Conley Soars; Razorbacks Complete Triple Crown
Mike Conley saved his best for last.
In 1985, Conley scored 28¾ points to lead Arkansas to its first outdoor team title, which completed the vaunted “Triple Crown,” as the program also captured the cross country and indoor titles already in the academic year.
Conley’s four-day schedule was busier than he’d ever experienced. The defending NCAA outdoor champion in the long and triple jumps was also on the 4×100 relay, plus he would be adding the 200 meters at the national meet for the first time.
His busiest day was Friday with three finals. Conley somehow made them look easy by matching his own meet record in the long jump of 8.28m (27-8) and then running the third leg on the sixth-place 4×100 team (39.48). A strong turn runner, he finished that evening’s 200 coming into the straightaway with the lead, before finishing second to Houston’s Kirk Baptiste, who was the silver medalist in the event from the previous summer’s Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Conley also had a silver medal from that same Olympics — but his came from the triple jump. However, by the time Saturday’s NCAA final came, Conley felt fatigued and in round four, he lost his lead to Tennessee’s John Tillman, who went 16.94m (55-7).
A consummate competitor, Conley responded fiercely with a three-foot improvement to 17.54m (57-6½), just an inch short of the American record held by Willie Banks. Conley then bounded a wind-aided 17.72m (58-1¾) on his fifth attempt. Both of those marks remain among the top-4 under any conditions on the all-time collegiate list.
“Tillman’s jump did it,” Conley told Dave Johnson of Track & Field News. “Whether I was tired or not, I had to jump. It was like a slap in the face. It woke me up.”
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.
Bagyula Boasted Incredible Pole Vault Prowess
Istvan Bagyula won three consecutive pole vault titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships between 1990 & 1992. He was the first to clear 19 feet (5.80m) in 1991.
Rotich Went Back-To-Back-To-Back In Steeple
Anthony Rotich won three consecutive steeplechase titles, doing so from 2013 to 2015. His 8:21.19 from 2013 is the ninth fastest mark in meet history.
Lawrence Twins Doubled Down On Outdoor Crowns
Twins Shadae & Shardia Lawrence both won titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships: Shardae in the discus (2017); Shardia in the triple jump (2019).
Sink Steepled Into The Record Book
Sid Sink won back-to-back titles in the steeplechase at the NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships in 1970 & 1971. He set meet records in each of those years.
Georgia Tech’s Taylor Triumphed In 1998
Angelo Taylor won the 400 Hurdles and doubled back to anchor the winning 4×400 relay team at the 1998 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Tennessee’s Skinner Set Javelin MR In 1970
Bill Skinner set a meet record in the javelin of 82.49m (270-8) at the 1970 NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships.
Turner Left No Doubt In 800 Meters
Inez Turner won the 800 meters at the 1995 NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships by 2.24 seconds for what is still the largest margin of victory in meet history.
Cheruiyot Won By Slim Margin In 1989
Kip Cheruiyot beat teammate Peter Rono by 0.03 seconds in the 1500 at the 1989 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. It was the closest margin of victory since the NCAA adopted FAT.
Emordi Led Texas Southern 1-2 LJ Finish In 1987
Paul Emordi led the only 1-2 finish by teammates in the men’s long jump at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 1987. Emordi won with a leap of 8.25m (27-0¾).
Anchor Down: Tolbert Set 400H CR In 1997
Ryan Tolbert set a collegiate record in the 400 Hurdles of 54.54 at the 1997 NCAA Division I Outdoor T&F Championships. Tolbert also finished third in the open 400!