I admit it.
I don’t follow track nearly as much as I should. My roommate during my freshman year at the University of Arkansas, Ramon Washington, was a triple jumper on the UA sqad, but I am ashamed to say I never watched him compete.
Over the years, I’ve taken it for granted my alma mater would consistently pump up out national championship caliber cross country and track and field teams. So much so, I never actually examined how many national championships these programs won.
That ends now:
Men’s Cross Country
NCAA Championships – 11 Titles
Year UA Points Runner-up Points Margin Host
1984 101 Arizona 111 10 Penn State
1986 69 Dartmouth 141 72 Arizona
1987 87 Dartmouth 119 32 Virginia
1990 68 Iowa State 96 28 Tennessee
1991 52 Iowa State 114 62 Arizona
1992 46 Wisconsin 87 41 Indiana
1993 31 BYU 153 122 Lehigh
1995 100 N. Arizona 142 42 Iowa State
1998 97 Stanford 114 17 Kansas
1999 58 Wisconsin 185 127 Indiana
2000 83 Colorado 94 11 Iowa
Men’s Indoor Track and Field
NCAA Championships – 19 Titles*
Year UA Points Runner-up Points Margin Site
1984 38 Iowa State 36 2 Syracuse, N.Y.
1985 70 Tennessee 29 41 Syracuse, N.Y.
1986 49 Villanova 22 27 Okla. City, Okla.
1987 39 SMU 31 8 Okla. City, Okla.
1988 34 Illinois 29 5 Okla. City, Okla.
1989 34 Florida 31 3 Indianapolis, Ind.
1990 44 Florida 29 15 Indianapolis, Ind.
1991 34 Georgetown 27 7 Indianapolis, Ind.
1992 53 Clemson 46 7 Indianapolis, Ind.
1993 66 Clemson 30 36 Indianapolis, Ind.
1994 94 Tennessee 40 54 Indianapolis, Ind.
1995 59 Tenn./G. Mason 26 33 Indianapolis, Ind.
1997 59 Auburn 27 32 Indianapolis, Ind.
1998 56 Stanford 36.5 19.5 Indianapolis, Ind.
1999 65 Stanford 42.5 22.5 Indianapolis, Ind.
2000 69.5 Stanford 52 17.5 Fayetteville, Ark.
2003 54 Auburn 30 24 Fayetteville, Ark.
2005 56 Florida 46 10 Fayetteville, Ark.
2006 53 LSU 45 8 Fayetteville, Ark.
*Yes, I wonder if the Hogs’ 12 consecutive national titles 1985-95 qualifies for a NCAA Division I record. No, I don’t wonder enough to scroll through the history of each of the sports listed here. Yes, I wonder if I can pay somebody on Fiverr $5 to do it instead.
Men’s Outdoor Track and Field
NCAA Championships – 10 Titles
Year UA Points Runner-up Points Margin Site
1985 61 Wash. State 46 15 Austin, Texas
1992 60 Tennessee 46.5 13.5 Austin, Texas
1993 69 LSU/Ohio St 45 24 New Orleans, La.
1994 83 UTEP 45 38 Boise, Idaho
1995 61.5 UCLA 55 6.5 Knoxville, Tenn.
1996 55 George Mason 40 15 Eugene, Ore.
1997 55 Texas 42.5 12.5 Bloomington, Ind.
1998 58.5 Stanford 51 7.5 Buffalo, N.Y.
1999 59 Stanford 52 7 Boise, Idaho
2003 59 Auburn 50 9 Sacramento, Calif.
As you can see, the titles have tried up in recent seasons, but the legacy endures. Surprisingly, the UA women, as a team, have not yet won an NCAA title in cross country, indoor or outdoor track.
