UNITED STATES

With a growing number of talented Scottish athletes heading to the United States college system, here we note performances in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championships.

 

Among the early arrivals to the colleges, USA-born "Scot" Alex Breckenridge went to Villanova and shot/discus star Mike Lindsay to Oklahoma in the 1950s, and Jim McLatchie went from Ayr Seaforth in the 1960s.

 

In the 1970s, Paul Bannon  and Paul Buxton were successful at Memphis State and Washington State respectively.

 

The 1980s were notable for Scottish women's athletes heading to America, with Meg Ritchie the most successful, becoming the first ever Scot to win NCAA Championship titles, both indoors and out. There was quite a significant movement - Liz Lynch and Elspeth Turner at Alabama, Margaret Coomber at Florida, Judith Shepherd and Kerry Robinson at Clemson, Andrea Everett to Wyoming, among others. 

 

The flow turned to a drizzle in the 1990s but picked up again in the mid-2000s and Scottish athletes, especially in middle distance, have featured prominently.

 

Undoubtedly the most successful has been Kathy Butler - unfortunately she was running for Canada at the time! Butler was born in Edinburgh of English parents and brought up in London until her parents emigrated to Ontario, Canada when she was 10. She attended the University of Guelph, Canada before transferring to the University of Wisconsin, USA. Although she did not elect to compete for Scotland until 2000, her record is certainly worthy of note:

1994 - 5th NCAA Cross Country

1995 - 7th NCAA 1 Mile indoor; 1st NCAA 3000m; 1st NCAA Cross Country

1996 - 1st NCAA 3000m, 2nd NCAA indoor 5000m

1997 - 1st NCAA 3000m, 2nd NCAA indoor 5000m, 3rd NCAA indoor mile

NCAA OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

The following table sets out Scottish athletes with top 8 placings at the NCAA Division 1 Championships.

Place Athlete College Event Year Performance
1 Henry Kennedy Michigan State 3000SC 1956 9:16.5
1 Margaret Ritchie Arizona Shot 1982 16.90
1 Margaret Ritchie Arizona Discus 1982 61.56
1 Nick Percy Nebraska Discus 2016 61.27
1 Josh Kerr New Mexico 1500m 2017 3:43.03
2 Andrew Lemoncello Florida State 3000SC 2007 8:27.29
3 Mike Lindsay Oklahoma Shot 1959 49.76
3 Margaret Ritchie Arizona Discus 1983 59.96
3 Laura Wight Nebraska 3000m 1985 9:16.15
3 Stephen Lisgo Butler 3000SC 2009 8:35.49
3 Josh Kerr New Mexico 1500m 2018 3:45.02
4 Alex Breckenridge Villanova 2 Miles 1957 9:03.4
4 Mike Lindsay Oklahoma Shot 1959 17.15
4 Paul Bannon Memphis State 10000m 1975 28:31.18
4 Andrew Lemoncello Florida State 3000SC 2005 8:30.12
4 Andrew Lemoncello Florida State 3000SC 2006 8:39.45
4 Nicole Yeargin Southern California 400m 2021 51.02
5 Ron Speirs Rutgers 1500m 1975 4:04.39
5 Paul Buxton Washington State Hammer 1977 62.36
5 Judith Shepherd Clemson 3000m 1983 9:14.50
5 Margaret Ritchie Arizona Shot 1983 16.51
5 Andrea Paolillo * Purdue 10000m 1987 34:55.13
5 Elspeth Turner Alabama 10000m 1988 33:05.43
5 Lennie Waite Rice 3000SC 2009 10:01.40
5 Jax Thoirs Washington Pole V 2016 5.45
5 Neil Gourley Virginia Tech 1500 2017 3:44.39
5 Nikki Manson Akron High Jump 2017 1.85
6 Crawford Kennedy Michigan State 2 Miles 1958 9:06.5
7 Paul Bannon Memphis State 10000m 1977 29:10.31
7 Colin Sutherland Cal State, LA Discus 1977 56.78
7 Margaret Coomber Florida State 1500m 1982 4:23.19
7 David Strang Stanford 800m 1991 1:48.79
8 Elspeth Turner Alabama 5000m 1988 16:11.53
8 Luke Traynor Tulsa 10000m 2017 29:10.58
8 Nick Percy Nebraska Discus 2018 56.72
In addition, Kathy Butler (declared for Scotland 2000) was 1st in the 3000m in 1995, 1996 and 1997 in 9:09.02, 9:16.19 and 9:01.23. Luke Caldwell (2014) was 7th in the 5000m in 2013 (13:55.55) Alex Breckenridge was 4th in the 2 Miles in 1957 (9:03.4) after previously competing for Scotland. *ndrea Paolillo is the married name of Andrea Everett.

