Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium is the home of the Tennessee Vols track and field teams.
The Tennessee Volunteers men's track and field program represents the University of Tennessee in the sport of track and field. The indoor and outdoor programs compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Vols host their home outdoor meets at the newly renovated Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium, located on the university's Knoxville, Tennessee campus. Their rich tradition of success features 4 national titles, 7 finishes as national runner-ups, 62 NCAA individual champions, numerous All-Americans, 25 Olympians, 43 SEC championships (a conference-leading 25 outdoor wins), and 109 combined scoring appearances in the NCAA indoor and outdoor championships. The team is led by current head coach Duane Ross who took over the program after Beth Alford-Sullivan in May 2022.
History
The Tennessee Volunteers men's track and field program began in 1901 and first started intercollegiate competition in 1909 when the SIAA was formed. Records before the 1921 season were not kept, and are therefore incomplete. The Vols did not compete in the 1918 and 1919 seasons due to World War I. The team later joined the Southeastern Conference in 1933 where they have competed for the past 75 years. The sport was also kept on hold from 1943–1946 because of World War II and would later resume outdoor meets in 1947 and indoor meets in 1960.
Several coaches are responsible for the historical success of the UT track & field program. Chuck Rohe finished with a record of 87–10 (.896) and won an astonishing 15 consecutive SEC titles. Stan Huntsman took over the program in 1971 and would continue the success started by Rohe. During his tenure he led the Vols to a record of 93-26-3 (.775), 20 SEC titles and won the program's first NCAA title. In 1986 Doug Brown became the 4th coach for the Vols track & field team and finished with a 53–8 (.869) record and won 4 SEC titles and 1 NCAA title. Bill Webb took the program over following the 1995 season and would finish with a 52–1 (.981) record and an unprecedented 4 SEC titles and 2 NCAA titles, becoming the first coach to win multiple national titles at Tennessee.[7]
Christian Coleman became the first Vol to win The Bowerman,[8] an award that honors collegiate track & field's most outstanding athlete of the year. In 2017, Coleman swept NCAA titles in the 60 meters indoors and 100 meters outdoors, setting collegiate records in both.
Note: The 2020 season was canceled after the SEC Indoor Championships due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, the SEC Outdoor and both NCAA Championships were not held.
^Chuck Rohe coached the 1971 team through the indoor season, while Stan Huntsman took over the program for the outdoor championships.
Tennessee Vol athletes have won a total of 174 SEC Indoor individual titles, and 228 SEC Outdoor individual crowns through the end of the 2024 season.[9]
Indoor
Event
Titles
55-Meter Hurdles
5
60-Yard Hurdles
11
60-Yard Low Hurdles
1
55 Meters
6
60 Meters
4
200 Meters
6
400 Meters
5
600 Yards
9
800 Meters
12
1000 Meters
6
Mile
6
3000 Meters
11
5000 Meters
6
4x400-Meter Relay
8
4x800-Meter Relay
14
Distance Medley Relay
4
High Jump
11
Long Jump
5
Triple Jump
10
Pole Vault
18
Shot Put
9
Weight Throw
3
Pentathlon
3
Heptathlon
3
Outdoor
Event
Titles
110-Meter Hurdles
17
400-Meter Hurdles
4
100 Meters
10
200 Meters
12
400 Meters
4
800 Meters
19
1500 Meters
16
3000 Meters
6
3000m Steeplechase
11
5000 Meters
6
10000 Meters
10
4x100-Meter Relay
15
4x400-Meter Relay
9
High Jump
9
Long Jump
8
Triple Jump
9
Pole Vault
19
Shot Put
5
Discus
5
Hammer Throw
4
Javelin
15
Decathlon
15
Tennessee Volunteer Olympians
Through the 2024 Summer Olympics, 29 Tennessee athletes have represented 9 different nations at the Olympic Games, winning a total of 5 gold, 4 silver, and 2 bronze medals.[9]
