General | 5/30/2024 3:24:00 PM

The bracketed portion about Louise Ritter was added. The rest of the article is the release from USTFCCCA.

NEW ORLEANS (May 30, 2024) –  The third-annual induction ceremony of the Collegiate Track & Field/Cross Country Athlete Hall of Fame will be held on Sunday, June 2, at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts in Eugene, Oregon.

This year's 14-member class features some of the greatest names in collegiate track & field and cross country history. With 67 national collegiate titles, 25 collegiate records, five Olympic/World Championships medals, and four world records while in college, these athletes have left an indelible mark on the sports.

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From Texas Woman's University, Louise Ritter will be among the Class of 2024 inducted into the Hall of Fame. Ritter competed in track and field at TWU from 1977-1981. During her time as a Pioneer, Ritter claimed three consecutive high jump titles in 1977, 1978 and 1979 at the AIAW Outdoor Track & Field Championships, setting new meet records at each competition. She also competed in basketball while at TWU.

After graduating, Ritter qualified for the Olympics three times and won gold in the high jump at the 1988 Games. Ritter set an Olympic record and tied her American record with a jump of 6-foot-8, defeating the reigning world champion Stefka Kostadinova and claimed gold for the U.S. for the first time since 1965. Ritter's record stood until 2004.

She is a five-time USA Track & Field Indoor Champion in high jump and a four-time USA Track & Field Outdoor Champion.

Ritter is a member of the TWU Athletics Hall of Fame, the National Track & Field Hall of Fame and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, and she is also a TWU Distinguished Alumnae.

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Former "SportsCenter" anchor Neil Everett returns to host the event, which will be free to the public to attend and will be broadcast live for free on RunnerSpace.com beginning at 8 pm ET (5 pm PT). Starting at 4:30 p.m., local time, the inductees will arrive at the Hult Center with a red carpet welcome with introductions by voice of Hayward Field, Paul Swangard.

"The USTFCCCA is proud to honor these exceptional athletes for their achievements and contributions to collegiate track & field and cross country," said Sam Seemes, CEO of the USTFCCCA. "Their accomplishments have inspired countless athletes and fans, and their induction into the Collegiate Athlete Hall of Fame serves as a testament to their enduring legacy."

The induction ceremony is being held three days prior to the start of the 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field.

The Collegiate Athlete Hall of Fame was established in 2022 to honor the best of the best in collegiate track & field and cross country. The hall of fame recognizes the achievements of athletes who have left a lasting mark on the sport during their time in college.

Currently, eligibility for induction is limited to men who had completed their collegiate eligibility prior to 2000 and women prior to 2010.

About the USTFCCCA
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is a non-profit professional organization representing cross country and track & field coaches of all levels. The organization represents over 11,000 coaching members encompassing 98-percent of all NCAA track & field programs (DI, DII, and DIII) and includes members representing the NAIA and NJCAA, as well as a number of state high school coaches associations. The USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track & field coaches, providing a leadership structure to assist the needs of a diverse membership, serving as an activist for coaches' interests, and working as a liaison between the various stakeholders in the sports of cross country and track & field.