NCAA INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

The following table sets out Scottish athletes with top 8 placings at the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships.

Place Athlete College Event Year Performance
1 Margaret Ritchie Arizona Shot 1983 17.37
1 Chris O'Hare Tulsa Mile 2012 4:01.66
1 Jax Thoirs Washington Pole V 2016 5.50
1 Josh Kerr New Mexico Mile 2017 4:03.22
1 Neil Gourley Virginia Tech Medley R 2018 9:30.76
1 Josh Kerr New Mexico Mile 2018 3:57.02
2 Chris O'Hare Tulsa Mile 2011 3:59.62
3 Paul Bannon Memphis State 5000m 1975 13:54.8
4 Paul Bannon Memphis State 5000m 1976 14:10.20
4 Paul Buxton Washington State Weight 1977 20.01
4 Jax Thoirs Washington Pole V 2015 5.50
4 Neil Gourley Virginia Tech Mile 2017 4:06.26
5 Margaret Coomber Florida State 1500m 1984 4:25.31
6 Andrea Everett Purdue 3000m 1986 9:18.06
6 Lennie Waite Rice Mile 2009 4:38.60
6 David Bishop New Mexico Med Relay 2011 9:31.50
6 Luke Caldwell New Mexico 5000m 2014 13:56.66
7 Chris O'Hare Tulsa Mile 2013 4:02.96
7 Neil Gourley Virginia Tech Mile 2018 4:00.64
8 Jax Thoirs Washington Pole V 2014 5.40
In addition, Kathy Butler (declared for Scotland 2000) was 2nd in the 5000m in 1996 and 1997 in 15:51.91 and 15:47.74, 3rd in the mile in 1997 (4:37.07) and 7th in the mile (1995) in 4:43.68. Luke Caldwell (declared for Scotland 2014) was 8th in the 5000m in 2013 (13:46.44). Liz Lynch (Alabama) finished 2nd in the 3000m in 1986 in 9:05.94 but was disqualified.

NCAA CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Top of the lists in the NCAA Cross Country Championships are the Kennedy brothers from Glasgow, who had outstanding success over the country in their time at Michigan State in the 1950s. Kathy Butler (Wisconsin) won gold in 1995 before declaring for Scotland. The following Scottish athletes have finished in the top 50 places. 

Place Athlete College Year
1 Crawford Kennedy Michigan State 1958
2 Henry Kennedy Michigan State 1955
3 Henry Kennedy Michigan State 1956
3 Crawford Kennedy Michigan State 1959
5 Crawford Kennedy Michigan State 1957
11 Paul Bannon Memphis State 1975
13 Andrea Everett Wyoming 1983
13 Rhona Auckland New Mexico (TEAM WINNERS) 2015
13 Luke Traynor Tulsa 2016
16 Henry Kennedy Michigan State 1957
16 Elspeth Turner Alabama 1987
20 Chris O'Hare Tulsa 2012
21 Paul Bannon Memphis State 1973
21 Andrew Lemoncello Florida State 2005
25 Kerry Robinson Clemson 1981
26 Callum Hawkins Butler 2011
29 Liz Lynch Alabama 1984
30 Elspeth Turner Alabama 1986
30 Josephine Moultrie New Mexico 2012
31 Ron Speirs Rutgers 1973
34 Judith Shepherd Clemson 1982
34 Luke Traynor Tulsa 2015
35 Laura Wight Nebraska 1986
37 Laura Wight Nebraska 1984
39 Judith Shepherd Clemson 1983
41 David Bishop New Mexico 2010
43 Andrew Lemoncello Florida State 2006
46 Paul Bannon Memphis State 1974
49 Kerry Robinson Clemson 1983
50 Judith Shepherd Clemson 1984
50 Andrew Lemoncello Florida State 2004
50 Chris O'Hare Tulsa 2013
In addition, Kathy Butler (declared for Scotland 2000) was 1st in 1995 and 5th in 1994; Katie Clark (2013) was 22nd in 2012 ad 41st in 2013; . Luke Caldwell (2014) was 27th in 2012 and 10th in 2013.

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