Surprise! Brown’s Win Sent Texas A&M To Title
0.007 seconds.
That infinitesimal speck of time, indiscernible to the naked eye, separated Kamaria Brown of Texas A&M and Jenna Prandini of Oregon at the finish line of the 200-meter final at the 2014 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Never before had a finish in that event been so close.
So, when Brown edged Prandini for the title – 22.623 to 22.630 – it ushered in a new heiress to the Throne of Thrilling Finishes. You can cement that fact when you add Brown’s teammate, Olivia Ekponé, to the mix – who took third in 22.64, just 0.01 seconds behind Prandini.
That 1-3 finish by Brown and Ekponé sparked the Aggies on the meet’s final day as they racked up 34 points to propel them to their fourth team title in the past six years. Texas A&M also won the 4×100 relay with Brown handing off to anchor Ekponé, and took runner-up honors in the 4×400.
Brown’s 10 points in the 200 ended up being the difference as the Aggies beat archrival Texas by nine points, 75-66. And wouldn’t you know: Brown wasn’t expected to win – let alone score. She entered the meet ranked ninth nationally, but stepped up in a big way for Texas A&M.
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.
Thomas Gives NCAA Meet First 7-Footer
John Thomas of Boston University was the first athlete to clear 7 feet in the high jump at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Lindgren Had No Peer In NCAA
Gerry Lindgren of Washington State swept the 3-mile/5K & 6-mile/10K at the NCAA Outdoor Championships three consecutive times between 1966 and 1968.
UCLA’s Acuff Ascends To Record Heights
Amy Acuff of UCLA set a still-standing meet record in the high jump at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 1995.
“Invincible” Randy Matson Dominates The Throws
Randy Matson of Texas A&M set multiple world records in the shot put and dominated that event and the discus in the collegiate scene.
Texas’ Reid Unrivaled At 400 Meters
Suziann Reid of Texas is the only athlete in NCAA history – regardless of division – with three 400-meter crowns and four 4×400 relay titles.
For The Helds, The Javelin Is A Family Affair
Bud Held of Stanford is one of only two men in NCAA DI history to win three consecutive javelin titles at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
The 440-220 Double Is So Nice, McKenley Did It Twice
Herb McKenley of Illinois completed the difficult 440-220 double twice at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Davis Rolls To Collegiate Record In 1989
Pauline Davis of Alabama set a collegiate record of 50.18 in the 400 Meters at the 1989 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Dillard Hurdles To NCAA, World Glory
Harrison Dillard won the 120-yard and 220-yard hurdles in back-to-back years in 1946 and 1947.
Simpson Sprints To All-Time Mark In 1929
In 1929, George Simpson of Ohio State was so far ahead of his time that he set a world record in the 100 yards that couldn’t be ratified.