Utah Utes track and field

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Utah Utes track and field
Utah Utes logo.svg
University University of Utah
Head coach Kyle Kepler
Conference Big 12
Location Salt Lake City, Utah
Outdoor track McCarthey Family Track & Field Complex
Nickname Utes
ColorsRed and white [1]
   

The Utah Utes track and field team is the track and field program that represents University of Utah. The Utes compete in NCAA Division I as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The team is based in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the McCarthey Family Track & Field Complex. [2]

Contents

The program is coached by Kyle Kepler. [3] The track and field program officially encompasses four teams because the NCAA considers men's and women's indoor track and field and outdoor track and field as separate sports. [4]

Fred Sheffield was the first two-time individual champion for the program, having won the high jump at the 1943 and 1945 NCAA Track and Field Championships. [5] [6]

In 2005, Utah discontinued its men's track and field and cross country programs. [7] The teams were discontinued for financial reasons, with Chris Hill stating that the school was already in compliance with gender equity guidelines. [8]

The women's teams joined the Pac-12 Conference for the 2011-12 season after previously competing in the Western Athletic Conference. [9] They competed in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation conference for indoor track and field only until their 2020 championships. [10] Beginning for the 2024-25 season, the school joined the Big 12 Conference. [11] Due to the lack of a men's team, they were also called the "Women of Utah". [9]

Postseason

As of August 2025, a total of 20 men and 10 women have achieved individual first-team All-American status for the team at the Division I men's outdoor, women's outdoor, men's indoor, or women's indoor national championships (using the modern criteria of top-8 placing regardless of athlete nationality). [12] [13]

First team NCAA All-Americans
TeamChampionshipsNameEventPlaceRef.
Men's 1927 Outdoor Doral Pilling Javelin throw 1st [14]
Men's 1929 Outdoor Byron Grant 110 meters hurdles 6th [15]
Men's 1929 Outdoor Byron Grant High jump 5th [16]
Men's 1929 Outdoor Byron Grant Long jump 6th [17]
Men's 1930 Outdoor Nate Long 400 meters 6th [18]
Men's 1935 Outdoor Knewell Rushforth High jump 2nd [16]
Men's 1936 Outdoor Jack Thornley Javelin throw 3rd [14]
Men's 1940 Outdoor Bud Gehrke Javelin throw 5th [14]
Men's 1943 Outdoor Fred Sheffield High jump 1st [16]
Men's 1944 Outdoor Fred Sheffield High jump 2nd [16]
Men's 1944 Outdoor Fred Sheffield Long jump 3rd [17]
Men's 1945 Outdoor Fred Sheffield High jump 1st [16]
Men's 1945 Outdoor Fred Sheffield Long jump 3rd [17]
Men's 1946 Outdoor Fred Sheffield High jump 2nd [16]
Men's 1949 Outdoor Keith Tolstrup 110 meters hurdles 7th [15]
Men's 1951 Outdoor Barney Dyer High jump 2nd [16]
Men's 1952 Outdoor Fred Pratley High jump 3rd [16]
Men's 1952 Outdoor Barney Dyer High jump 7th [16]
Men's 1953 Outdoor Cal Clark High jump 6th [16]
Men's 1955 Outdoor Cal Clark High jump 6th [16]
Men's 1957 Outdoor Ken Christensen 100 meters 8th [19]
Men's 1961 Outdoor Blaine Lindgren 110 meters hurdles 3rd [15]
Men's 1962 Outdoor Krege Christenson Javelin throw 7th [14]
Men's 1963 Outdoor Krege Christenson Javelin throw 3rd [14]
Men's 1964 Outdoor Craig Smith Javelin throw 8th [14]
Men's 1966 Outdoor Scott Etnyre Triple jump 7th [20]
Men's 1967 Outdoor Scott Etnyre Triple jump 2nd [20]
Men's 1968 Outdoor Scott Bringhurst 5000 meters 5th [21]
Men's 1970 Outdoor Doug Wells Decathlon 5th [22]
Men's 1971 Outdoor Scott Bringhurst 10,000 meters 4th [23]
Men's 1981 Outdoor Mark Davenport High jump 6th [16]
Men's 1982 Indoor Mark Davenport High jump 6th [24]
Women's 1982 Outdoor Jill Molen 5000 meters 6th [25]
Women's 1982 Outdoor Jill Molen 10,000 meters 3rd [26]
Women's 1989 Outdoor Brenda Alcorn High jump 5th [27]
Women's 1991 Outdoor Brenda Alcorn High jump 8th [27]
Women's 1992 Indoor Traci Stevens High jump 6th [28]
Men's 1998 Outdoor Jeff Simonich 5000 meters 8th [21]
Women's 1999 Outdoor Amy Tidwell 400 meters 8th [29]
Women's 2004 Indoor Katie Decker High jump 7th [28]
Women's 2013 Indoor Amanda Mergaert Mile run 5th [30]
Women's 2013 Outdoor Amanda Mergaert 1500 meters 3rd [31]
Women's 2017 Outdoor Grayson Murphy 3000 meters steeplechase 5th [32]
Women's 2018 Outdoor Grayson Murphy 3000 meters steeplechase 6th [32]
Women's 2019 Indoor Sarah Feeny Mile run 8th [30]
Women's 2023 Indoor Simone Plourde 3000 meters 4th [33]
Women's 2023 Indoor Emily Venters 5000 meters 5th [34]
Women's 2023 Outdoor Emily Venters 5000 meters 3rd [25]
Women's 2023 Outdoor Simone Plourde 5000 meters 7th [25]
Women's 2023 Outdoor Emily Venters 10,000 meters 2nd [26]
Women's 2025 Indoor Brianna Rinn Distance medley relay 5th [35]
Emily Martin
Kyla Martin
Erin Vringer

