Michigan Wolverines men's track and field

The Michigan Wolverines men's track and field team is the intercollegiate men's track and field program representing the University of Michigan

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...

. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference

Big Ten Conference

The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...

in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association

National Collegiate Athletic Association

The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...

(NCAA).

Michigan men's track and field athletes have won 43 NCAA individual event championships, 14 Olympic gold medal

Gold medal

A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...

s, 57 Big Ten Conference

Big Ten Conference

team championships (31 outdoor, 26 indoor), and one NCAA team championship.

The team has had 11 coaches in 109 years from 1901 to 2009. The team is currently coached by head coach Fred LaPlante and associate head coach Ron Warhurst.

Coaches

Coach	Years	Overall	Notes
Keene Fitzpatrick Keene Fitzpatrick Keene Fitzpatrick was a track coach, athletic trainer, professor of physical training and gymnasium director for 42 years at Yale University , the University of Michigan , and Princeton University...	1901–10	24–2–1	6 Western Conference championships; 8 Olympic medalists
Alvin Kraenzlein Alvin Kraenzlein Alvin Christian Kraenzlein was an American athlete. He was the first sportsman to win four Olympic titles in a single Olympic Games...	1911–12	1–5–0
Stephen Farrell Stephen Farrell (track and field) Stephen J. Farrell was professional track athlete, circus performer and track coach.Farrell was a professional foot-racer in the 1880s and 1890s, beginning as a competitor in the hook, hose and ladder teams of New England. He was the first American to win England's Sheffield Cup on two occasions...	1913–29	50–16–1	1 NCAA team championship; 4 Big Ten team indoor championships; 5 Big Ten team outdoor championships
Charles B. Hoyt Charles B. Hoyt -Champion sprinter:A native of Greenfield, Iowa, Hoyt won three straight 100 and 220 yard dashes in the Iowa state meet from 1911–1913 and won seven career gold medals. As a high school student in 1912, Hoyt was offered a place on the U.S. Olympic team but turned down the chance...	1930–39	40–6–0
Ken Doherty Ken Doherty (track) Ken Doherty was an American decathlon champion, college track and field coach, author and longtime director of the Penn Relays. While a student at the University of Michigan, Doherty won the American decathlon championship in 1928 and 1929 and won the bronze medal in the event at the 1928 Summer...	1940–48	22–14–1	7 Big Ten team indoor championships; 7 Big Ten team outdoor championships
Don Canham Don Canham Donald Canham was a track and field athlete and coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the athletic director at the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1988. There, he became nationally renowned for his ability to market and sell products bearing the name or logo of the school...	1950–68	52–13–2	4 Big Ten team indoor championships; 3 Big Ten team outdoor championships
David Martin	1969–71	7–6–0	7 Big Ten team indoor championships; 4 Big Ten team outdoor championships
Dixon Farmer	1972–74	6–6–0
Jack Harvey	1975–99		4 Big Ten team indoor championships; 6 Big Ten team outdoor championships
Ron Warhurst	2000–08		1 Big Ten team outdoor championship
Fred LaPlante	2009–

Fitzpatrick era (1901–10)

Michigan's first track coach was the famous trainer Keene Fitzpatrick

Keene Fitzpatrick

Keene Fitzpatrick was a track coach, athletic trainer, professor of physical training and gymnasium director for 42 years at Yale University , the University of Michigan , and Princeton University...

(1864 - 1944). Fitzpatrick was a track coach, athletic trainer, professor of physical training and gymnasium director for 42 years at Yale

Yale University

Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...

(1890-1891, 1896-1898), Michigan (1894-1895, 1898-1910), and Princeton

Princeton University

Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....

(1910-1932). He was considered "one of the pioneers of intercollegiate sport." Fitzpatrick was first hired by Michigan in 1894 as the trainer for the school's football team. He continued to be the trainer of Michigan's football teams through 1910, and was credited by many with the success of Fielding H. Yost's "Point-a-Minute" football teams of the early 1900s.

Fitzpatrick became Michigan's first track coach in 1900 and continued to serve in that role through 1910. During those years, Fitzpatrick's teams compiled a 24-2-1 record in dual meets and won Western Conference track championships in 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, and 1906. In 1907, Michigan sent its track team east to compete for the first time in the Inter-Collegiate Association of Amateur Athletics of America ("IC4A") meet, and Fitzpatrick's team came away with 29 points and a second place finish.

Fitzpatrick's athletes also excelled in Olympic competition. Over the course of four Olympic Games held during his tenure as track coach, Michigan track and field athletes won 15 medals, including 7 gold medals.

In 1900, funds were solicited from faculty, students, alumni and Ann Arbor businessmen to send Fitzpatrick and four Michigan track athletes to the Olympics in Paris

1900 Summer Olympics

The 1900 Summer Olympics, today officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1900 in Paris, France. No opening or closing ceremonies were held; competitions began on May 14 and ended on October 28. The Games were held as part of...

. Michigan's John McLean

John McLean

John McLean was an American jurist and politician who served in the United States Congress, as U.S. Postmaster General, and as a justice on the Ohio and U.S...

won a silver medal in the high hurdles, and Michigan's champion pole-vaulter, Charles Dvorak

Charles Dvorak

Charles Edward Dvorak was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the pole vault. He attended the University of Michigan where he competed for the Michigan Wolverines men's track and field team from 1900 to 1904. He participated in the 1900 Summer Olympics where he was a favorite...

, became involved in a Sabbath controversy. When finals of some events were scheduled for Sunday, several American university teams agreed they could not violate the Sabbath. Among the finals scheduled for Sunday was the pole vault, in which Dvorak was a favorite. Dvorak was reportedly told that the final had been rescheduled, but the event was held after Dvorak and another American left. Several special competitions were conducted later to accommodate the Americans, which allowed Dvorak to win a silver medal.

One of the highlights for Michigan athletics during the Fitzpatrick years came at the 1904 Summer Olympics

1904 Summer Olympics

The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States from 1 July 1904, to November 23, 1904, at what is now known as Francis Field on the campus of Washington University...

in St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...

, which have sometimes been referred to as the "Michigan Olympics." Five University of Michigan track and field athletes won nine medals: six gold, two silver, and one bronze. The Michigan medal winners at the 1904 Olympics were:

Archie Hahn
Archie Hahn
Charles Archibald "Archie" Hahn was a German-American athlete, and one of the best sprinters in the early 20th century....

- gold medals in the 60 meters, 100 meters, and 200 meters;
Ralph Rose
Ralph Rose
Ralph Waldo Rose was an American track and field athlete.He was born in Healdsburg, California....

- gold medal in the shot put, silver medal in the discus, and bronze medal in the hammer throw;
Charles Dvorak
Charles Dvorak
Charles Edward Dvorak was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the pole vault. He attended the University of Michigan where he competed for the Michigan Wolverines men's track and field team from 1900 to 1904. He participated in the 1900 Summer Olympics where he was a favorite...

- gold medal in the pole vault;
Fred Schule - gold medal in the 110-meter hurdles; and
Wesley Coe
Wesley Coe
Wesley Coe was an American athlete who competed mainly in the shot put.He competed for the United States in the 1904 Summer Olympics held in St Louis, United States in the shot put where he won the silver medal between fellow Americans winner Ralph Rose and bronze medal winner Lawrence...

- silver medal in the shot put.

