Greene Came Up Clutch In 1989 Long Jump
One of Joe Greene’s best days of long jumping started off dismally.
It would end with a victory in one of the most memorable competitions in the near 100-year history of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Greene entered the 1989 NCAA meet at Provo, Utah, with the year’s longest jump by a collegian, a wind-aided 8.22m (26-11¾) from winning the Big Ten Championships. Undefeated by collegians outdoors, he relished a rematch with Houston’s Leroy Burrell, who won the NCAA Indoor when Greene was third.
Burrell – who owned the year’s legal best at 8.14m (26-8½) – took immediate command, spanning a solid 8.10m (26-7) that stood up as the leader through the event’s trials. Greene advanced for three more attempts, but only as one of the last finalists at 7.81m (25-7½).
Things heated up in the finals, especially in Round 5.
Oregon’s Latin Berry tied Burrell for the lead at 26-7 before Boris Goins of Auburn took over at 8.15m (26-9).
Burrell was up to the challenge and quickly regained the lead, leaping a meet record 8.37m (27-5½) to finish off an exciting Round 5. Burrell’s MR was also the longest in meet history, bettering the wind-aided 8.36m (27-5¼) by Ralph Spry of Ole Miss in winning the 1983 meet.
By this point Greene was buried in the standings in 8th place, having fouled (albeit impressively) in Rounds 4 and 5.
But everything came together for the Buckeye in Round 6 as his final effort broke the sand at 8.41m (27-7¼) to take the lead. Unfortunately, the jump couldn’t count as a record, due to a barely-over-the-maximum wind reading of 2.04 meters per second when the limit is 2.0.
Greene had to wait out the final attempts of others, but no one came close to his mark, thus sealing the NCAA title – the first in the event for OSU since legendary Jesse Owens won a pair in 1935 and 1936.
Greene continued on to post-collegiate success, earning bronze medals in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics.
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’ Turner Soared To Triple Jump Greatness
Terri Turner was a two-time TJ champion at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. When Turner won her 2nd title in 1986, she set an all-time world best of 13.66m (44-9¾).
Stanford’s Rothert Starred In The Shot Put
Harlow Rothert won three consecutive shot put titles at the NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships between 1928 & 1930. He set meet records in both 1929 and 1930.
Indiana’s Kharun Set Javelin MR In 2003
Irina Kharun won the javelin title at the 2003 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships with a meet record heave of 61.82m (202-10). It also helped her win by more than 30 feet!
Hume Brothers Had Officials Seeing Double
Twins Robert & Ross Hume purposefully tied for the mile crown at the 1944 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. They tried again in 1945, but officials gave Ross the win.
Woo Pig Sooie! McLeod Sizzled Track In 2015!
Omar McLeod clocked a sizzling 13.01 (+3.9) to win the 110HH at the 2015 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. Only one man had ever gone faster in meet history at the time.
Felicien Starred In The 100H At NCAAs
Perdita Felicien won back-to-back 100H titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships in 2002 & 2003. She set a MR of 12.68 in the semifinals on the way to title No. 2.
Truly “Unbroken,” Zamperini Shined At NCAAs
Louis Zamperini set a meet record in the mile of 4:08.3 at the 1938 NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships. Zamperini, who also won the mile in 1939, saw his record last 15 years.
Hughes Soared To Three Consecutive HJ Titles
Tanya Hughes was the first woman to win three high jump titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships. Hughes did so consecutively in 1991, 1992 & 1993.
Kyriazis Made Point With Javelin In 2017
Ioannis Kyriazis set a meet record in the javelin of 82.58m (270-11) and won by more than 19 feet at the 2017 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships.
Sharpe Bounded To Meet History In 1956
Bill Sharpe became the first man to eclipse the 50-foot barrier in the triple jump at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 1956. Sharpe won with his 15.36m (50‑4¾) effort.