This year’s class features some of the greatest names in collegiate track & field and cross country history. With 67 national collegiate titles, 25 collegiate records, five Olympic/World Championships medals, and four world records while in college, these athletes have left an indelible mark on the sports.
“The USTFCCCA is proud to honor these exceptional athletes for their achievements and contributions to collegiate track & field and cross country,” said Sam Seemes, CEO of the USTFCCCA. “Their accomplishments have inspired countless athletes and fans, and their induction into the Collegiate Athlete Hall of Fame serves as a testament to their enduring legacy.”
The induction ceremony will be open to the public and will be held three days prior to the start of the 2024 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field.
“We are thrilled to bring together these legendary athletes for a night of celebration and reflection on their incredible careers,” said USTFCCCA President Caryl Smith Gilbert, the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country at the University of Georgia. “Their stories and achievements continue to inspire generations of athletes, and we are honored to recognize their contributions to the sport.”
Eligibility for induction this year was limited to men who had completed their collegiate eligibility prior to 2000 and women prior to 2010.
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is a non-profit professional organization representing cross country and track & field coaches of all levels. The organization represents over 11,000 coaching members encompassing 98-percent of all NCAA track & field programs (DI, DII, and DIII) and includes members representing the NAIA and NJCAA, as well as a number of state high school coaches associations. The USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track & field coaches, providing a leadership structure to assist the needs of a diverse membership, serving as an activist for coaches’ interests, and working as a liaison between the various stakeholders in the sports of cross country and track & field.
Rosalyn Bryant’s collegiate career at Cal State LA and Chicago State was a showcase of her extraordinary talent across sprint distances, making her the only athlete to clinch collegiate titles in the 100, 200, and 400 meters while competing in the AIAW, the body that governed women’s collegiate sports at the time. Her tenure spanned from 1974 to 1978, during which she set a standard of excellence that remains unmatched.
Bryant’s dominance was particularly evident in the 400 meters, where she not only set an American Record of 50.62 at the 1976 Olympics but also anchored the U.S. 4×400 team to a silver medal with a remarkable 49.7 split. Her final collegiate race, the 1978 AIAW 400, saw her set a collegiate record of 50.93, a mark that stood for nearly a decade, highlighting her enduring influence on the sport.
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Benita Fitzgerald broke barriers and records as a hurdler at Tennessee, becoming the first collegiate athlete to finish the 100-meter hurdles in under 13 seconds. Her groundbreaking time of 12.97 at the 1982 Penn Relays was just the beginning, as she continued to push the limits, eventually lowering her best time to 12.84 in 1983. Fitzgerald’s speed and agility earned her back-to-back NCAA titles in the 100 hurdles in 1982 and 1983, adding to her 1981 AIAW Championship victory and bringing her total collegiate national crowns in the event to three.
Fitzgerald’s excellence extended beyond the collegiate arena; she was a formidable competitor on the national stage, consistently finishing at the top of the TAC national championships throughout her college career. Her senior year was marked by significant achievements on the international circuit, as she reached the finals at the inaugural World Championships and captured gold at the Pan-American Games. Additionally, Fitzgerald showcased her versatility and speed by contributing to the U.S. 4×100 relay team’s gold medal win at the 1981 World University Games, further cementing her legacy as one of the top U.S. hurdlers of her time.
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Marty Liquori’s name is etched in the annals of collegiate track history, not just for his accomplishments but for the dramatic narratives that accompanied them. As a sophomore at Villanova, Liquori catapulted to prominence by defeating the mile world record holder at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, the first of his three consecutive mile titles. This victory was more than a win; it was a declaration, making Liquori the first athlete to secure three sub-4 minute victories in the event at the NCAA level.
The 1969 NCAA Outdoor race against Kansas’s Jim Ryun was nothing short of legendary, pitting Liquori against his Olympic teammate in a dramatic rematch from the NCAA Indoor championships, where Ryun had narrowly defeated him. Overcoming illness and injury, Liquori clinched victory with a time of 3:57.7, setting a new meet record, a feat he would surpass two years later. Throughout his collegiate career, Liquori amassed five NCAA titles and maintained an impressive record of never finishing below second in any of his seven NCAA appearances, a testament to his resilience and dominance on the track.
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Southern California’s Angela Williams carved out a unique niche in NCAA history with her sprinting excellence, becoming the only athlete, male or female, to clinch four consecutive 100-meter titles at the NCAA DI Championships, doing so from 1999 to 2002.
Williams’s 1999 victory was groundbreaking, marking her as the first freshman and the first woman from USC to win the 100 meters at the NCAA level. Her continued success, which contributed to USC’s first women’s team championship in 2001, and her impeccable record of never losing an NCAA final, underscored her dominance in collegiate sprinting.
