He’s Great: LSU’s Davis Soars To History
Happy birthday to Walter Davis!
Now 41, Davis was 22 when he completed a remarkable feat at the 2002 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships to lead LSU to the men’s team title on its home track at Bernie Moore Stadium.
Davis contributed 22¼ points in a way that no man had ever compiled in meet history. Not only did he become just the sixth male athlete in NCAA DI history to sweep the outdoor horizontal jumps, but he also ran a leg on the winning 4×100 relay team. In fact, no other outdoor triple jump champion had – or has – ever also been part of a national champion outdoor sprint relay squad.
“To get a chance to compete in your last college meet at home is real special,” Davis told reporters afterwards. “I wanted to leave LSU big. Maybe tomorrow it will really hit me how well my college career went.”
It’s safe to say Davis couldn’t go any bigger 18 years ago.
After winning the long jump in 8.08m (26-4¼) on Wednesday, Davis had a tall order ahead of himself on Friday. He would contest both the 4×100 final and the triple jump final, but wouldn’t have much time between them. In fact, he would need to rush over from the relay to the runway in order to get in his most important attempts of the competition, in which he was the defending national champion.
Davis made it look easy, though.
The native of Leonville, Louisiana, led off the winning 4×100 relay with a stellar effort that put the Tigers into an early lead. He could just watch from the sideline as his teammates continued pushing the pace, winning by 0.34 seconds (38.48 to 38.82) for the largest margin of victory in the event since 1991. Just a few days earlier, LSU cooked a time of 38.32 in the preliminary heats for what was the third fastest mark in collegiate history.
Davis then raced over to the triple jump and took over the top of the leaderboard for good on his third attempt, which resulted in a mark of 17.25m (56-7¼). He kept pouring it on as he eventually bounded to a stadium record 17.34m (56-10¾) to close things out and win his second event title in a row at the national meet.
“This is my house. This is my house,” Davis chanted after landing his sixth attempt. “That’s what I’m talking about.”
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.
Mikkola Set Javelin MR With Huge Win
Esko Mikkola was a two-time JT winner at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. When Mikkola won in 1998, he set a MR of 81.86m (268‑7) and won by 17 feet!
Little Made Big 400H History
Shamier Little won three consecutive 400H titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships between 2014 & 2016. Little became the No. 2 performer in collegiate history with her 53.51 winner in 2016.
Comenentia Completed Historic Double In 2018
Denzel Comenentia became only the third man in the history of the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships to complete the HT-SP double back in 2018.
Ellerbe Won After Film Review In 1939
Mozelle Ellerbe won back-to-back 100-yard dash titles at the NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships in 1938 & 1939. His victory in the 2nd year was confirmed by a film review.
Saunders Won Back-To-Back SP Titles, Set CR
Raven Saunders won back-to-back SP titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 2015 & 2016. Saunders set a CR & MR of 19.33m (63-5) in that second year.
McCullouch Ran Legendary Times At NCAAs
Earl McCullouch of Southern California won back-to-back 120H titles at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships and was a member of a WR-setting quarter-mile relay team.
Hook ‘Em, Leo: Manzano Made 1500 History
Leo Manzano was the first male freshman in the history of the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships to win the 1500/mile in 2005. Manzano added a 2nd title to his haul in 2008.
Walton Started It All In The 800
Delisa Walton won the first women’s 800 at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 1982. Walton is the mother of Ebonie Floyd, who finished 2nd in the 2007 100.
Rupp Capped Sensational Senior Year In 2009
Galen Rupp completed an unprecedented year at the 2009 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships when he swept the 5K & 10K.
Gipson, Ugen Made Long Jump History
Whitney Gipson & Lorraine Ugen were the first teammates to win women’s long jump titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in consecutive years (Gipson in 2012; Ugen in 2013).