Lawrence Twins Doubled Down On Outdoor Crowns

Celebrating A Century of NCAA Track & Field Championships

Lawrence Twins Doubled Down On Outdoor Crowns

Twins Shadae and Shardia Lawrence both won NCAA outdoor titles.

Wait. It gets better.

Twins Shadae and Shardia Lawrence both won NCAA outdoor titles, while competing for Kansas State.

Wait. It gets better.

Twins Shadae and Shardia Lawrence both won NCAA outdoor titles, while competing for Kansas State in field events: Shadae in the discus; Shardia in the triple jump.

Wait. It gets better.

Twins Shadae and Shardia Lawrence both won NCAA outdoor titles while competing for Kansas State in field events: Shadae in the discus; Shardia in the triple jump – on their final attempts of their respective competitions.

See? We told you.

Shadae topped the podium first with her sixth-round heave of 61.37m (201-4) in 2017. She sat second through five attempts and then swung into the lead over fellow countrywoman and favorite Kellion Knibb of Florida State thanks to a near 11-foot improvement on her mark (Knibb eventually finished third behind Shadae and Maggie Ewen of Arizona State).

Shardia followed suit two years later in 2019 when she won an epic triple jump duel in Austin against Yanis David of Florida and Marie-Josee Ebwea-Excel of Kentucky. Clutch doesn’t even begin to describe Shardia’s performance at Mike A. Myers Stadium, as she hit lifetime marks on each of her last two attempts, but none more important than the 13.99m (45-10¾) clincher that gave her a six-centimeter (2½ inches) victory over David.

Wait. It gets better.

They both turn 25 today.

posted: December 31, 2020
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
Reese Left Her Mark On NCAA LJ
June 12, 2008

Brittney Reese won the long jump at the 2008 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships with a mark of 6.93m (22-9). Reese missed the meet record by just 1cm (½ inch).

Tupuritis Shocked The Field In 1996
May 31, 1996

Einars Tupuritis won the 800 at the 1996 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships by 0.14 seconds! Turpiritis crossed the finish line in 1:45.08.

Ellis Sent USC To A Thrilling Victory
June 9, 2018

Kendall Ellis had a remarkable come-from-behind victory in the 4×400 relay at the 2018 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships that sent Southern California to the meet title.