Bulldog Great Larance Jones Heading to Collegiate Athletics Hall of Fame
University track and field great Larance Jones was inducted in the Collegiate Track and Field/Cross Country Athlete Hall of Fame, June 8, in Eugene, Oregon.
Jones was one of 12 honorees that were recognized as part of the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association event. The induction ceremony took place before the start of the 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field.
The Collegiate Athlete Hall of Fame, established in 2022, honors the best of the best in collegiate track and field and cross country. It recognizes athletes who have left a lasting mark on the sport during their collegiate careers.
When Jones arrived on campus in the early 1970s, he quickly established himself as a standout in Bulldog track and football, particularly in track. During his track career, the quarter-miler earned All-American recognition, won the NCAA Division I outdoor title once, the NCAA Division I indoor title twice, the NCAA Division II outdoor title three times and the MIAA Conference indoor and outdoor titles three times each.
Jones set a school record in the 440-yard dash, as well as conference indoor and outdoor records in the event. He was the first collegiate quarter-miler to win his specialty at the Texas, Kansas and Drake Relays in the same year with record-setting times, an accomplishment he achieved in 1974. He participated in the 1972 Olympic Trials, advancing to the semifinals in his specialty. At the time he finished his collegiate track career, he had recorded the world’s fastest time in the 440-yard dash, 45.2 seconds, in the spring of 1974.