Archie Hahn became a major star, and Fitzpatrick was credited with developing his unusual running style. Shortly before the 1904 Olympics, a Wisconsin sports writer described the style this way:

"Hahn has a new style of running. Nobody at Michigan understands the style, except that Keene Fitzpatrick invented it, and that Hahn steps differently than ever before. Even to see Hahn's new stride is not to analyze how he manages to lift his feet so high in front. The new stride suggests that he is trying to climb a hill. The little man has toughened every muscle in his body and trained it to be a spring."

With three medals, Ralph Rose also became a star. In December 1904, the New York Evening Sun wrote that Rose was "the first perfect physique ever seen at the University of Michigan" as measured by Fitzpatrick's anthropometric charts. At 6 foot, 3 inches, 246 pounds, a 29.9 inche right thigh, and a 47.6 inch expanded chest, he was the school's first "perfect physique."

At the 1906 Summer Olympics

1906 Summer Olympics

The 1906 Intercalated Games or 1906 Olympic Games were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in Athens, Greece. They were at the time considered to be Olympic Games and were referred to as the "Second International Olympic Games in Athens" by the International Olympic Committee...

in Athens, Archie Hahn repeated as the 100-meter champion, winning his fourth gold medal. And at the 1908 Summer Olympics

1908 Summer Olympics

The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...

in London, Michigan athlete Ralph Rose repeated as the gold medalist in the shot put, and John Garrels

John Garrels

John Garrels was an American athlete who excelled in the 110 metres hurdles, discus throw, shot put, and as a fullback and end in American football....

won a silver medal in the 110-meter hurdles and a bronze in the shot put.

Fitzpatrick also coached Ralph Craig

Ralph Craig

Ralph Cook Craig was an American athlete, winner of the sprint double at the 1912 Summer Olympics.Craig was born in Detroit, Michigan. Initially a hurdler, he developed into a sprinter at the University of Michigan...

at Michigan. Following Fitzpatrick's departure from Michigan, Craig went on to win gold medals in the 100 metres

Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics

These are the results of athletics competition at the 1912 Summer Olympics. 30 events were contested, all for men only.The athletics programme grew by 4 events since the 1908 Summer Olympics. The 5000 and 10000 metre races were introduced for the first time, as the 5 mile event was eliminated...

and 200 metres

Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics

at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm

1912 Summer Olympics

The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...

. In 1932, Fitzpatrick said that Craig was the best sprinter he ever turned out, though Johnny Garrels

John Garrels

John Garrels was an American athlete who excelled in the 110 metres hurdles, discus throw, shot put, and as a fullback and end in American football....

was the best all-around athlete he ever handled. Fitzpatrick's pupils, Hahn and Craig, were the only Olympic double sprint winners prior to another Michigan athlete, Eddie Tolan

Eddie Tolan

Thomas Edward "Eddie" Tolan , nicknamed the "Midnight Express", was an American track and field athlete who compete in the Sprints. He set world records in the 100 yard dash and 100 meters event and Olympic records in the 100 meters and 200 meters events...

, accomplishing the feat at the 1932 Summer Olympics

1932 Summer Olympics

The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...

Kraenzlein era (1911–12)

When Fitzpatrick left Michigan to become a trainer and coach at Princeton, Michigan hired Alvin Kraenzlein

Alvin Kraenzlein

Alvin Christian Kraenzlein was an American athlete. He was the first sportsman to win four Olympic titles in a single Olympic Games...

, one of the most accomplished athletes in the county, as his replacement. Kraenzlein won four gold medals for the United States at the 1900 Summer Olympics

1900 Summer Olympics

in Paris, winning the gold in the 60-meter sprint, the 110-meter hurdles, the 200-meter hurdles, and the long jump. In Kraenzlein's two years as coach, the team finished third at the IC4A meet both years.

Farrell era (1913–29)

Michigan's third track coach, Stephen Farrell (1863–1933)

Stephen Farrell (track and field)

Stephen J. Farrell was professional track athlete, circus performer and track coach.Farrell was a professional foot-racer in the 1880s and 1890s, beginning as a competitor in the hook, hose and ladder teams of New England. He was the first American to win England's Sheffield Cup on two occasions...

raced with hook and ladder teams in the 1880s and became known as "the greatest professional footracer this country has ever known." He was the first American to be a two-time winner of England's Sheffield Cup and competed in races from 100 yards to one mile. Seeking new challenges, he performed with the Barnum & Bailey Circus

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is an American circus company. The company was started when the circus created by James Anthony Bailey and P. T. Barnum was merged with the Ringling Brothers Circus. The Ringling brothers purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907, but ran the circuses...

for several years racing against a horse

Horse

The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...

, and losing only a half dozen times.

In September 1912, Farrell was hired as the athletic trainer at the University of Michigan

University of Michigan

and noted at the time that the Ann Arbor institution "is the only western college that is thought much of down east." He served as the school's track coach until his retirement in 1930, and he was also the trainer to Fielding H. Yost's football teams from 1912-1919.

In 1915, a series of newspaper articles touted Farrell as an innovator in track coaching, noting his innovations in the following areas:

In February 1915, The New York Times reported on Farrell's novel plan to instill "enthusiasm and vim" in his athletes by having them train to the accompaniment of music played by the Varsity band. Farrell noted that his athletes had been taking more interest in dancing competitions than athletic training. Farrell planned to have the musicians "render tunes a trifle faster than the natural stride" of Michigan's best performer in each event. "It is expected that the inspiration of the music and the natural efforts of the dancers to get in time should make the Michigan men exert themselves more willingly than they are at present doing."
In January 1915, Farrell introduced rope skipping as a training method for his long distance runners. Farrell noted, "It is a great form of exercise to develop the body, especially making men long winded and strong in the legs. It also has a tendency in making them quick and alert on their toes."
Farrell instituted "the espionage system of discovering budding athletes" by stationing "a force of spies" in the college gymnasium watching for men of sufficient prowess to compete on the track team. The "new detective method of locating possible athletes" was begun after a freshman student was seen completing a high jump of six feet — six inches higher than any member of the track team.

When Michigan rejoined the Big Ten Conference in 1918, Farrell's Michigan track teams promptly won the indoor and outdoor track championships in both 1918 and 1919. Between 1918 and 1930, Farrell's teams won ten Big Ten Conference championships. His teams had a 50-16-1 record in dual meets, and his athletes won 76 Big Ten individual event titles and 11 NCAA individual event titles. Michigan also won its only NCAA team track championship in 1923 under Farrell.

During the Farrell era, Michigan's star athletes included:

Carl Johnson
Carl Johnson (athlete)
Carl Johnson was an American athlete who competed mainly in the long jump. He competed for the United States in the 1920 Summer Olympics held in Antwerp, Belgium in the long jump, where he won the silver medal.-Early Life:Johnson was born in Genesee County, Michigan, but moved to Spokane,...

— the first athlete to win four events at a Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...

meet; silver medalist in the long jump at the 1920 Summer Olympics
1920 Summer Olympics
The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium....

held in Antwerp, Belgium.
DeHart Hubbard — the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

to win an Olympic gold medal in an individual event (the long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...

at the 1924 Summer Olympics
1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VIII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1924 in Paris, France...

in Paris); Hubbard also set world records in the long jump (25 foot) and the 100-yard dash (9.6 seconds); and
Eddie Tolan
Eddie Tolan
Thomas Edward "Eddie" Tolan , nicknamed the "Midnight Express", was an American track and field athlete who compete in the Sprints. He set world records in the 100 yard dash and 100 meters event and Olympic records in the 100 meters and 200 meters events...

