Leatherwood Rolled To Back-To-Back 400 Titles
Lillie Leatherwood of Alabama made it look easy winning the 400 meters at the 1987 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Leatherwood, who was the first two-time winner in that event in meet history, actually eased up in crossing the finish line in 50.90 to break the meet record set in 1983 by UCLA’s Florence Griffith (50.94).
That’s because Leatherwood’s work wasn’t done. She had already scored in the 200 (second place) and 4×100 relay (third place as the third leg), and the 4×400 relay was left.
The last event was crucial for Alabama, which aimed to win the program’s first team crown in the sport (men or women, indoors or outdoors). Host LSU led going in 56-53 and the Tigers were figured to get points as one of the country’s best foursomes.
A win looked favorable for the Crimson Tide, which entered with the nation’s fastest quartet – not to mention being anchored by Leatherwood, who scorched the meet’s first-ever sub-50 leg in the 1986 meet in 49.6.
Alabama roared home with final legs of 50.3 and 49.7 by Pauline Davis and Leatherwood to cross the finish line first in 3:28.56 – just a tenth off the collegiate record – and an apparent team victory, 63-61 over LSU.
However, an exchange zone foul called on Davis for standing outside the zone disqualified the Tide, giving LSU a 62-53 win. The ruling was upheld on appeal, leaving Alabama as runners-up in a finish that still stokes many Crimson Tide fans.
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’ Hooker High Jumped To NCAA Glory
Destinee Hooker won three career high jump titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships, including a massive victory in 2009 by more than two inches.
De Grasse Sprinted To Otherworldly Double
Andre De Grasse completed the 100-200 double at the 2015 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships with scorching times: 9.75 (+2.7) in the 100; 19.58 (+2.4) in the 200.
Merritt Broke Long-Standing 110H MR In 2006
Aries Merritt broke a 28-year-old meet record in the 110H when he won the crown at the 2006 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 13.21.
UGA’s Torrence Made NCAA History With Double
Gwen Torrence completed the 100-200 double at the 1987 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. Torrence was also the first woman to finish top-8 four times in the 100.
Bayer Gave It His All For NCAA 1500 Title
Andrew Bayer won the 1500 at the 2012 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships in one of the closest finishes in meet history – 0.01 seconds.
Tipton Led 1-2-3 Oregon Finish In 1964 JT
Les Tipton led the first podium sweep of any event in the history of the NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships. Tipton and his Oregon teammates went 1-2-3 in the 1964 javelin.
K-State’s Jones Captured Heptathlon Crown In 2015
Akela Jones won the heptathlon at the 2015 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships with 6371 points. That is the fourth-best score in both collegiate history & meet history.
Same Athletes, Same Result For LSU At NCAAs
The LSU foursome of Bennie Brazell, Pete Coley, Robert Parham, Kelly Willie swept the 4×100 & 4×400 crowns at the 2003 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships.
Martin Won Distance Titles For Two Programs
Francis (Frank) Martin made history twice in the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
FSU’s Williams Soared To Jumps Double In 2009
Kim Williams swept the horizontal jumps at the 2009 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. Williams was particularly dominant in the TJ, winning at 14.38m (47-2¼) & by nearly 2 feet.