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.
Providence’s Smith Left Field In The Dust
Kim Smith won the 5000 meters at the 2004 NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships by 36.04 seconds in 15:48.86 for the largest margin of victory in meet history.
Gatlin Doubled Up In Back-To-Back Years
Justin Gatlin completed back-to-back 100-200 doubles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 2001 & 2002. He went 10.08/20.11 & 10.22/20.18 in those respective years.
UTEP’s Hoglund First To Crack 70-Foot Barrier
Hans Hoglund was the first man to touch the 70-foot barrier in the SP at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. He also won by more than 4 feet with his 21.33m (70-0) heave in 1975.
LSU’s Hobbs Couldn’t Be Caught In 2018
Aleia Hobbs anchored LSU to a 4×100 relay MR of 42.25 & then doubled back to win the 100 by 0.23 seconds at the 2018 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships.
Michael Johnson Had 1990 NCAAs To Remember
All eyes were on Michael Johnson of Baylor in the 4×400-meter relay at the 1990 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Riley Completed Unprecedented Double In 2012
Andrew Riley completed the only 100-110H double in NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships history in 2012. Riley won the 100 in 10.27 & then captured the 110H crown in 13.53
Leatherwood Rolled To Back-To-Back 400 Titles
Lillie Leatherwood won back-to-back 400-meter titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships in 1986 & 1987. She set a meet record of 50.90 in that second year.
Iowa’s Jones Made Distance History
Charles “Deacon” Jones set a meet record in the 2-mile at the 1957 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships with his time of 8:57.6.
Locke Doubled Up On Sprint Titles In 1926
Roland Locke entered the 1926 NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships as the WR holder in the 220. He left with the meet record in that event (20.9) & also won the 100 in 9.9.
McLain Bounded To All-Conditions TJ Best
Erica McLain won the triple jump at the 2008 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships by nearly two feet! McLain bounded to an all-conditions meet best at 14.60m (47-11).