From personal bests to new records, track and field is all about pushing past limits. Yet, some records are simply out of reach for those who follow behind.
Scan through the men's outdoor track and field record book and you'll find several other records in the highest level of college track and field that have pushed the envelope to a new stratosphere. Records that we think will stand in the history books forever.
Here are five men's outdoor track and field records that (we think) will never be broken. These opinions are mine and mine alone.
1. Most individual titles in a year
Jesse Owens had one of the greatest careers in history at Ohio State, winning a record four individual NCAA titles in 1935. Owens won the 100-yard dash, 220-yard dash, 220-yard low hurdles and long jump titles. Owens was so nice he did it twice, again setting the individual title in 1936.
It's been 80-plus years since Owens set that record. This might be the most unbreakable record in the sport.
2. Most outdoor team championships
Southern California has won 26 DI men's outdoor track and field championships, the most of any school. The next closest school is Arkansas with 10 championships. That's a 15-trophy lead for the Trojans.
And that's with USC not winning a men's title from 1977-2024. That record has proven to stand the test of time.
🏆: Here are the DI track and field teams with most NCAA championships
3. 3000-meter steeplechase
Washington State's Henry Rono set the 3000-meter steeplechase record on May 13, 1978, finishing in 8:05.4. Rono ran the top five steeplechase times in NCAA history from 1978-1979, including four sub-8:18.00 times. No one else in NCAA history has run sub 8:18.
The closest runners to Rono's record came at the 2022 DI championships, but even champion Ahmed Jaziri was 13 seconds away from this unbreakable record.
NCAA T&F: Here's how the outdoor track and field championships work
4. Hammer throw
Southern California's Balazs Kiss is the only man ever to break 80 meters in the hammer throw. He did it three times, including the NCAA record of 81.94 meters in 1995. Kiss owns the eight farthest hammer throws in history, including every toss over 79 meters. Only one person has broken 77 meters since 2002, earning Kiss' record unbreakable status.
💨: Wind and scoring in track and field, explained
5. Shot put
UCLA's John Godina is the only collegiate shot putter to reach 22 meters, hitting the mark exactly back in 1995. Since then, the closest an athlete has gotten to his record was 21.97 meters in 2010. Just two athletes have broken 21.5 in the last 13 years. Godina's record looks out of reach.
🧠 WHAT TO KNOW: Comparing indoor and outdoor seasons | Wind and scoring explained | Greatest venues | Best uniforms
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions.