, gold medalist in the 100 and 200-meter races at the 1932 Summer Olympics
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...

.
Phil Northrup
Phil Northrup
Philip Northrup was an American track and field athlete. He won the NCAA javelin championship in 1925 and 1926 and tied for the NCAA championship in the pole vault in 1925.-Biography:...

- a three-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American, in the javelin throw
Javelin throw
The javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon...

and pole vault
Pole vault
Pole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts...

, (1925-27). Northrup was inducted to the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.

Walter Eckersall later wrote that, beyond coaching stars, Farrell was "a stickler for balance and depended more upon the ability of athletes to win third, fourth and fifth places than those who were picked to win." He won many meets by focusing on team power and placing athletes where they could score points.

When Farrell announced his retirement, the noted sports columnist Grantland Rice

Grantland Rice

Grantland Rice was an early 20th century American sportswriter known for his elegant prose. His writing was published in newspapers around the country and broadcast on the radio.-Biography:...

paid tribute to Farrell's talent in training sprinters.

"As long as Farrell is active he will continue to turn out championship sprinters. The 'Steve start' is about the fastest thing uncovered. Michigan sprinters are in the lead at ten yards. They're out in front here, even when they're occasionally whipped. There is no finer influence on college athletes in America than that which Steve exerts at Michigan ..."

Hoyt era (1930–39)

Michigan's fourth track coach was Charles B. Hoyt

Charles B. Hoyt

-Champion sprinter:A native of Greenfield, Iowa, Hoyt won three straight 100 and 220 yard dashes in the Iowa state meet from 1911–1913 and won seven career gold medals. As a high school student in 1912, Hoyt was offered a place on the U.S. Olympic team but turned down the chance...

, a native of Iowa won intercollegiate championships in both the 100-yard and 220-yard runs before turning to coaching.

Hoyt was hired by the University of Michigan in 1923 as the assistant to Stephen Farrell and trainer of the football team. In 1930, he took over the head coaching post when Farrell retired. In Hoyt's ten years as Michigan's head coach, Michigan track teams won 14 of a possible 20 Big Ten Conference indoor and outdoor titles, including six straight indoor championships from 1934-1939. With Hoyt as head coach, Michigan was 40-6-0 in dual meets. His Michigan athletes also won five individual NCAA championships and 63 individual Big Ten championships (27 indoor and 33 outdoor). The athletes Hoyt coached at Michigan include:

Sam Stoller
Sam Stoller
Sam Stoller was an American sprinter and long jumper who tied the world record in the 60-yard dash in 1936. He is best known for his exclusion from the American 4 × 100 relay team at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, triggering widespread speculation that he and Marty Glickman,...

- one of two Jews on the American track team at the 1936 Berlin Olympics; a controversy was sparked when he was pulled from the 4 x 100 meter relay event.
William Watson
William Watson (track and field athlete)
William Delouis Watson , also known as Big Bill Watson, was an American track and field athlete. Watson was the Amateur Athletic Union decathlon champion in 1940 and 1943. He was the first African-American to win the U.S...

- won 12 individual Big Ten Conference championships, including three consecutive championships (1937-1939) in the long jump, discus and shot put; first African-American to win the AAU decathlon championship in 1940
Elmer Gedeon
Elmer Gedeon
Elmer John Gedeon is one of only two Major League Baseball players killed in action during World War II. He was also a multi-sport star in college at the University of Michigan...

- tied a world record in the high hurdles in 1938; shot down and killed while piloting a B-26 bomber on a mission over France in April 1944.
Willis Ward
Willis Ward
Willis F. Ward was a track and field athlete and American football player who was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor in 1981....

- collegiate champion in the high jump, long jump, 100-yard dash, and 400-yard dash; finished second in voting for AP Big Ten Athlete of the Year in 1933; second African-American to letter in football at Michigan.
Bob Osgood
Bob Osgood
Robert D. "Bob" Osgood was an American track and field athlete who set a world record in the 120-yard high hurdles in May 1937 with a time of 14 seconds flat. He also won the Big Ten Conference championship in the event in both 1936 and 1937...

- set a world record in the 120-yard high hurdles in May 1937; won Big Ten Conference championship in the event in both 1936 and 1937.

Doherty era (1940–48)

Michigan's fifth track coach was Ken Doherty

Ken Doherty (track)

Ken Doherty was an American decathlon champion, college track and field coach, author and longtime director of the Penn Relays. While a student at the University of Michigan, Doherty won the American decathlon championship in 1928 and 1929 and won the bronze medal in the event at the 1928 Summer...

(1905-1996) was an American decathlon champion before he turned to coaching. He won the American decathlon championship in 1928 and 1929 while a student at the University of Michigan

University of Michigan

; he also won the bronze medal in the event at the 1928 Summer Olympics

1928 Summer Olympics

The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...

in Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

.
Doherty, described as "a lean, quiet Scot," was hired as an assistant track coach at Michigan in 1930. by the University of Michigan

University of Michigan

as its assistant track coach serving under the Wolverines' new head coach, Charles B. Hoyt

Charles B. Hoyt

. He remained Hoyt's assistant for nine years and took over as Michigan's head track coach in 1939 when Hoyt accepted a job at Yale. Doherty served nine years as Michigan's head coach, leading Michigan to seven Big Ten Conference

Big Ten Conference

championships (four indoor and three outdoor). In his nine years as head coach at Michigan, he coached some of the schools all-time great athletes, including the following:

William Watson
William Watson (track and field athlete)
William Delouis Watson , also known as Big Bill Watson, was an American track and field athlete. Watson was the Amateur Athletic Union decathlon champion in 1940 and 1943. He was the first African-American to win the U.S...

- won 12 individual Big Ten Conference championships, including three consecutive championships (1937-1939) in the long jump, discus and shot put; first African-American to win the AAU decathlon championship in 1940
Robert H. Hume
Robert H. Hume
Robert Humiston Hume was the 1941 NCAA champion in the outdoor mile run. He was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor in 1990. He and his twin brother, H...

and H. Ross Hume
H. Ross Hume
Henry Ross Hume was a three-time NCAA champion distance runner who was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor in 1990. He and his twin brother, Robert H...

- the "dead heat twins" who were champions in the mile and regularly finished their races holding hands in dead heat victories.
Bob Ufer
Bob Ufer
Bob Ufer was the lead broadcaster for the Michigan Wolverines football team for 37 years, starting in 1944. He has been inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor.-Early years:...

- set the world indoor record in the 440 yards and later the radio voice of Michigan football
Don Canham
Don Canham
Donald Canham was a track and field athlete and coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the athletic director at the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1988. There, he became nationally renowned for his ability to market and sell products bearing the name or logo of the school...

- All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...

who won the 1940 NCAA title in the high jump
High jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....

and was both the indoor and outdoor Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...

champion in both 1940 and 1941; succeeded Doherty as Michigan's track coach and became a school legend as its athletic director from 1968-1988
Charlie Fonville
Charlie Fonville
Charles Edward Fonville was an American track and field athlete who set a world record in the shot put. In 1945, he had been named the Michigan High School Track & Field Athlete of the Year. He won the National Collegiate Athletic Association shot put championship in 1947 and 1948...

