Scott Neilson Is NCAA T&F’s Mr. Canada

O Canada!

In recognition of Canada Day, today’s moment highlights the Canadian male athlete with the most titles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships: Scott Neilson of Washington.

The native of New Westminster, British Columbia, dominated the hammer throw with four consecutive wins from 1976-79, a four-peat that only Steve Prefontaine (3-mile/5000) had achieved at the time in any event. Neilson picked up the indoor weight throw as a sophomore and won the NCAA title in that event three times, bringing his overall total to seven, which ties him for the most combined NCAA titles by a thrower, male or female.

Neilson set the collegiate record in the hammer at 72.72m (238-7) in a dual meet in April 1978. A couple of months later, he challenged it when he twice raised the meet record at the NCAA DI Outdoor Championships, ultimately to 72.36m (237-5) for a victory by more than 25 feet, which remained the largest margin of victory in the event for 18 years. (DID YOU KNOW: The event, held at Hayward Field, was moved outside the stadium due to safety reasons – a few warmup tosses had landed close to the track.)

“It would be nice to have spectators, but the outside ring was faster,” Neilson told Dave Kayfes of The Register-Guard in Eugene. “And when I’m outside, I say this is the meet here. Who cares about those guys (in the stadium).”

Neilson finished his collegiate career undefeated, but he had one close call.

Washington’s 1979 dual meet against Washington State was held in heavy rain and wind – Henry Rono of WSU said “Never in my life have I run in such bad weather” – and Neilson entered the last round behind the Cougars’ Paul Buxton. Neilson came through with a winning heave on his final attempt to win by a little more than one foot – 69.90m (229-4) to 69.58m (228-3).

Neilson was also tough in the classroom. With his 3.69 GPA in chemistry and pre-med, he was chosen as a Pac-10 Medalist in 1979, as well as being named one of the NCAA’s Top V student-athletes. Both honors require a combination of excellence in athletics, academics and leadership.