1956 NCAA Track and Field Championships

The 1956 NCAA Track and Field Championships were held in Berkeley, California in June 1956. UCLA won the team title, ending a seven-year streak by the University of Southern California. Nine NCAA meet records and one American record were broken at the event.^[1]

Bobby Morrow of Abilene Christian led all athletes with 20 points in the meet. Morrow won both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes.^[1] Morrow went on to win three gold medals in the 1956 Summer Olympics.

Rafer Johnson led the scoring for team champion UCLA. Johnson scored 16 of UCLA's 55-7/10 points with second-place finishes in the broad jump and high hurdles.^[1] Johnson went on to win the gold medal in the decathlon at the 1960 Summer Olympics.

The one American record that was broken at the meet was in the 800-meter run. Arnie Sowell of the University of Pittsburgh set the new American mark with a time of 1:46.7.^[1]

Team scoring

1. UCLA – 55-7/10
2. Kansas - 50
3. University of Southern California – 34½
4. Michigan State – 29
5. Abilene Christian – 25
6. Villanova – 24
7. Oregon – 20
8. Michigan – 19-7/10
9. Oklahoma A&M – 19
10. Manhattan - 17

Track events

100-meter dash^[2]
1. Bobby Morrow, Abilene Christian – 10.4
2. Dave Sime, Duke – 10.6
3. Agostini, Fresno State – 10.6

110-meter high hurdles^[2]
1. Lee Calhoun, North Carolina College – 13.7
2. Rafer Johnson, UCLA – 13.8
3. Looween, Mankato State – 14.0

200-meter dash^[2]
1. Bobby Morrow, Abilene Christian – 20.6
2. Blair, Kansas – 21.0
3. Bobby Whilden, Texas – 21.2

400-meter dash^[2]
1. Jesse Mashburn, Oklahoma A&M – 46.4
2. Haines, Penn – 46.6
2. Jenkins, Villanova – 46.6
2. Ellis, Russ UCLA – 46.6

400-meter hurdles^[2]
1. Lewis, Notre Dame – 51.0
2. Glenn Davis, Ohio State – 51.4
3. Thompson, Rice – 51.8

800-meter run^[2]
1. Arnie Sowell, Pittsburgh – 1:46.7
2. Stanley, San Jose State – 1:49.2
3. Brew, Dartmouth – 1:50.5
3. Johnson, Abilene Christian – 1:50.5

1,500-meter run^[2]
1. Ron Delany, Villnova – 3:47.3
2. Bailey, Oregon – 3:47.4
3. Sid Wing, Univ. South. Calif. – 3:49.7

3,000-meter steeplechase^[2]
1. Kennedy, Michigan State – 9:16.5
2. Matza, BYU – 9:17.2
3. Kielstrup, Michigan – 9:34.4

5,000-meter run^[2]
1. Bill Dellinger, Oregon – 14:48.5
2. Jim Beatty, North Carolina – 14:51.1
3. Jones, Michigan State – 14:52.2

Field events

Broad jump^[2]
1. Bell, Indiana – 25 feet, 4 inches
2. Rafer Johnson, UCLA - 25 feet, 4 inches
3. Floerke, Kansas – 24 feet, 5 inches

High jump^[2]
1. Reavis, Villanova – 6 feet, 8¼ inches
1. Lang, Missouri – 6 feet, 8¼ inches
1. Dyer, UCLA – 6 feet, 8¼ inches

Pole vault^[2]
1. Bob Gutowski, Occidental – 14 feet, 8 inches
1. Graham, Oklahoma A&M – 14 feet, 8 inches
3. Levack, Univ. South. Calif. – 14 feet, 4 inches
3. Landstrom, Michigan – 14 feet, 4 inches

Discus throw^[2]
1. Drummond, UCLA – 173 feet, 1/2 inch
2. Vick, UCLA – 171 feet, 5 inches
3. Rink Babka, Univ. South. Calif. – 170 feet, 9½ inches

Javelin^[2]
1. Conley, Cal Tech – 239 feet, 11 inches
2. Maijala, Univ. South. Calif. – 229 feet, 10 inches
3. Bitner, Kansas – 223 feet, 11½ inches

Shot put^[2]
1. Bantum, Manhattan – 60 feet, 1/2 inch
2. Bill Nieder, Kansas – 57 feet, 3⅛ inches
3. Owen, Michigan – 57 feet, 2/3 inch

Hammer throw^[2]
1. McWilliams, Bowdoin – 195 feet, 3 inches (new NCAA meet record)
2. Hall, Cornell – 193 feet, 8½ inches
3. Morefield, MIT – 193 feet, 2 inches

Hop, step and jump^[2]
1. Sharp, West Chester St. – 50 feet, 4¾ inches
2. Floerke, Kansas – 49 feet, 6¼ inches
3. Davis, LaSalle – 49 feet, 3¼ inches

See also

• Athletics at the 1956 Summer Olympics
• NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship

References

This page was last edited on 10 June 2022, at 22:52