Talented Twins Dominate Pole Vault Podium
Don’t worry, collegiate track & field fans: You weren’t seeing double.
From 2016 to 2019, twin sisters Lexi Jacobus and Tori Hoggard (both formerly Weeks) starred in the pole vault for Arkansas, finishing on the same podium five times in eight seasons at the conclusion of the NCAA Indoor or Outdoor Track & Field Championships, including each of the four indoor seasons in which they competed.
While this series concentrates on the near 100-year history of the NCAA Outdoor Championships, we would be remiss to gloss over the staggering success the talented twins had under a roof.
- Lexi, who ended her career as the second best performer with the second best performance in collegiate indoor history at 4.68m (15-4¼), is the only woman in NCAA DI history with three indoor titles.
- Tori, who is the fifth best performer in collegiate indoor history at 4.61m (15-1½), scored every single year at the NCAA meet, including two top-3 finishes in 2018 and 2019.
- When Lexi won her second of three crowns in 2018, Tori was on the podium right next to her as the runner-up. That was actually the best pole vault duel in meet history: Lexi had to break her own meet record to win; Tori PR’d and matched the second best clearance in meet history at the time.
Shifting the focus back outdoors, Lexi and Tori did something no other female twins had accomplished in meet history: They both won individual NCAA titles, albeit in different years.
Lexi led the way in 2016 when she completed the indoor-outdoor sweep. In addition to being only the second freshman to top the podium in meet history, Lexi also posted the largest margin of victory to date. Lexi cleared 4.50m (14-9) to win, some 20 centimeters (8¾ inches) ahead of the next closest competitor, which happened to be a tie between Alysha Newman of Miami (Fla.) and Morgann LeLeux of Louisiana at 4.29m (14-1¼).
Tori capped her collegiate career in style three years later, grabbing the national title in 2019 with the second best winning clearance in meet history of 4.56m (14-11½). It had been a long time coming for Tori, who only finished on the podium once in the previous three years (That would be in 2017, when she ended up sixth. Lexi was second).
Lexi and Tori didn’t just stand out athletically, though. The duo earned five total NCAA Elite 90 awards, including a clean sweep from 2017 to 2018, given out to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA who reached competition at the final site for each of the NCAA’s 90 men’s and women’s championships across each of the three divisions. Lexi earned three of those honors; Tori brought home two.
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.
ON THIS DAY: Kerley Set 400-Meter CR In Austin
Fred Kerley set a collegiate record in the 400 on this day in 2017. Kerley went 43.70 at the NCAA DI West Preliminary Round in Austin, Texas.
Reese Left Her Mark On NCAA LJ
Brittney Reese won the long jump at the 2008 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships with a mark of 6.93m (22-9). Reese missed the meet record by just 1cm (½ inch).
Foster Won All-Time Classic 110H In 1978
Greg Foster won an epic 110H race at the 1978 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. Foster beat Renaldo Nehemiah & set an AR, CR & MR in the process with his 13.22.
D’Agostino Won By Slim Margin In 2012
Abbey D’Agostino won back-to-back 5K titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 2012 & 2013. When D’Agostino won in 2012, it was by just 0.03 seconds.
Tupuritis Shocked The Field In 1996
Einars Tupuritis won the 800 at the 1996 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships by 0.14 seconds! Turpiritis crossed the finish line in 1:45.08.
Arkansas’ Brown Notched All-Time 100H Mark
Janeek Brown won the 100H at the 2019 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 12.40, narrowly missing the collegiate record and meet record.
Brown Paced Tennessee To 1974 Team Title
Doug Brown won back-to-back steeplechase titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 1973 & 1974. His victory in 1973 was by 17.2 seconds!
EMU’s Jones Hurdled Into NCAA History
Hayes Jones completed the 120H-220H sweep at the 1959 NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships. Jones won the last 220H title ever awarded at the meet.
Ellis Sent USC To A Thrilling Victory
Kendall Ellis had a remarkable come-from-behind victory in the 4×400 relay at the 2018 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships that sent Southern California to the meet title.
Paige Turned Three NCAA Mid-Distance Titles
Don Paige won three career titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships, including a 800-1500 sweep in 1979.