USC Men's Track & Field National Champions
USC Men's Track & Field has won 27 outdoor titles and three indoor championships, a total of 30 national titles.
OUTDOOR NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
1926 – USC won its first track and field championship in the meet held at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill. USC won with 27.5 points, 2.5 points ahead of runner-up Michigan. Captain Bud Houser led the way for the Trojans by winning the discus throw (148-11.75) and taking second in the shot put. Dean Cromwell won his first national title in his 17th season of leading the Trojan tracksters.
1930 – USC steam-rolled to the team title by over 17 points in the meet held at Stagg Field in Chicago, Ill. Frank Wykoff won the 100-yard dash with a world-record time of 9.4 seconds and James Stewart took the high jump title with a clearance of 6-3.75. Dean Cromwell guided USC to its and his second team title.
1931 – USC won its second consecutive NCAA track and field championship at Stagg Field in Chicago, Ill. and scored a then-record 77 1/7 points, more than double runner-up Ohio State’s 31 1/7 points. Frank Wycoff won his second consecutive 100m dash title (9.6 seconds), Victor Williams the 440-yard dash (48.3 seconds), Bill Graber the pole vault (13-10), Bob Hall the discus throw (152-7 1/2) and Bob Hall the shot put (49-9). Dean Cromwell once again led the Trojans to the team title.
1935 – USC and head coach Dean Cromwell won the first of what would become a record nine consecutive team titles in the meet held in Berkeley, Calif. The Trojans outscored runner-up Ohio State and its star Jesse Owens 74 1/5-40 1/5 points. Earle Meadows (14-1 1/8) and Bill Sefton went 1-2 in the pole vault and Ken Carpenter (157-11 1/4) won the discus throw to lead the way.
1936 – USC won the team title by more than 30 points with a then record total of 103 1/3 points in the meet held at Stagg Field in Chicago, Ill. Earle Meadows and Bill Sefton (14-1 3/4) tied for the pole vault title and Ken Carpenter won the discus throw with a then-American record (173-0). Dean Cromwell’s loaded team had an athlete score in all but two events (1500m & 400m hurdles).
1937 – Dean Cromwell’s crew scored 62 points to win the NCAA track and field title again, this time in Berkeley, Calif. Earl Vickery won the 220-yard hurdles (23.3 seconds) and captain Bill Sefton won the pole vault title (14-8 7/8) as he and Earle Meadows and Irving Howe take 1st, 3rd, & 4th respectively in the event to lead the Trojans to the title.
1938 – USC won its fourth consecutive team title by scoring 69 3/4 points in the meet held in Minneapolis, Minn. Louis Zamperini won the one-mile race with a then-NCAA record time of 4:08.3 and Loring Day won the pole vaut (14-2). Dean Cromwell again was the USC head coach.
1939 – USC won its fifth consecutive NCAA track and field title, this time at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. The Trojans scored 86 points, 41.5 points ahead of second-place Stanford. Erwin Miller won the 440-yard dash (47.5 seconds), Louis Zamperini the one-mile race (4:13.6) and Bob Peoples the javelin throw (220-6 1/2). Dean Cromwell once again led the Trojans and showed he was worthy of the nickname “Maker of Champions.”
1940 – The Trojans won their sixth consecutive NCAA title during a two-day downpour in Minneapolis, Minn., with the field events being forced indoors due to flooding. USC scored 44 points, led by Kenny Dills’ win in the pole vault (13-10). The other key point-getters for the Trojans were John Wilson who tied for the high jump title (6-6 3/8), captain Mickey Anderson in the 220-yard, Howard Upton in the 440-yard and captain Louis Zamperini in the one-mile, who all placed third in their events. Dean Cromwell was the head coach.
1941 – USC stretched its winning streak to seven consecutive seasons by scoring 81 1/2 points in the meet held at Stanford. Coach Dean Cromwell led a complete team effort as USC’s only event winner was Hubie Kerns in the 440-yard (46.6 seconds). USC, however, did have two people score in the 100-yard, 220-yard, 120-yard hurdles, high jump, pole vault and long jump.
