George Mason’s Gage Shocked The NCAA LJ In 1988

Celebrating A Century of NCAA Track & Field Championships

George Mason’s Gage Shocked The NCAA LJ In 1988

Nena Gage began electrifying in the long jump early at the 1988 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene.

The George Mason senior PRed by more than six inches in the qualifying round at 6.51m (21-4¼), second best of the day and a mark that moved her to No. 5 on the seasonal list of collegians.

It was big news, certainly, but her best was yet to come.

Two days later in the final, Gail Devers of UCLA opened up at 6.55m (21-6), and that held up for the lead until Round 3 when Gage shockingly took over at 6.62m (21-8¾). The wind reading of 2.2 meters per second was just over allowable for record purposes, but the performance was four inches farther than Gage had ever jumped before – adding more than 10 inches to her best since before the meet began.

With three rounds left, Gage felt like many people. “I still figured she was going to do it in the finals,” she said of Devers afterwards to Dave Kayfes of the Eugene Register-Guard.

Gage, however, continued to lead as the last round came down to two final attempts. Devers, jumping just ahead of Gage, closed with a foul. Gage, with victory secure, then equaled the second-longest jump of her life at 21-4¼ (also wind-aided).

“When I saw the red flag, I knew it was over,” Gage said. “It was exciting. It was like being at home. The surface is like we have at home, and I saw a lot of green and gold (the Patriots’ colors are similar to host Oregon’s). Everything just came together.”

posted: March 25, 2021
1921-2021
The NCAA's First Championships

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.

Memorable Moments
NCAA 100 On Spring Break

With the plethora of collegiate track & field and cross country slated to take place over the first-half of March, our daily posts highlighting the best from a century of NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships will take a “spring break” from March 1-15.

Greene Came Up Clutch In 1989 Long Jump
June 2, 1989

One of Joe Greene’s best days of long jumping started off dismally. It would end with a victory in one of the most memorable competitions in the near 100-year history of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Cal’s Williams Set World Record In 1936
June 20, 1936

Archie Williams set a world record in the 400 of 46.1 in the heats of the 1936 NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships. Williams then won the NCAA title by just 0.1 seconds!