- NCAA shotput champion in 1947 and 1948; set world record in 1948

Canham era (1950–68)

Don Canham

Donald Canham was a track and field athlete and coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the athletic director at the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1988. There, he became nationally renowned for his ability to market and sell products bearing the name or logo of the school...

took over as Michigan's track and field coach in 1950. He remained the head coach from 1950 to 1968. Canham was a Michigan graduate who won the NCAA high jump championship in 1940. During Canham's 19 years as Michigan's head coach, the track and field team compiled a record of 52–13–2 in dual meets and won seven Big Ten team championships -- four indoor and three outdoor.

Outstanding individual performers during the Canham era include the following:

Charlie Fonville
Charlie Fonville
Charles Edward Fonville was an American track and field athlete who set a world record in the shot put. In 1945, he had been named the Michigan High School Track & Field Athlete of the Year. He won the National Collegiate Athletic Association shot put championship in 1947 and 1948...

- won three Big Ten championships in the shot put and set a new world record in the event
Don McEwen
Don McEwen
Don McEwen is a former track and field athlete. He was a two-time NCAA champion in the two-mile run.-Biography:While competing for the University of Michigan, he won consecutive NCAA men's track and field championships in the two-mile race. In 1950, McEwen won the NCAA championship with a time of...

- won six Big Ten individual titles and two NCAA individual titles in the two-mile race
Roland Nilsson
Roland Nilsson
Roland Nilsson is a Swedish football manager and the current manager of FC Copenhagen. As a player, Nilsson played 116 games for Sweden, making him second only to Thomas Ravelli in international appearances for Sweden...

- won six Big Ten championships in the shot put and finished 5th in the event at the 1952 Summer Olympics
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
Milt Mead - won the 1953 NCAA championship in the high jump
Dave Owen - won nine individual Big Ten titles and one NCAA individual title in the shot put
Eeles Landstrom
Eeles Landström
Eeles Enok Landström is a Finnish Olympic medalist and double European Champion in pole vault, a former member of the Finnish parliament and former business executive...

- won two Big Ten championships in the pole vault and a bronze medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
Tom Robinson - represented the Bahamas as a sprinter in four Summer Olympics from 1956 to 1968; gold medalist in the 100-meter race at the 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games
Ergas Lep - won nine Big Ten individual championships in middle distance events; competed for Canada on the 1960 and 1964 Olympic teams
Kent Bernard - won five individual Big Ten titles in sprint events and competed in the 1964 Summer Olympics
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
Ron Kutschinski - Big Ten champion and All-American distance runner who competed for the United States in the 1968 Summer Olympics
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...

Martin era (1969–71)

Dave Martin was Michigan's head coach from 1969-1971. Martin began with the Michigan track team as an All-American runner and Big Ten steeplechase champion. After graduating from Michigan in 1961, he became an assistant coach under Don Canham. Martin took over as head coach in 1969, and coached six All-Americans in his three years with Michigan. Martin's 1969 team finished 11th in the NCAA indoor championships.

Farmer era (1972–74)

Dixon Farmer was Michigan's head coach from 1972-1974. Farmer was an NCAA champion in the 440-yard hurdles before becoming a coach. In three years at Michigan, he coached six All-Americans including Jamaican hurdler Godfrey Murray and Kim Rowe. Farmer's 1973 team finished eighth at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Harvey era (1975–99)

Jack Harvey served as head coach of the Michigan track team for 25 years from 1975 to 1999 -- longer than any other head coach in the history of the program. Harvey was a University of Michigan track team member in the 1960s, an All-American and Big Ten shot put champion. He served as an assistant coach at the school before taking over as head coach in 1975. Harvey coached 93 All-Americans and six Olympians in his 25 years as head coach. His track teams placed in the top ten at the NCAA championships on five occasions and won 10 Big Ten championships -- four indoor and six outdoor.

Outstanding individual performers during the Harvey era include the following:

Greg Meyer
Greg Meyer
Greg Meyer is best known for his accomplishments in distance running. Most notably, he is the last American male to win the Boston Marathon.-Education:...

- was a Big Ten champion distance runner and an All-American in the steeplechase while competing for Michigan from 1974 to 1977; won the Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...

in 1983
Mike Lattany - won three Big Ten individual championships in the high jump while competing for Michigan from 1979-1982
Andrew Bruce
Andrew Bruce
Andrew Bruce is a retired athlete from Trinidad and Tobago who specialized in the 200 metres. He represented Trinidad at the 1980 Moscow Olympics in the 200 metres, where he reached the semi finals...

- won eight Big Ten individual championships as a sprinter for Michigan from 1979-1982; competed in the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
Brian Diemer
Brian Diemer
Brian Lee Diemer was an American track and field athlete, who mainly competed in the 3000 metre steeplechase during his career. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1983 after winning the NCAA Indoor Track and Field 2 mile championship, held in nearby Detroit, and the Outdoor steeplechase...

- competed for Michigan in the steeplechase from 1980 to 1983; won NCAA 3000m steeplechase in 1983; participated in three Olympic Games (1984-1992) and won a bronze medal in 1984
Thomas Wilcher
Thomas Wilcher
Thomas Wilcher is a high school athletic coach who was previously a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I track and field national champion in the indoor 55 m hurdles and a three-time NCAA All-American in track and field for the University of Michigan. Wilcher was also a running...

- won an NCAA individual championship as a hurdler while competing for Michigan in the mid-1980s; was a three-time All-American
John Scherer - won three NCAA individual championships and four Big Ten individual championships as a distance runner for Michigan from 1986-1989

Warhurst era (2000–08)

Ron Warhurst was Michigan's head track coach for nine years from 2000 to 2008. Warhurst had been a member of the cross country teams at Western Michigan

Western Michigan Broncos

The Western Michigan Broncos are a NCAA Division I FBS team representing Western Michigan University. They compete in the Mid-American Conference in men's baseball, basketball, football, soccer and tennis; and women's basketball, cross-country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, track and field,...

that won consecutive NCAA championships in 1964 and 1965. From 1968 to 1970, Warhurst served in the U.S. Marine Corps and was awarded two Purple Hearts and a Navy Commendation Medal for service in Vietnam

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

. He became the University of Michigan's cross country coach in 1974, a position he has held for more than 35 years. He also served as assistant coach of the men's track and field team for 26 years. In 2000, Warhurst took over as head coach of the track team. Warhurst has coached 44 All-Americans and 12 Olympians at Michigan. His 2004 team finished fifth at the NCAA indoor championship. In 2008, Warhurst's team won the school's first Big Ten outdoor championship since 1983. Michigan won six individual Big Ten event championships in 2008, and Warhurst was named Big Ten Coach of the Year and Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year.

During the Warhurst era, Michigan's middle distance runners excelled. In 2003, Canadian runner Nate Brannen

Nathan Brannen

Nathan Brannen is a Canadian middle distance runner.Brannen was born in Cambridge, Ontario. He is affiliated with the Tri City Track Club.He holds a personal best in the 800m of 1:46:00.-References:*...

won the NCAA indoor championship in the 800-meter run. In 2005, middle distance runner Nick Willis

Nick Willis

Nicholas Ian Willis MNZM is a New Zealand middle distance runner. He won the silver medal in the 1500m at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing with a time of 3:34.16 minutes. He was a gold medallist in the 1500 metres at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and a bronze medallist at the 2010...

from New Zealand won the NCAA indoor championship in the mile run. A third middle distance runner, Andrew Ellerton won the NCAA outdoor championship in the 800-meter run in 2007. Michigan also dominated the distance medley event in the mid-2000s, winning the NCAA indoor championship in 2004 (with a team of DarNell Talbert, Ellerton, Willis, and Brannen) and again in 2005 (with a team of Rondell Ruff, Stan Waithe, Ellerton, and Brannen).