1942 – USC captured its 11th team title in the 21 years of the NCAA track and field championships as coach Dean Cromwell’s team amassed 85 1/2 points in the meet held in Lincoln, Neb. Cliff Bourland won the 440-yard (48.2 seconds) and finished third in the 220-yard race, while John Watchler took second in the 440-yard. Also taking second for USC in events were captain Leroy Weed in the one-mile, captain Mel Bleeker in the long jump, Carl Merritt in the shot put, and Gil LaCava and Searles Tally who tied for second in the high jump.
1943 – USC won its record ninth consecutive team title and 12th in the first 22 years of the NCAA team competition in the meet held at Northwestern in Evanston, Ill. Dean Cromwell guided the Trojans to the narrow 46-39 victory over second-place California. For the second consecutive season captain Cliff Bourland won the 440-yard (48.5 seconds) and took third in the 220-yard race. Jack Trout placed second in the 100-yard and the 220-yard and Edsel Curry was second long jump.
1949 – USC won the NCAA title with 55 2/5 points, more than 24 points ahead of second-place UCLA, at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum in Jess Hill’s first season as head coach. Captain Mel Patton won the 100-yard (9.7 seconds) and the 220-yard races, the latter with a meet-record time of 20.4. Dick Attlesey was second in the 120-yard hurdles.
1950 – USC won the NCAA championship with 49 1/5 points, more than 21 points ahead of the next closest team in the meet held in Minneapolis, Minn. Dick Attlesey won the 120-yard hurdles (14.0 seconds) and was second in the 220-yard hurdles. Captain Henry Aihara in the long jump and Sim Iness in the discus throw also placed second in events. Jess Hill made it two championships in his two seasons as USC’s head coach.
1951 – USC cruised to another team title with 56 points in the meet held in Seattle, Wash. Jack Davis won the 120-yard hurdles (13.7 seconds). Walt Jensen and captain Jack Rowan tied for second in the pole vault and Parry O’Brien took second in the shot put. Jess Mortensen led the Trojans to the title in his first season at the helm of the program.
1952 – USC dominated the field en route to its 16th NCAA title and fourth in a row wit 66 7/12 points, better than 40 points more than the runner-up. Jack Davis won his second consecutive 120-yard hurdles title and tied the legal meet record of 14.0. He also placed second in the 220-yard race. Other Trojans winning individual titles were Parry O’Brien in the shot put with a meet record (57 1/2) and Sim Inness in the discus throw (173-2). O’Brien also placed second in the discus throw. Jess Mortensen coach the Trojans to its second title in his two seasons.
1953 – USC steam-rolled to the title again with 80 points, 39 more than second place and 58 more than the third-place team in the meet held in Lincoln, Neb. Jim Lea won the 440-yard (47.0 seconds), captain Jack Davis won his third consecutive 120-yard hurdles (14.0 seconds) and the 220-yard hurdles (23.3 seconds) and captain Parry O’Brien won the shot put with a meet record (58-7 1/4) and took second in the discus throw, while Dick Genther won the javelin throw (216-9). Captain Sim Iness won the discus throw with a meet record mark on his first attempt, then set a world, college and meet record on his final attempt (190-0). Jess Mortensen again guided the Trojans to the team title.
1954 – USC won the team title with 66 17/20 points to more than double the next closest team at the meet held in Ann Arbor, Mich. Captain Jim Lea repeated as 440-yard champion (46.7 seconds) and Ernie Shelton won the high jump (6-10 1/4). Jess Mortensen won his fourth title in four seasons as head coach.
1955 – USC won its seventh consecutive NCAA team title with a narrow margin of 42-34 over crosstown rival UCLA in the meet held at the L.A. Coliseum. Ernie Shelton cleared a meet record 6-11 to win his second straight high jump title and captain Des Koch won the discus throw (176-0). Jess Mortensen led the Trojans to their fifth title in his five seasons at the helm of the program.