Beyond her NCAA accomplishments, Williams’s powerful starts and sprinting technique propelled her to international success, including a silver medal at the 2001 World Indoor Championships, where she also established a collegiate record in the 60 meters, solidifying her status as one of the most formidable sprinters in collegiate history.
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Larry Myricks made a significant impact as a sophomore at Mississippi College, a Division II school, by winning the NCAA DI Outdoor long jump title and earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. His Olympic hopes were dashed by a broken ankle during the warm-up in Montreal. Despite this setback, Myricks made a strong comeback after an 18-month recovery period.
He broadened his skills to include the 200 meters in 1978 and dominated his final collegiate year in 1979. He won both the AAU and NCAA DI indoor titles, and then repeated these victories outdoors, along with securing a 200/long jump double at the Division II level which were among his seven career DII titles.
Myricks’s eventual return to Montreal for the World Cup was triumphant, where he jumped 8.52m (27-11½), marking one of the longest jumps in world history at that time. Myricks’s journey showcases resilience and a return to peak form following a major injury.
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Louise Ritter’s collegiate career in high jump was marked by a series of consistent top finishes and championship victories, establishing her as one of the premier athletes in the event. Her reign at the AIAW Outdoor Track & Field Championships, where she won three consecutive titles from 1977-79 and set new meet records each time, demonstrated her competitive excellence and ability to perform at the highest level. Ritter’s collegiate performances, characterized by her never finishing below second in any high jump competition, set the stage for her subsequent success on the national and international stages.
Ritter’s achievements, including setting two collegiate records and an American record of 1.93m (6-4) at the 1979 Pan-American Games, highlight her dominance in the event at the time. Her post-collegiate success culminated in a gold medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, where she set an American record of 2.03m (6-8).
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Karl Salb’s legacy in collegiate shot putting is marked by an extraordinary series of victories and records that highlight his dominance in the sport. At Kansas, Salb achieved a milestone that remains rare in the annals of collegiate athletics: winning three NCAA titles in shot put both indoors and outdoors, accumulating an impressive total of six championships. This remarkable feat places him just behind Michael Carter’s record of seven NCAA titles, making Salb one of the most successful shot putters in collegiate history. His journey to this pinnacle of success began with a notable near-miss at the 1968 U.S. Olympic Team trials, where he finished fourth as a freshman, signaling the start of a distinguished career.
Salb’s first major breakthrough came with his victory at the 1969 NCAA Indoor Championships, where he secured the title with a throw of 66-8¾ (20.95m), a mark that was then the fourth-longest in the history of indoor shot put worldwide. This victory was not just a personal triumph but also a moment of team glory, as he led a 1-2-3 finish for the Jayhawks alongside teammates Steve Wilhelm and Doug Knopp, showcasing the depth of talent within the Kansas shot putting squad. This remarkable performance was repeated in 1970, with Salb continuing to share the podium with his teammates, underscoring the dominance of Kansas in collegiate shot putting during this era and cementing Salb’s status as one of the sport’s greats.
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Hollis Conway’s senior season in 1989 at Louisiana is still celebrated for setting collegiate high jump records that have endured for more than three decades. His journey to these heights began the previous year when he clinched an Olympic silver medal in Seoul, setting a then-all-time best for collegiate athletes with a jump of 2.36m (7-8¾). This feat was just a precursor to his record-breaking 1989, a year many consider magical in the realm of collegiate high jumping.
During the indoor season, Conway set a new collegiate record with a jump of 2.33m (7-7¾), only to surpass it with an American record of 2.37m (7-9¼) at the NCAA DI Indoor Track & Field Championships. Not resting on his laurels, he continued to push boundaries outdoors by first setting, then breaking, his own collegiate record and American record, culminating in a jump of 2.38m (7-9¾) to win the NCAA DI Outdoor title. His record-setting spree didn’t stop there, as he later achieved a new peak with a jump of 2.39m (7-10), setting an all-dates all-time collegiate best. To this day, no other collegiate athlete has managed to leap beyond Conway’s towering benchmarks, indoors or outdoors.
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Before Bill Dellinger became a USTFCCCA Hall of Fame coach, he was a trailblazing distance runner for Oregon, setting a standard that would shape the future of the program. Winning the NCAA mile championship as a sophomore in 1954 and securing a runner-up position in 1955 marked the beginning of his illustrious career. His evolution as a runner was evident when he expanded his repertoire to include longer distances, showcasing his versatility and setting the stage for greater achievements.
The Olympic year of 1956 was a turning point for Dellinger, as the NCAA adjusted its distances to align with the Olympic standards, switching the 2-mile race to 5000 meters. Dellinger seized this opportunity, claiming Oregon’s first NCAA win in the event with a signature finish that left an indelible mark on the collegiate running scene. His dominance extended beyond collegiate competitions, as he went on to win the Olympic Trials and set multiple American Records in the lead-up to the Melbourne Olympics.