Three Michigan middle distance runners qualified for the 1,500 meter race at the 2008 Summer Olympics

2008 Summer Olympics

The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...

in Beijing

Beijing

Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

-- Nick Willis for New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

and Kevin Sullivan

Kevin Sullivan (athlete)

Kevin Sullivan is a middle distance runner from Canada. He was born in Brantford, Ontario.-Athletic career:Sullivan competed in 1000 metre, 1500 metre, and mile events and represented Canada. His personal best times are 3:31.71 for the 1500 and 3:50.36 for the mile...

and Nate Brannen for Canada. Willis won the gold medal in the 1,500 meter race at the 2006 Commonwealth Games

2006 Commonwealth Games

The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...

and the silver medal in the same event at the Beijing Olympics.

Michigan's sprinters and hurdlers also excelled in the late 2000s. In 2007, Jeff Porter won the NCAA indoor championship in the 60-meter hurdles. Sprinter Adam Harris

Adam Harris

C. Adam Harris is a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 82nd District and was elected in 2002.-Career:After graduating from college, Harris joined the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee as a research analyst. He ran for the House in 2002 with the...

was named the 2008 Big Ten Track Athlete of the Year after winning Big Ten event championships in the 60 meters (indoors), 200 meters and 4x100 meter relay. Harris ran a personal best 20.68 seconds in the 200-meter race at the NCAA Mideast Regional and qualified to compete for Guyana

Guyana

Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...

in that event at the 2008 Olympics.

Warhurst remained at Michigan as the head coach of the cross country team after 2008 and became the associate head coach of the track and field team in 2009.

LaPlante era (2009–)

Fred LaPlante took over as the head coach of Michigan's track and field team in 2009. LaPlante is a native of Toledo, Ohio

Toledo, Ohio

Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...

and a graduate of Eastern Michigan University

Eastern Michigan University

Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...

where he was an NCAA champion in the 1,500 meters race. He has been a track coach since the 1970s and was the head coach of the University of Southern California

University of Southern California

The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...

women's track and field team for several years in the 1980s. He was the assistant coach at Michigan from 1997 to 2008 and was named the 2008 NCAA Great Lakes Regional Assistant Coach of the Year in 2008. That year, the Wolverines won six Big Ten sprint titles and had All-Americans in the 60-meters (Adam Harris) and the 4x400-meter relay (Andre Barnes, Andrew Wechter, Dan Harmsen and Stann Waithe).

In LaPlante's first season as head coach, sprinter Adam Harris was named the 2009 Big Ten track athlete of the year (indoor). In 2009, Harris set University of Michigan records in the 60-meter dash (6.60) and the 100-meter dash (10.09). He was also named a 2009 All-American in the 60-meter and 100-meter dashes. Harris won eight Big Ten championships at Michigan -- four in 2008 and two in 2009. After graduating in 2009, Harris became a volunteer assistant coach with the Michigan track and field team.

Junior hurdler Carl Buchanon, sophomore distance runner Craig Forys, and junior multi-event performer Frank Shotwell have been named co-captains of the Michigan track and field team for the 2010 season.

University of Michigan Track & Field Hall of Fame

In 2006, the University of Michigan track and field staff established the University of Michigan Track and Field Hall of Fame. Eleven individuals have been inducted into the Hall of Fame each year since 2006.