See also

References

  1. University of Utah Athletics Brand Guide (PDF). 23 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  2. "Utah Utes Media Guide" (PDF). University of Utah Athletics. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  3. "Utah Utes Track and Field Coach". University of Utah Athletics. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  4. "Here are the differences between the indoor and outdoor track seasons". ncaa.com. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  5. "Sheffield to Seek NCAA Jump Laurels". The Salt Lake Tribune . 3 June 1945. p. 19. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  6. "Sheffield Ties for NCAA Title Again". The Salt Lake Tribune . 10 June 1945. p. 18. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  7. "U. To Discontinue Men's Track/Cross Country Program". utahutes.com .
  8. "Utah cuts men's track, x-country". The Spectrum (Utah) . 19 May 2005. p. 11. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  9. 1 2 "Mindset change, key transfer portal additions have led to rise of Utah women's track and field program". deseret.com .
  10. "Sims Falls Just Short of New School Record at Day 1 of MPSF Championships". utahutes.com .
  11. "Arizona, Arizona State, Utah join Big 12: Programs follow Colorado departing Pac-12 before 2024 season". CBSSports.com. 5 August 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  12. "USTFCCCA InfoZone: Meet History by Event: NCAA Division I Indoor Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  13. "USTFCCCA InfoZone: Meet History by Event: NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Javelin throw at the NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  15. 1 2 3 "110 meters hurdles at the NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "High jump at the NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  17. 1 2 3 "Long jump at the NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  18. "400 meters at the NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  19. "100 meters at the NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  20. 1 2 "Triple jump at the NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  21. 1 2 "5000 meters at the NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  22. "Decathlon at the NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  23. "10,000 meters at the NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  24. "High jump at the NCAA Division I Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  25. 1 2 3 "5000 meters at the NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  26. 1 2 "10,000 meters at the NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  27. 1 2 "High jump at the NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  28. 1 2 "High jump at the NCAA Division I Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  29. "400 meters at the NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  30. 1 2 "Mile run at the NCAA Division I Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  31. "1500 meters at the NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  32. 1 2 "3000 meters steeplechase at the NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  33. "3000 meters at the NCAA Division I Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  34. "5000 meters at the NCAA Division I Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  35. "Distance medley relay at the NCAA Division I Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA . Retrieved 28 December 2024.