook ‘Em, Leo: Manzano Made 1500 History
Leo Manzano was the first male freshman in the history of the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships to win the 1500/mile in 2005. Manzano added a 2nd title to his haul in 2008.
Walton Started It All In The 800
Delisa Walton won the first women’s 800 at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 1982. Walton is the mother of Ebonie Floyd, who finished 2nd in the 2007 100.
Rupp Capped Sensational Senior Year In 2009
Galen Rupp completed an unprecedented year at the 2009 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships when he swept the 5K & 10K.
Gipson, Ugen Made Long Jump History
Whitney Gipson & Lorraine Ugen were the first teammates to win women’s long jump titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in consecutive years (Gipson in 2012; Ugen in 2013).