Name	Event	Competition years	Induction year	Hall of Honor University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor The University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor, founded in 1978, recognizes University of Michigan athletes, coaches, and administrators who have made significant contributions to the university's athletic programs...	Key accomplishments
Diemer, Brian Brian Diemer Brian Lee Diemer was an American track and field athlete, who mainly competed in the 3000 metre steeplechase during his career. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1983 after winning the NCAA Indoor Track and Field 2 mile championship, held in nearby Detroit, and the Outdoor steeplechase...	Steeplechase	1980-1983	2006	No	Three-time Olympian (1984-1992); Olympic bronze medal (1984)
Fonville, Charlie Charlie Fonville Charles Edward Fonville was an American track and field athlete who set a world record in the shot put. In 1945, he had been named the Michigan High School Track & Field Athlete of the Year. He won the National Collegiate Athletic Association shot put championship in 1947 and 1948...	Shot put	1946-1950	2006	Yes	Three Big Ten championships; World record holder
Hahn, Archie Archie Hahn Charles Archibald "Archie" Hahn was a German-American athlete, and one of the best sprinters in the early 20th century....	Sprints	1904-1906	2006	Yes	Two-time Olympian (1904 and 1906); Four Olympic gold medals
Hoyt, Charles Charles B. Hoyt -Champion sprinter:A native of Greenfield, Iowa, Hoyt won three straight 100 and 220 yard dashes in the Iowa state meet from 1911–1913 and won seven career gold medals. As a high school student in 1912, Hoyt was offered a place on the U.S. Olympic team but turned down the chance...	Head coach	1930-1939	2006	No	14 Big Ten Conference titles
Hubbard, DeHart	Sprints, long jump	1923-1925	2006	Yes	First African-American athlete to win an individual Olympic gold medal (1924); set world record in the long jump
Johnson, Carl Carl Johnson (athlete) Carl Johnson was an American athlete who competed mainly in the long jump. He competed for the United States in the 1920 Summer Olympics held in Antwerp, Belgium in the long jump, where he won the silver medal.-Early Life:Johnson was born in Genesee County, Michigan, but moved to Spokane,...	Sprints, hurdles high jump	1918-1920	2006	No	1920 Olympian
Murray, Godfrey	Hurdles	1970-1973	2006	No	1972 Olympian
Nilsson, Roland "Fritz" Roland Nilsson (athlete) Roland "Fritz" Nilsson is a former athlete who was a member of the Swedish Olympic teams in 1948 and 1952. He was also a member of the Michigan Wolverines men's track and field team...	Shot put, discus	1952-1954	2006	No	Six Big Ten championships; Finished 5th in the shot put and 7th in the discus throw at the 1952 Summer Olympics 1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
Robinson, Tom	Sprints	1959-1961	2006	Yes	Represented Bahamas in four Summer Olympics(1956-1968); gold medalist in the 100 meters at 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games The 9th Central American and Caribbean Games were held in Kingston, the capital city of Jamaica from August 15 to August 28, 1962. This games included 1,559 athletes from fifteen nations.-References:...
Sullivan, Kevin Kevin Sullivan (athlete) Kevin Sullivan is a middle distance runner from Canada. He was born in Brantford, Ontario.-Athletic career:Sullivan competed in 1000 metre, 1500 metre, and mile events and represented Canada. His personal best times are 3:31.71 for the 1500 and 3:50.36 for the mile...	Distance	1994-1998	2006	No	12 Big Ten individual titles; Three NCAA individual titles; Two-time Olympian
Tolan, Eddie Eddie Tolan Thomas Edward "Eddie" Tolan , nicknamed the "Midnight Express", was an American track and field athlete who compete in the Sprints. He set world records in the 100 yard dash and 100 meters event and Olympic records in the 100 meters and 200 meters events...	Sprints	1929-1931	2006	Yes	Gold medals in 100 and 200 metres, 1932 Olympics 1932 Summer Olympics The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations... ; Set world record in 100 yrd dash at 9.5
Barten, Herb	Distance	1946-1949	2007	No	Five individual Big Ten titles; 1948 Olympian
Bernard, Kent	Sprints	1963-1965	2007	No	Five individual Big Ten titles; 1964 Olympian
Craig, Ralph Ralph Craig Ralph Cook Craig was an American athlete, winner of the sprint double at the 1912 Summer Olympics.Craig was born in Detroit, Michigan. Initially a hurdler, he developed into a sprinter at the University of Michigan...	Sprints	1909-1911	2007	No	Two Olympic gold medals (1912)
Doherty, Ken Ken Doherty (track) Ken Doherty was an American decathlon champion, college track and field coach, author and longtime director of the Penn Relays. While a student at the University of Michigan, Doherty won the American decathlon championship in 1928 and 1929 and won the bronze medal in the event at the 1928 Summer...	Head coach	1940-1948	2007	No	Seven Big Ten team titles
Donakowski, Bill	Distance	1974-1977	2007	No	Three individual titles
Gardner, Neil Neil Gardner Neil Anthony Gardner, born December 8, 1974 in Kingston, Jamaica to parents Lloyd Gardner and Viris Page-Gardner, was a former Jamaican athlete who specialized in the 400 meters hurdles event...	Hurdles	1994-1997	2007	No	Three NCAA individual titles; 1996 Olympian
McEwen, Don Don McEwen Don McEwen is a former track and field athlete. He was a two-time NCAA champion in the two-mile run.-Biography:While competing for the University of Michigan, he won consecutive NCAA men's track and field championships in the two-mile race. In 1950, McEwen won the NCAA championship with a time of...	Middle distance	1950-1952	2007	Yes	Six Big Ten individual titles; Two NCAA individual titles
Northrup, Phil Phil Northrup Philip Northrup was an American track and field athlete. He won the NCAA javelin championship in 1925 and 1926 and tied for the NCAA championship in the pole vault in 1925.-Biography:...	Javelin, pole vault	1925-1927	2007	No	Three NCAA individual titles; Three Big Ten individual titles
Rose, Ralph Ralph Rose Ralph Waldo Rose was an American track and field athlete.He was born in Healdsburg, California....	Shot put, discus	1904	2007	No	Three Olympic gold medals
Scherer, John	Distance	1986-1989	2007	No	Four Big Ten individual titles; Three NCAA individual titles
Watson, Bill William Watson (track and field athlete) William Delouis Watson , also known as Big Bill Watson, was an American track and field athlete. Watson was the Amateur Athletic Union decathlon champion in 1940 and 1943. He was the first African-American to win the U.S...	Long jump, discus, shot put	1937-1939	2007	Yes	12 individual Big Ten titles
Brooker, James James Brooker James Kent Brooker was an American athlete who competed in the men's pole vault. He competed in Athletics at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris and won bronze, behind fellow American polevaulters Lee Barnes and Glen Graham, who won gold and silver medals respectively.Brooker attended the...	Pole vault	1923-1925	2008	No	Two individual Big Ten titles; Two NCAA individual titles; Olympic bronze medal (1924)
Bruce, Andrew Andrew Bruce Andrew Bruce is a retired athlete from Trinidad and Tobago who specialized in the 200 metres. He represented Trinidad at the 1980 Moscow Olympics in the 200 metres, where he reached the semi finals...	Sprints	1979-1982	2008	No	Eight individual Big Ten titles; 1980 Olympian
Canham, Don Don Canham Donald Canham was a track and field athlete and coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the athletic director at the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1988. There, he became nationally renowned for his ability to market and sell products bearing the name or logo of the school...	High jump Head coach	1939-1941 1948-1968	2008	Yes	Four individual Big Ten titles; One NCAA individual title; 11 Big Ten conference titles as coach
Dvorak, Charles Charles Dvorak Charles Edward Dvorak was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the pole vault. He attended the University of Michigan where he competed for the Michigan Wolverines men's track and field team from 1900 to 1904. He participated in the 1900 Summer Olympics where he was a favorite...	Pole vault	1900-1904	2008	No	Olympic gold medal (1904); Olympic silver medal (1900)
Hume, Robert H. Robert H. Hume Robert Humiston Hume was the 1941 NCAA champion in the outdoor mile run. He was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor in 1990. He and his twin brother, H...	Middle distance	1943-1946	2008	Yes	Five individual Big Ten titles; One NCAA individual title
Hume, H. Ross H. Ross Hume Henry Ross Hume was a three-time NCAA champion distance runner who was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor in 1990. He and his twin brother, Robert H...	Middle distance	1943-1946	2008	Yes	Six individual Big Ten titles; One NCAA individual title
Lattany, Mike	High jump	1978-1980	2008	No	Three individual Big Ten titles
Lep, Ergas	Middle distance	1960-1962	2008	No	Nine individual Big Ten titles; Two-time Olympian for Canada (1960 and 1964)
Mortimer, John	Distance	1996-1999	2008	No	Five individual Big Ten titles
Owen, Dave	Shot put	1955-1957	2008	No	Nine individual Big Ten titles; One NCAA individual title
Schule, Fred	Hurdles		2008	No	Olympic gold medal (1904)
Ward, Willis Willis Ward Willis F. Ward was a track and field athlete and American football player who was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor in 1981....	Sprints, Long jump	1931-1935	2008	Yes	Eight individual Big Ten titles; Three NCAA individual titles
Darr, Brad	Pole vault	1989-1992	2009	No	Three-time All-American; Big Ten champion; Penn Relays champion
Farrell, Stephen Stephen Farrell (track and field) Stephen J. Farrell was professional track athlete, circus performer and track coach.Farrell was a professional foot-racer in the 1880s and 1890s, beginning as a competitor in the hook, hose and ladder teams of New England. He was the first American to win England's Sheffield Cup on two occasions...	Head coach	1918-1929	2009	No	1923 NCAA team championship; coached 3 Olympic champions and 11 national champions
Garrels, John John Garrels John Garrels was an American athlete who excelled in the 110 metres hurdles, discus throw, shot put, and as a fullback and end in American football....	Shot put, Hurdles, Discus	1904-1907	2009	No	Olympic silver medal (1908 hurdles); Olympic bronze medal (1908 shot put); Six-time Big Ten individual champion; Three-time Penn Relays discus champion
Hester, George "Buck"	Head coach	1926-1928	2009	No	Two-time Canadian Olympian (1924 and 1928); Two-time All-American; Two Big Ten individual championships
Kutschinski, Ron	Distance	1967-1969	2009	No	1968 Olympian; All-American; Big Ten outdoor champion
Landstrom, Eeles Eeles Landström Eeles Enok Landström is a Finnish Olympic medalist and double European Champion in pole vault, a former member of the Finnish parliament and former business executive...	Pole vault	1958-1959	2009	No	Three-time Finnish Olympian (1952-1960); Olympic bronze medal (1960); All-American; Two Big Ten individual championships
Meyer, Greg Greg Meyer Greg Meyer is best known for his accomplishments in distance running. Most notably, he is the last American male to win the Boston Marathon.-Education:...	Distance	1974-1977	2009	No	All-American (steeplechase); Big Ten champion; 1983 Boston Marathon Boston Marathon The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest... winner
Stoller, Sam Sam Stoller Sam Stoller was an American sprinter and long jumper who tied the world record in the 60-yard dash in 1936. He is best known for his exclusion from the American 4 × 100 relay team at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, triggering widespread speculation that he and Marty Glickman,...	Sprinter	1935-1937	2009	No	1936 Olympian and recipient of the USOC General MacArthur Medal; Two-time All-American; Big Ten individual champion
Ufer, Bob Bob Ufer Bob Ufer was the lead broadcaster for the Michigan Wolverines football team for 37 years, starting in 1944. He has been inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor.-Early years:...	Sprints	1941-1944	2009	Yes	Set world indoor record in 440 yard race; Three Big Ten individual championships
Wilcher, Thomas Thomas Wilcher Thomas Wilcher is a high school athletic coach who was previously a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I track and field national champion in the indoor 55 m hurdles and a three-time NCAA All-American in track and field for the University of Michigan. Wilcher was also a running...	Hurdles	1983-1987	2009	No	One NCAA individual championship; One Big Ten individual championship; Three-time All-American

NCAA individual event champions

Michigan track and field athletes have won 43 NCAA individual event championships. (All championships are outdoor unless otherwise noted.)

