SMU’s Connor Bounds To Triple Jump Greatness
It’s been 38 years and still no one has broken the meet record Keith Connor of SMU set in the triple jump at the 1982 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Provo, Utah. The only field event meet record that is older was achieved with an implement no longer in use.
Connor’s high-altitude mark – 17.57m (57-7¾) – broke the previous meet record by more than a foot and was the second-longest ever in the world at the time. He won the meet by a then-record margin of 76 centimeters (2-5¾”) and also notched the eighth best performance in world history of 17.29m (56-8¾).
It wasn’t the first NCAA title for Connor, a British native born in Caribbean islands of Anguilla. His previous absolute best came a year earlier when he claimed the NCAA Indoor title with a world indoor best of 17.31m (56-9½).
“I thought I could jump 57-5,” Connor said in the interview tent afterwards. “But now that I’ve hit a big jump, I want to improve my consistency. I’m reaching a good plateau in my progress. I’m sorting myself out now; I’m not record hungry. Last year I did well early indoors and then I peaked out and had a bad outdoor season. This year I’m not hitting a peak early. I’m working through the outdoor season.”
Connor repeated as NCAA Outdoor champion in 1983 with a jump of 17.26m (56-7½) – which was the best in meet history at low altitude – over Al Joyner (Arkansas State) and Michael Conley (Arkansas), a talented duo that would be Olympic gold and silver medalists in 1984.
Those first-place points Connor earned in 1983, which would be his final time competing in an SMU uniform, buoyed the Mustangs to their first of two national crowns in track & field. SMU topped Tennessee by two points, in what would be the closest 1-2 finish for the men’s team title in meet history since 1968.
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.
Bagyula Boasted Incredible Pole Vault Prowess
Istvan Bagyula won three consecutive pole vault titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships between 1990 & 1992. He was the first to clear 19 feet (5.80m) in 1991.
Rotich Went Back-To-Back-To-Back In Steeple
Anthony Rotich won three consecutive steeplechase titles, doing so from 2013 to 2015. His 8:21.19 from 2013 is the ninth fastest mark in meet history.
Lawrence Twins Doubled Down On Outdoor Crowns
Twins Shadae & Shardia Lawrence both won titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships: Shardae in the discus (2017); Shardia in the triple jump (2019).
Sink Steepled Into The Record Book
Sid Sink won back-to-back titles in the steeplechase at the NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships in 1970 & 1971. He set meet records in each of those years.
Georgia Tech’s Taylor Triumphed In 1998
Angelo Taylor won the 400 Hurdles and doubled back to anchor the winning 4×400 relay team at the 1998 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Tennessee’s Skinner Set Javelin MR In 1970
Bill Skinner set a meet record in the javelin of 82.49m (270-8) at the 1970 NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships.
Turner Left No Doubt In 800 Meters
Inez Turner won the 800 meters at the 1995 NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships by 2.24 seconds for what is still the largest margin of victory in meet history.
Cheruiyot Won By Slim Margin In 1989
Kip Cheruiyot beat teammate Peter Rono by 0.03 seconds in the 1500 at the 1989 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. It was the closest margin of victory since the NCAA adopted FAT.
Emordi Led Texas Southern 1-2 LJ Finish In 1987
Paul Emordi led the only 1-2 finish by teammates in the men’s long jump at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 1987. Emordi won with a leap of 8.25m (27-0¾).
Anchor Down: Tolbert Set 400H CR In 1997
Ryan Tolbert set a collegiate record in the 400 Hurdles of 54.54 at the 1997 NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships. Tolbert also finished third in the open 400!