Pagel Won Shot Put With Record Heave
Ramona Pagel of San Diego State was looking for revenge in the shot put final at the 1984 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Even though Pagel entered with a PR more than a foot better than the field – in fact, at 17.77m (58-3¾) she was then No. 2 collegian all-time – she knew there would be pressure from her rival, defending NCAA champ Carol Cady of Stanford.
It was just three weeks earlier that Cady handed Pagel her first collegiate shot put loss of the year as Cady came through with a last-round PR 17.34m (56-10¾) to win the WCAA conference meet. For Pagel, it was a cruel way to learn that the multiple long efforts don’t matter as much as the longest single effort – Pagel had four of the five longest throws that day.
The rematch at the NCAA Championships in June started much the same as Pagel took immediate control with a first-round 16.45m (53-11¾), then followed with two efforts better than Cady’s existing meet record of 17.07m (56-0).
Was Pagel safe enough at 17.27m (56-8)? Turns out she was, as Cady seemed to press too much and ended up with a best of 16.59 (54-5¼) – more than two feet behind Pagel, who once again finished with four of the five best throws on the day.
Cady got a measure of revenge by winning the discus the next day, where Pagel was fourth.
Later in the month Pagel and Cady would both make the 1984 U.S. Olympic team in the shot put, and as post-collegians each would eventually have a long reign as American record holder in different events – Cady in the discus at 66.10m (216-10) in 1986 that lasted 20 years, Pagel in shot at 20.18m (66-2½) that lasted almost 25 years.
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.
Cal’s Hudson Wins Epic Triple Jump With World’s Best
On this day in 1987, Sheila Hudson of California set world best in Women’s Triple Jump at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships when she bounded 13.78m (45-2½).
Track. Field. Houston’s Lewis Does It All!
On this day in 1981, Carl Lewis of Houston became the first athlete since Jesse Owens to win a track event and field event at the same NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
UCLA Men’s 4×400 Clocks NCAA’s First Sub-3
On this day in 1988, the UCLA men’s 4×400 relay team became the first collegiate quartet to break three minutes, clocking 2:59.91 with Steve Lewis, Kevin Young, Danny Everett and Henry Thomas.
LSU’s Sowell Dominates 1989 NCAA Championships
On this day in 1989, Dawn Sowell of LSU culminated one of the most dominant performances in the history of the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Givens’ Quad Leads Florida State to Team Title
On this day in 1984, Randy Givens of Florida State completed a remarkable – and still, unmatched – feat, winning a quadruple set of titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Ore.
Rono Rolls Into The Record Books
On this day in 1978, Henry Rono of Washington State became the first (and still only) man to set two different NCAA Championships meet records in distance races on the same day.
Jackie Joyner Doubles Down On Multi Crowns
On this day in 1983, Jackie Joyner of UCLA became the first woman to win an event twice at the NCAA Championships, claiming her second consecutive crown in the heptathlon with a then-collegiate-record-setting score of 6390 points.
Connect Four: Prefontaine Makes History
Steve Prefontaine of Oregon became the first athlete to win titles in the same outdoor event four times, claiming the 3-mile/5000m from 1970-73.
Ralph Metcalfe Is Mr. Triple-Double
Ralph Metcalfe, who was born on this day (May 29) in 1910, won three consecutive 100 and 200 titles while at Marquette from 1932-34, becoming the first athlete to win three NCAA titles in two separate events.
Georgia’s Orji Jump-Starts Record-Breaking Career
On this day in 2016, Keturah Orji of Georgia set her first collegiate record in the triple jump of 14.29m (46-10¾) at the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round in Jacksonville, Florida.