1922
1922 NCAA Men's Track and Field Championships
The 1922 NCAA Track and Field Championships was the second NCAA track and field championship. The event was held at Stagg Field in Chicago, Illinois in June 1922. The University of California won the team title, and nine NCAA records were set at the two-day meet.-Overview:The 1922 NCAA Track and...

: Howard Hoffman - javelin
1922: John Landowski - pole vault
1923
1923 NCAA Men's Track and Field Championships
The 1923 NCAA Track and Field Championships was the third NCAA track and field championship. The event was held at Stagg Field in Chicago, Illinois in June 1923. The University of Michigan won the team title, and six NCAA records were set at the two-day meet....

: James Brooker
James Brooker
James Kent Brooker was an American athlete who competed in the men's pole vault. He competed in Athletics at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris and won bronze, behind fellow American polevaulters Lee Barnes and Glen Graham, who won gold and silver medals respectively.Brooker attended the...

- pole vault
1923: DeHart Hubbard - long jump
1925
1925 NCAA Men's Track and Field Championships
The 1925 NCAA Track and Field Championships was the fourth NCAA track and field championship. The event was held at Stagg Field in Chicago, Illinois in June 1925. Stanford University won the team title, and six NCAA records were set at the two-day meet....

: Philip Northrup - javelin
1925: Philip Northrup - pole vault
1925: DeHart Hubbard - long jump
1925: DeHart Hubbard - 100 m Dash
1926: Harry Hawkins
Harry Hawkins
Harry Hawkins was an American athlete and engineer. He was a lineman for the University of Michigan football team from 1923-1925 where he was selected as a first-team All-Western player and a third-team All-American in 1925. Fielding H. Yost called him the "greatest lineman of the year." He was...

- hammer throw
1926: Phillip Northrup - javelin
1928: Wilford Ketz - hammer throw
1930: Holly Campbell - hammer throw
1931: Eddie Tolan
Eddie Tolan
Thomas Edward "Eddie" Tolan , nicknamed the "Midnight Express", was an American track and field athlete who compete in the Sprints. He set world records in the 100 yard dash and 100 meters event and Olympic records in the 100 meters and 200 meters events...

- 200-meter dash
1933: Roderick Cox - hammer throw
1936: Bob Osgood
Bob Osgood
Robert D. "Bob" Osgood was an American track and field athlete who set a world record in the 120-yard high hurdles in May 1937 with a time of 14 seconds flat. He also won the Big Ten Conference championship in the event in both 1936 and 1937...

- 400-meter intermediate hurdles
1937: Sam Stoller
Sam Stoller
Sam Stoller was an American sprinter and long jumper who tied the world record in the 60-yard dash in 1936. He is best known for his exclusion from the American 4 × 100 relay team at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, triggering widespread speculation that he and Marty Glickman,...

- 100-meter dash
1940: Don Canham
Don Canham
Donald Canham was a track and field athlete and coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the athletic director at the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1988. There, he became nationally renowned for his ability to market and sell products bearing the name or logo of the school...

- high jump
1944: H. Ross Hume
H. Ross Hume
Henry Ross Hume was a three-time NCAA champion distance runner who was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor in 1990. He and his twin brother, Robert H...

- 1500-meter run
1944: Robert H. Hume
Robert H. Hume
Robert Humiston Hume was the 1941 NCAA champion in the outdoor mile run. He was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor in 1990. He and his twin brother, H...

- 1500-meter run
1945: H. Ross Hume - 1500-meter run
1947: Charlie Fonville
Charlie Fonville
Charles Edward Fonville was an American track and field athlete who set a world record in the shot put. In 1945, he had been named the Michigan High School Track & Field Athlete of the Year. He won the National Collegiate Athletic Association shot put championship in 1947 and 1948...

- shot put
1948
1948 NCAA Men's Track and Field Championships
The 1948 NCAA Track and Field Championships were held in Minneapolis, Minnesota in June 1956. The University of Minnesota won the team title. Two NCAA meet records were broken, and one American record was tied, at the event...

: Charlie Fonville - shot put
1950: Don McEwen
Don McEwen
Don McEwen is a former track and field athlete. He was a two-time NCAA champion in the two-mile run.-Biography:While competing for the University of Michigan, he won consecutive NCAA men's track and field championships in the two-mile race. In 1950, McEwen won the NCAA championship with a time of...

- two-mile run
1951: Don McEwen - two-mile run
1953: Milt Mead - high jump
1957: Dave Owen - shot put
1983: Brian Diemer
Brian Diemer
Brian Lee Diemer was an American track and field athlete, who mainly competed in the 3000 metre steeplechase during his career. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1983 after winning the NCAA Indoor Track and Field 2 mile championship, held in nearby Detroit, and the Outdoor steeplechase...

- 300-meter steeplechase
1986: Thomas Wilcher
Thomas Wilcher
Thomas Wilcher is a high school athletic coach who was previously a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I track and field national champion in the indoor 55 m hurdles and a three-time NCAA All-American in track and field for the University of Michigan. Wilcher was also a running...

- 55-meter hurdles
1988: John Scherer - 10,000-meter run
1989: John Scherer - 5,000-meter run
1989: John Scherer - 10,000-meter run
1995: Kevin Sullivan
Kevin Sullivan (athlete)
Kevin Sullivan is a middle distance runner from Canada. He was born in Brantford, Ontario.-Athletic career:Sullivan competed in 1000 metre, 1500 metre, and mile events and represented Canada. His personal best times are 3:31.71 for the 1500 and 3:50.36 for the mile...

- mile run (indoor)
1995: Kevin Sullivan - 1500-meter run
1995: Kevin Sullivan, Trinity Townsend, Nick Karfonta, Ian Forsyth - distance medley relay (indoor)
1996: Neil Gardner - 400-meter intermediate hurdles
1996: Neil Gardner - 55-meter hurdles (indoor)
1998: Kevin Sullivan - mile run (indoor)
2003: Nate Brannen
Nathan Brannen
Nathan Brannen is a Canadian middle distance runner.Brannen was born in Cambridge, Ontario. He is affiliated with the Tri City Track Club.He holds a personal best in the 800m of 1:46:00.-References:*...

- 800-meter run (indoor)
2004: DarNell Talbert, Andrew Ellerton, Nick Willis, Nate Brannen - Distance Medley Relay (indoor)
2005: Nick Wills - mile run (indoor)
2005: Rondell Ruff, Stan Waithe, Andrew Ellerton, Nate Brannen - Distance Medley Relay (indoor)
2007: Jeff Porter - 60-meter hurdles (indoor)
2007: Andrew Ellerton - 800-meter run

Michigan's Olympic medalists

The following Michigan track and field athletes have won Olympic medals, including 14 gold medal

Gold medal

1900 Olympics

John McLean
John McLean (athlete)
John Frederick McLean was an All-American college football player, track and field athlete, and coach. He won a silver medal in the 110 metre hurdles at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris with a time of 15.5 seconds. He was also selected as an All-American football player in 1899 while playing for...

