CMC75 Moments: Odugwu Finishes Second at 1992 NCAA Championships in Two Events

As part of the buildup to the 75th Anniversary celebration for Claremont McKenna College (visit CMC's 75th Anniversary Countdown Page to learn more), we are reliving many of the great moments from CMS athletic department history over the 75-day countdown from April 17 to July 1. If you were a part of this great moment and would like to add to the memories, or if you would like to submit your memories of your own favorite CMS Athletics moments, fill out the form on our main 75th Anniversary page.

Great Moments from 75 Years of Athletics
Odugwu Takes Two NCAA Silvers for 1992 Women's Track and Field

Ngozi Odugwu had already had a decorated career for the CMS track and field team entering her senior season. As a junior she was the Team MVP, winning the SCIAC Championships in the long jump and triple jump and placing fifth in the long jump at nationals to earn All-America honors. Her cousin, Dolores Odugwu, though, still had the family bragging rights with fourth-place finishes in 1989 and 1990 in the triple jump, making her the first CMS All-American in the field events, while Ngozi became the second.

Ngozi Odugwu's senior year, though, saw her peak at exactly the right time with two silver medals at nationals, coming in second in the long jump at 19-3.5 inches and second in the triple jump at 38-8, setting school records in both events and edging Dolores' school record in the long jump by just over four inches.

Odugwu, who was named the SCIAC Athlete of the Year, still ranks second in the long jump and fourth in the triple jump in program history after almost 30 years, and still has the highest NCAA finish for any Athena in any of the jumping events. Linette Butler also added a SCIAC Championship in the javelin for the 1992 team to help the Athenas to a second-place finish in the league.

There are no Odugwu family bragging rights when it comes to the CMS Hall of Fame, though. Ngozi Odugwu was inducted in 2005, and Dolores Odugwu followed three years later in the Class of 2008.

1992 Women's Track and Field Roster
Head Coach: John Goldhammer
Assistant Coaches: Kelly Beck, Mike Wallace, Tricia Wright
Nicole Ballew (So., Distance, CMC)
Gretchen Brugman (Fr., Distance, Scripps)
Linette Butler (Sr., Javelin, Scripps)
Maril Davis (So., Multiple, Scripps)
Sybil Duncan (So., Manager, Scripps)
Shawna Gillespie (So., Throws, CMC)
Adrienne Housser (Fr., Throws, Scripps)
Vanessa McKenzie (Fr., Sprints, CMC)
Emily Mitchell (Fr., 800, Scripps)
Ngozi Odugwu (Sr., Hurdles/Jumps, CMC)
Heidi Rivkin (So., Distance, CMC)
Charlie Stoddard (So., Middle Distance, CMC)
Jennifer Stengel (Jr., Throws, HMC)
Wendy Woyetz (Fr., Sprints, CMC)