1958 – USC won its 20th national title in track and field as it scored 48 6/7 points to outdistance runner-up Kansas by eight points in the meet held in Berkeley, Calif. Dave Davis won the shot put (58-6 1/2), while captain Rink Babka tied for the discus throw title (186-2) and Gene Freudenthal tied for the pole vault title (14-4). Jeff Mortensen picked up his sixth national title as USC’s track and field coach.
1961 – USC won the track and field title with ease in Jess Mortensen’s final season as head coach, scoring 65 points in the meet held in Philadelphia, Pa. Luther Hayes became the first repeat winner of the triple jump with a meet record-leap of 51-2 1/4 and took second in the long jump. Dallas Long won the shot put with a meet record mark of 63-3 1/2, while Jim Brewer tied for first in the pole vault (15-4).
1963 – USC rolled to a 19-point win to capture the NCAA title in the meet held in Albuquerque, N.M. in Vern Wolfe’s first season as head coach of the Trojans. Captain Julio Marin won the three-mile (14:24.9) and six-mile races (30:32.9). Captain Rex Cawley won the 120-yard hurdles with an American, collegiate and meet record-time of 49.6. Lew Hoyt won the high jump (6-9 1/2).
1965 – USC tied for the team title with Oregon, with both teams scoring 32 points in the meet held in Berkeley, Calif. Paul Kerry won the 120-yard hurdles (13.9 seconds) and Bill Fosdick the pole vault (15-8 1/2). Vern Wolf led the Trojans to their 23rd team title, second with him leading the charges.
1967 – The Trojans trounced the field scoring 84 points and beating second-place Oregon by 44 points to win the NCAA track and field title in the meet held in Provo, Utah under the guidance on Vern Wolfe. Earl McCullouch won the 120-yard hurdles with a meet record (13.4 seconds) and teamed with Fred Kuller, O.J. Simpson and Lennox Miller to win the 4x110-yard relay with a world, college and meet record-time of 38.6. Bob Seagren won and Paul Wilson was second in the pole vault, both clearing 17-4. USC also had four other athletes finish second in an event.
1968 – USC’s 25th NCAA track and field title was its closest as it edged Washington State 58-57 in the meet held in Berkeley, Calif. Lennox Miller set a meet record in winning the 100m dash (10.1 seconds) and came in a close second in the 200m (20.8 seconds). Captain Earl McCullouch won the 120-yard hurdles by matching his meet record (13.4 seconds) and ran on the winning 4x110-yard relay with Fred Kuller, O.J. Simpson and Miller which won with a time of 39.5. Bob Seagren was second in the pole vault (16-8). Vern Wolfe picked up his fourth title as the head coach of USC.
1976 – USC scored 64 points to win the NCAA track title during the bicentennial meet held in Philadelphia, Pa. Captain Ken Randle won the 400m dash (45.2 seconds). Tom Cochee was second in the triple jump (53-10 1/4) and Ralph Fruguglietti was second in the discus throw (202-0) and James GIlkes was second in the 200m (20.74 seconds) and third in the 100m (10.35 seconds). Vern Wolfe won his fifth title as USC’s head coach.
2025 – USC scored 41 points to share the NCAA men’s outdoor team title with Texas A&M in Eugene, Ore., earning its 28th outdoor championship and first since 1976. The Trojans scored in seven events, including a school-record discus throw by Racquil Broderick, and became just the third program ever to win NCAA indoor and outdoor titles in the same year.
INDOOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
1967 – USC won its first NCAA indoor track and field title in the third year of the competition, scoring 26 points in the meet held at the Cobo Arena in Detroit, Mich. The Trojan squad led by Vern Wolfe scored 26 points, nine more than second-place Oklahoma.
1972 – USC won by a point over Bowling Green and Michigan State to win its second indoor track and field championship, both held at Cobo Arena in Detroit, Mich. Vern Wolfe’s squad outscored the runners up 19-18.
2025 – USC’s men captured their third NCAA men’s indoor team title — and first since 1972 — finishing with 39 points in Virginia Beach. No Trojan won an individual event, but team depth carried them to victory after a delayed celebration due to a 4×400 protest . The USC women placed 3rd with 35 points, marking their best indoor finish since 2019.
