Gipson, Ugen Made Long Jump History

Celebrating A Century of NCAA Track & Field Championships

Gipson, Ugen Made Long Jump History

Fans saw double – at least in the uniforms – during the women’s long jump at the 2012 and 2013 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

The Horned Frogs from TCU became the first in the event’s meet history to post back-to-back winners with two different athletes.

Amazingly, neither one entered as the favorite.

In 2012, Whitney Gipson hadn’t surpassed 22-feet since her equaling the indoor collegiate record of 6.91m (22-8) to win the NCAA DI meet in March. Tori Bowie of Southern Miss was the defending NCAA DI outdoor champ and led the entrants with a best of 6.78m (22-3).

Gipson, who had spent most of the spring in what she termed “basic training,” took the lead in Round 1 at 6.50m (21-4), then followed with a wind-aided 6.82m (22-4½) leap that gave her what turned out to be an insurmountable lead at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.

One round later, Gipson added a wind-legal jump of 6.80m (22-3¾), an outdoor PR, to provide the only 22-footers of the meet.

Lorraine Ugen had an even wilder scenario in 2013 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. She hadn’t jumped more than 21-feet all year, mostly due to an injury that caused her to use her left foot instead of her preferred right foot.

After two rounds, Ugen’s best of 5.60m (18-4½) wasn’t going to garner any additional attempts, so she took a gamble in Round 3 and used her right foot. The result was a PR 6.77m (22-2½) to take the lead with a mark that no one could match.

“This season didn’t go great due to a lot of injuries,” said an elated Ugen. “But I was able to pull one out today.”

posted: May 7, 2021
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
What A Finish In The 1500 Meters!
June 7, 2019

Yared Nuguse of Notre Dame beat Justine Kiprotich of Michigan State by 0.003 seconds for the 1500-meter title at the 2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

SMU’s Ezeh Hammered Out Greatness

Florence Ezeh is the only woman in the history of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships to win three hammer throw titles in a career.