By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
It would be hard pressed to find anyone that ever wore the purple and gold that dominated the long jump the way Ron Humphrey did. A four-year letter winner from 1969-72, Humphrey established himself as an NCAA All-American, an OVC champion and a record holder, creating a legacy as one of the all-time greats.
Humphrey is one of four additions to the Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame and will be inducted on Friday, Nov. 3 at the Clarion Inn at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available through the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office, by calling (931) 372-3940 or by visiting TTUsports.com.
Competing in sprints and relays as well, Humphrey's long jump prowess is what stands out in the Springfield, Ohio native's illustrious career. Tech's last back-to-back OVC champion in the event, Humphrey claimed the title consecutively from 1971-72. In fact, his 1971 mark of 25'5.5" was the third best ever at the time in the OVC Championships, dating back to 1949.
Following a second-straight OVC title in 1972, Humphrey would earn NCAA All-American status after competing in the 1972 NCAA Indoor Championships in Detroit. His mark of 24'11" on the nation's grandest stage was good enough for a third place finish, trailing only USC's Henry Hines and Cincinnati's Al Lanier.
Not only was Humphrey an NCAA All-American and an OVC champion in 1972, but the cherry on top of a storied campaign was the TTU record in the long jump. With a mark of 25'11.75" in a 1972 event, Humphrey's name sits atop the Tech record books.
From a sprinting perspective, Humphrey reigned supreme at the time of his departure from Tennessee Tech. For two-straight years in three different events, Humphrey set the record, holding a 5.6 time in the 50-yard dash in 1969, a 6.3 time in the 60-yard dash in 1970 and a 7.3 time in the 70-yard dash, also in 1970.
Humphrey graduated from Tech in 1973, earning his degree in management.
