Wanamaker Wins Inaugural Decathlon Title
It was hard to miss Rick Wanamaker at the 1970 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
At 6-8, the Drake star looked more like a basketball player – and he was! Wanamaker was the center on the Bulldogs basketball team that nearly upset eventual national champion UCLA in the Final Four a year earlier in a surprisingly close game (85-82). While Drake lost to the Bruins, Wanamaker scored nine points, grabbed seven rebounds and famously blocked a shot attempt by 7-0 Lew Alcindor, who would soon become Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Wanamaker, a native of Marengo, Iowa, also stood out as the only hometown athlete – Drake Stadium was hosting the NCAA meet for the first time – given a chance to become the third Bulldog to win an NCAA title (The other two were Linn Philson in the 1936 high jump and Jim Ford in the 1952 200-meter dash).
And, of all events, it was the decathlon – the historic first held at the NCAA Championships.
Halfway through the two-day event, Wanamaker trailed favored Jorma Vesala of Cal State Los Angeles by 36 points, but a solid second day gave Wanamaker the victory with 7406 points. It was a 207-point victory for Wanamaker and a PR by 203 points.
Wanamaker’s performance was so good that it gave him cause to reconsider a pro basketball career (He had been drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers – a franchise that would be playing its first season in the NBA the following year – and had until noon the next day to accept the offer). “I’d made up my mind to go yesterday, but I’m not sure I will now,” he told the media afterwards. “It’s a tough decision and I’m sure I’ll be thinking about it all night.”
Wanamaker ended up declining the basketball offer to pursue his Olympic dreams. In 1971, he improved his PR to 7989 points and was the top American – but was unfortunately injured the week of the 1972 Olympic Trials and didn’t make the U.S. team.
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!