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.
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.