Although the final outcome at the Olympics wasn’t as hoped, Dellinger’s journey from a record-setting collegiate athlete to an Olympic medalist in 1964, paints the picture of a storied career in athletics.
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Amy Skieresz’s tenure at Arizona was marked by an unparalleled dominance in distance running, a testament to her endurance and strategic racing prowess. Winning every one of the six track races she entered at the NCAA Championships, Skieresz’s name became synonymous with victory, particularly in the 5000 meters and 10,000 meters. Her back-to-back indoor and outdoor titles in the 5k in 1997 and 1998, alongside her consecutive 10k outdoor titles, not only showcased her versatility but also her ability to set and break records, leaving an indelible mark on NCAA track and field history.
Skieresz’s performances in the 10k were particularly staggering, with winning margins of more than one minute in 1997 and 1998 that remain the largest in NCAA Division I history for any track event. Beyond the track, Skieresz’s prowess extended to cross country, where she won the NCAA championship in 1996 and consistently finished in the top two, achieving a feat unmatched by any other athlete at the Division I level. Her legacy is not only defined by her victories but also by her relentless dedication and the high standards she set in long-distance running.
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Trecia-Kaye Smith distinguished herself as a versatile and dominant force in both the long jump and triple jump during her time at Pittsburgh. With a remarkable tally of scoring 15 times across both events at the NCAA Championships, Smith’s athletic prowess was evident, capturing seven titles and securing five runner-up finishes. Her exceptional performances in the long jump contributed significantly to her collection of NCAA titles, tying her for the most ever won by a woman in the event at the collegiate level.
However, it was her record-breaking feat in the triple jump that truly set her apart, establishing a new outdoor collegiate record of 14.22m (46-8) that stood for 14 years, a testament to her extraordinary talent and the high bar she set for future generations.
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Balázs Kiss, a name synonymous with hammer throw excellence, concluded his flawless collegiate career at Southern California with a remarkable achievement: securing his fourth consecutive NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championship title in 1996. This victory not only marked him as the fourth athlete in the history of the meet to win the same event four times in a row but also set the stage for his Olympic triumph in Atlanta later that summer. Kiss’s prowess in hammer throw was unmatched, a fact underscored by his extraordinary 11.04 meters (over 36 feet) winning margin in his final NCAA championship, setting a record for the largest victory margin in any field event at the meet.
Beyond this singular achievement, Kiss’s collegiate dominance was further evidenced by his hold on the event’s collegiate record with a throw of 81.94m (268-10) achieved in 1995. This record, still standing, eclipses the next best collegiate mark by more than 10 feet, a testament to Kiss’s enduring legacy in the sport. His name also dominates the collegiate all-time list, owning the top eight performances, a clear indication of his unparalleled skill and consistency in the hammer throw.
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Regina Cavanaugh’s contributions to collegiate athletics, particularly in the shot put, set a new standard for excellence. At the 1987 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Cavanaugh not only secured her third consecutive outdoor title but also made history as the first female athlete to win three championships in any event in meet history. This achievement, combined with her three NCAA DI Indoor crowns, places her among the most decorated athletes in the sport, with her total of six NCAA titles being surpassed only by the legendary Michael Carter.
Cavanaugh’s prowess was not limited to winning titles; she also set an indoor collegiate record with a throw of 17.67m (57-11¾) in 1986. Her dominance was on full display in her final collegiate competition, where she won by a margin of two feet. Cavanaugh concluded her illustrious career with the three longest throws ever recorded at the DI Outdoor Championships, setting a benchmark for future generations. Her achievements also marked a significant milestone for Rice University, as she became the first woman from the institution to win a national title in any sport.
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Glenn “Slats” Hardin’s freshman year in 1932 was nothing short of phenomenal, setting a world record and securing an Olympic silver medal in the 400-meter hurdles, a feat achieved before he even competed for LSU’s varsity team. This early success was a sign of the legendary status he would achieve in collegiate track and field, becoming a pioneering figure for LSU athletics.
Hardin’s impact was fully realized in 1933 when he led LSU to an unexpected team victory at the NCAA Track & Field Championships, thanks to his remarkable double win in the 440 yards and 220-yard low hurdles. His ability to repeat this incredible feat in 1934, while setting a meet record in the 440 and tying his own world record in the 220H, further cemented his legacy. Hardin’s continuous efforts to push the boundaries saw him lower his own world record in the 400 hurdles twice more, setting a mark that would stand unchallenged for nearly two decades. Hardin’s contributions to track and field at LSU and beyond have left an indelible mark on the sport’s history.
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