About the Program

Annually one of the top teams in the Southern California Intercollegiate Conference (SCIAC), Pomona-Pitzer's men's track and field team boasts an outstanding history of success. Whether running, jumping or throwing, the list of successful athletes who have worn the Pomona-Pitzer singlet is a lengthy one.

At the conference level, Pomona-Pitzer men have won 12 SCIAC team titles, and numerous individual event SCIAC Championship crowns.

Pomona-Pitzer boasts seven men among the 30 in SCIAC history with five or more career conference crowns: William Yount (a SCIAC record 9 titles between 1918 and 1921 in the long jump, 120 yard high hurdles, 100 yards, 220 yards, and 220 yard low hurdles), Kent Namikas (7 titles in the long jump and triple jump between 1976 and 1979), Peter Hawkins (7 titles in the long jump and triple jump between 1992 and 1995), Hartley Widdess (6 titles in the discus, shot put and hammer between 1917 and 1921), Charles Daggs (6 titles in the 220 yards, 120 high hurdles and 220 low hurdles between 1921 and 1923), Robert Maxwell (5 titles in the 220 low hurdles and 120 high hurdles between 1923 and 1925), Dray Williams (5 titles in the 120 high hurdles and 220 low hurdles between 1932 and 1934), Jay Hibert (5 titles in the discus, hammer and shot put between 1983 and 1985), and Nathan Busse (5 titles in the 400 intermediate hurdles and 400m between 1994 and 1997).

In 1991, Nate Kirtman won an astonishing four individual SCIAC titles in the 100m, 200m, long jump, and triple jump. Namikas won the long jump all four years from 1976-1979, Jon Sterrer won four discus titles between 1980 and 1984, Peter Hawkins won the long jump all four years from 1992-1995, and Nathan Busse won the 400 hurdles all four years from 1994-1997.

The men's team competes in the NCAA III, and regularly sends individuals on to the National Championship meet in a variety of events. Among a long list of Pomona-Pitzer All Americans at the NCAA III Nationals include national champions Bob Orell in the javelin (1975 in a National Meet record), Kent Namikas in the long jump (1978 and 1979), Nick Buchan in the 3000m steeplechase (1981), Stan Watson in the high jump (1981, 1982 in a National Meet record, and 1984), Alonzo Robinson in the triple jump (1981), Jay Hibert in the hammer (1983 and 1985 in a National Meet record), Doug Alston in the triple jump (1985 and 1987), and Nate Kirtman in the long jump (1990 and 1991).

The squad trains on the bright blue and extraordinarily fast Strehle Track at Pomona College. Completed in 1985 and resurfaced in 1993 and 2001, the Strehle Track complex is one of the nation's premier facilities. The custom-ordered polyurethane surface allows both track and field athletes to train and perform under optimal conditions, and is the reason April's Pomona-Pitzer Track and Field Invitational has become one of the top meets in Southern California.

In recent years, the track and field team has hosted a February All-Comers meet, a conference competition in March, and the large Invitational in April. In addition, the squad competes in area invitationals against NCAA I, II, III and NAIA teams. The season is capped off with the SCIAC Championships and the NCAA III National Championships at the end of the season.