Providence’s Smith Left Field In The Dust
A record 28 women toed the starting line for the 5000-meter final at the 2004 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Austin, Texas. Inclement weather three days earlier forced officials to drastically change the meet schedule, which produced the biggest final field in that event in meet history (The current model allows 24 athletes to make the final).
Well, the 26 women who eventually finished second through 26th place were all chasing Kim Smith of Providence. No one should have expected a different result based on Smith’s past.
Smith entered the meet that year on an unbelievable hot streak, having completed the distance double at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships with collegiate record setting marks – 15:14.18 in the 5K on Friday and 8:49.18 in the 3K on Saturday. The native of Auckland, New Zealand, would remain atop the collegiate chart in those events until 2015 (Emily Sisson, Providence) and 2009 (Jenny Barringer, Colorado), respectively.
There wouldn’t be a record time in Austin – at least not in the previous sense.
Smith covered 12½ laps in 15:48.86 – the third fastest winning time since 1991 – and won by a staggering 36.04 seconds. That was – and still is – the largest margin of victory in meet history, nearly doubling the previous best established by Jen Rhines in 1995 (18.88 seconds).
Five months later, Smith demolished a much larger field – 249 other women – at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. Smith won by 18 seconds, which was the biggest time differential between a champion and runner-up since Vicki Huber won in 1989.
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.
Clemson’s Ross Kept Getting Faster In 1995
Duane Ross PR’d twice in the 110H at the 1995 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. When Ross won in 13.32, he became the No. 3 performer in collegiate history.
Illinois’ Kerr Went Back-To-Back At NCAAs
George Kerr won back-to-back 800/880 titles at the NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships in 1959 & 1960. Kerr set a meet record of 1:46.4 in the 800 meters in 1960.
UCLA’s Baucham Bounded To TJ CR In 2005
Candice Baucham won the triple jump at the 2005 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships with a collegiate record of 14.07m (46-2). Baucham took the event by more than one foot.
San Romani Went From Unknown To Legend
Archie San Romani won back-to-back 1500/mile crowns at the NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships in 1935 & 1936.
Auburn’s Glance Made Them Look Twice
Harvey Glance completed the 100-200 double as a freshman at the 1976 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. He set a meet record of 10.16 in the 100.
Nova’s Rhines Did NCAA 5K Three-Peat
Jen Rhines was the first female athlete in the history of the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships to win three consecutive 5K titles.
Georgia’s Erm Cruised To 2019 Decathlon Title
Johannes Erm won the decathlon at the 2019 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships by 342 points with his 8352 total. That was also the fifth-best score in meet history.
McMillen Adapted, Set 1500 MR In 1952
Bob McMillen set a meet record in the 1500 meters of 3:50.7 at the 1952 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
LSU’s Duhaney Destroyed NCAA 200 Field In 1992
Dahlia Duhaney owns the largest margin of victory in meet history in the 200 with her 0.44-second winner at the 1992 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships.
Rice’s Roberts Cooked Up Pole Vault Greatness
Dave Roberts was the second man to win three consecutive pole vault titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships, doing so from 1971 to 1973.