- silver medal, 110-meter high hurdles
John McLean - silver medal in the long jump (handicap event - not recognized as an official medal)
Charles Dvorak
Charles Dvorak
Charles Edward Dvorak was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the pole vault. He attended the University of Michigan where he competed for the Michigan Wolverines men's track and field team from 1900 to 1904. He participated in the 1900 Summer Olympics where he was a favorite...

- silver medal, pole vault (special event - not recognized as an official medal)
Howard Hayes
Howard Hayes
Howard Wood Hayes was an American track and field athlete who competed at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. He also competed in intercollegiate track for the University of Michigan....

- silver medal, 800-meter race (handicap event - not recognized as an official medal)

1904 Olympics

Archie Hahn
Archie Hahn
Charles Archibald "Archie" Hahn was a German-American athlete, and one of the best sprinters in the early 20th century....

- gold medal, 60-meter race
Archie Hahn - gold medal, 100-meter race
Archie Hahn - gold medal, 200-meter race
Charles Dvorak - gold medal, pole vault
Ralph Rose
Ralph Rose
Ralph Waldo Rose was an American track and field athlete.He was born in Healdsburg, California....

- gold medal, shot put
Ralph Rose - silver medal, discus (tied for first with 128 feet, 10-1/2 inches, lost in throw-off)
Ralph Rose - bronze medal, hammer throw
Fred Schule - gold medal, 110-meter high hurdles
Wesley Coe
Wesley Coe
Wesley Coe was an American athlete who competed mainly in the shot put.He competed for the United States in the 1904 Summer Olympics held in St Louis, United States in the shot put where he won the silver medal between fellow Americans winner Ralph Rose and bronze medal winner Lawrence...

- silver medal, shot put

1906 Olympics

Archie Hahn, gold medal, 100-meter race

1908 Olympics

Ralph Rose - gold medal, shot put
John Garrels
John Garrels
John Garrels was an American athlete who excelled in the 110 metres hurdles, discus throw, shot put, and as a fullback and end in American football....

- silver medal, 110-meter high hurdles
John Garrells - bronze medal, shot put
Gayle Dull - U.S. silver medal, 3-mile team (Dull placed 10th overall and did not contribute to U.S. team score)

1912 Olympics

Ralph Craig
Ralph Craig
Ralph Cook Craig was an American athlete, winner of the sprint double at the 1912 Summer Olympics.Craig was born in Detroit, Michigan. Initially a hurdler, he developed into a sprinter at the University of Michigan...

- gold medal, 100-meter race
Ralph Craig - gold medal, 200-meter race
Ralph Rose - silver medal, shot put
Ralph Rose - gold medal, two-handed shot put

1920 Olympics

Carl Johnson
Carl Johnson (athlete)
Carl Johnson was an American athlete who competed mainly in the long jump. He competed for the United States in the 1920 Summer Olympics held in Antwerp, Belgium in the long jump, where he won the silver medal.-Early Life:Johnson was born in Genesee County, Michigan, but moved to Spokane,...

- silver medal, long jump

1924 Olympics

DeHart Hubbard - gold medal, long jump (first African-American to win an individual gold medal in the Olympics)
James Brooker
James Brooker
James Kent Brooker was an American athlete who competed in the men's pole vault. He competed in Athletics at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris and won bronze, behind fellow American polevaulters Lee Barnes and Glen Graham, who won gold and silver medals respectively.Brooker attended the...

- bronze medal, pole vault

1928 Olympics

Ken Doherty
Ken Doherty (track)
Ken Doherty was an American decathlon champion, college track and field coach, author and longtime director of the Penn Relays. While a student at the University of Michigan, Doherty won the American decathlon championship in 1928 and 1929 and won the bronze medal in the event at the 1928 Summer...

- bronze medal, decathlon
Athletics at the 1928 Summer Olympics
At the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, 27 athletics events were contested. The competition was held on a 400 meter track and would become the standard for athletics tracks in the future. For the first time, women's events in athletics were included in the Olympic Games program...

1932 Olympics

Eddie Tolan
Eddie Tolan
Thomas Edward "Eddie" Tolan , nicknamed the "Midnight Express", was an American track and field athlete who compete in the Sprints. He set world records in the 100 yard dash and 100 meters event and Olympic records in the 100 meters and 200 meters events...

- gold medal, 100-meter race
Athletics at the 1932 Summer Olympics
At the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, 29 athletics events were contested, 23 for men and 6 for women. It was the first time the 50 kilometre walk appeared in the men's athletics at the Games. This was only the second time women's events in athletics were included in the Olympic Games program...
Eddie Tolan - gold medal, 200-meter race

1936 Olympics

Sam Stoller
Sam Stoller
Sam Stoller was an American sprinter and long jumper who tied the world record in the 60-yard dash in 1936. He is best known for his exclusion from the American 4 × 100 relay team at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, triggering widespread speculation that he and Marty Glickman,...

- pulled from the gold medal winning 4x100 meter relay team
Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics
At the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, 29 athletics events were contested, 23 for men and 6 for women. The program of events was unchanged from the previous Games. There was a total of 776 participants from 43 countries competing.-Medal table:...

; controversy ensued over allegations that Stoller, who was Jewish, was pulled to appease the Nazi hosts

1960 Olympics

Eeles Landstrom
Eeles Landström
Eeles Enok Landström is a Finnish Olympic medalist and double European Champion in pole vault, a former member of the Finnish parliament and former business executive...

- bronze medal, pole vault
Athletics at the 1960 Summer Olympics
At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, 34 events in athletics were contested, 24 by men and 10 by women. There were a total number of 1016 participating athletes from 73 countries.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-Records broken:...

(competing for Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

)

1964 Olympics

Kent Bernard - bronze medal, 4x400 meter relay
Athletics at the 1964 Summer Olympics - Men's 4x400 metre relay
The men's 4 × 400 metres relay was the longer of the two men's relays on the Athletics at the 1964 Summer Olympics program in Tokyo. It was held on 20 October and 21 October 1964. 20 teams, for a total of 80 athletes, from 20 nations entered, with 3 teams of 4 not starting in the first round...

(competing for Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...

)

1984 Olympics

Brian Diemer
Brian Diemer
Brian Lee Diemer was an American track and field athlete, who mainly competed in the 3000 metre steeplechase during his career. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1983 after winning the NCAA Indoor Track and Field 2 mile championship, held in nearby Detroit, and the Outdoor steeplechase...

- bronze medal, 3000-meter steeplechase
Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics - Men's 3000 metre steeplechase
The men's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California had an entrylist of 35 competitors, with three qualifying heats and two semifinals before the final took place.-Medalists:-Abbreviations:...

2008 Olympics

Nick Willis
Nick Willis
Nicholas Ian Willis MNZM is a New Zealand middle distance runner. He won the silver medal in the 1500m at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing with a time of 3:34.16 minutes. He was a gold medallist in the 1500 metres at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and a bronze medallist at the 2010...

- silver medal, 1,500 meter race (competing for New Zealand)

External links

U of M Men's Track and Field

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