Vicki Huber
Encyclopedia
Vicki Huber is a retired American
middle distance and cross country
runner.
. Huber attended Concord High School where she began running as conditioning for field hockey. Concord's coach, Joe McNichol, recalled seeing Huber as "el Caballo", a reference to Alberto Juantorena
, a Cuban Olympic champion. McNichol said that she "ran exactly like" Juantorena and that she was "a real thoroughbred." Huber won five state titles as a prep athlete, setting state records in the 800 and 1600 meters.
After graduating from high school, Huber attended Villanova University
where she continued her running career. Huber struggled at first due to the intensity of the training program. At the time, Villanova coach Marty Stern
thought that Huber "was a wimp" and hoped "she'd leave and go home." Although she won the 1986 Big East Conference
championship in the 3000 meters, she did not qualify for the NCAA track and field championships. In the fall of 1986, Huber finished 29th at the NCAA cross country championships. Huber had a breakthrough during the 1987 indoor and outdoor track seasons, winning her first NCAA championships. She won the NCAA indoor championship in the 3000 meters. Huber entered the NCAA outdoor championships as the favorite to win the 3000 meters, and she did just that, winning in a meet record time of 8:54.41. That fall, she finished 9th at the NCAA cross country championships.
Huber's success continued in 1988. She won NCAA indoor championships in the 1500 and 3000 meters. At the NCAA outdoor track and field championships, Huber successfully defended her title in the 3000 meters, finishing in a collegiate-record time of 8:47.35. She then competed in the 1500 meters at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
, winning in a time of 4:07.40. Following these victories, Huber attempted to qualify for the Summer Olympics
in the 3000 meters. At the Olympic Trials
, she faced a field which included American record-holder
Mary Slaney
. Huber ran with the pack at the beginning of the race before making a move with 1200 meters left. She caught Slaney with 800 meters to go, but Slaney's finishing speed was too much for Huber to overcome. Despite this, Huber finished 2nd with a time of 8:46.48, earning her a spot on the US team in Seoul
. At the Olympics, Huber finished 6th in the 3000 meters with a time of 8:37.25. She ran a competitive race, taking the lead with 800 meters left, but she ended up eight seconds out of medal position.
In 1989, Huber again won indoor and outdoor NCAA championships in the 3000 meters. Rather than go to Europe and run professionally during the summer, which would have ended her collegiate eligibility, Huber decided to return to Villanova for one final cross country season. She explained that she "owed it to Villanova" and that the time would be better spent resting and training. In the last race of her collegiate career, Huber won the NCAA cross country championship and led Villanova to a team title. She finished her career with eight NCAA championships.
During the next few seasons, Huber dealt with a number of injuries and illnesses, including back and pelvis injuries in 1990, a stress fracture in 1991, and an Achilles tendon injury in 1994. She had some success, however, finishing fourth at the 1992 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
and setting an American road record for the 5K.
After giving birth to a daughter in May 1995, Huber began training again, with the goal of qualifying for the 1996 Olympics. She said, "[after giving birth], I got this fire back in me." She had several impressive results in the months leading up to the Trials, including a time in the 1500 meters that was less than a second off her best. Going into the Trials, she was ranked second in the 1500 meters and fifth in the 5000 meters. At the 1996 Olympic Trials, Huber did not finish her heat in the 5000 meters. She was in third place, only needing to finish in the top five to qualify for the finals, when she dropped out of the race. After the race, she said she felt tired, dehydrated, and sick. Her coach, Dick Brown, described Huber as "absolutely devastated" by her performance. Despite this, he asked her if she wanted to run in the 1500 meters, and with the encouragement of a friend, Huber decided to attempt to qualify in that race. Brown told her, "Stay in fourth or fifth place, and if someone moves, try to cover the move." Huber was in fourth place late in the race when she began catching up to Amy Wickus, passing Wickus with only thirty meters left in the race. Huber finished in third place with a time of 4:11.23, earning her a spot on the US team for the Olympics in Atlanta
. In the month leading up to the Olympics, Huber's training was limited due to a sore Achilles tendon. At the Olympics, Huber failed to qualify for the semifinals in the 1500 meters.
She was inducted into the Delaware Track & Field Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame
in 2002.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
middle distance and cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
runner.
Biography
Vicki Huber was born on May 29, 1967 in Wilmington, DelawareWilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
. Huber attended Concord High School where she began running as conditioning for field hockey. Concord's coach, Joe McNichol, recalled seeing Huber as "el Caballo", a reference to Alberto Juantorena
Alberto Juantorena
Alberto Juantorena Danger is a Cuban former track athlete. At the 1976 Summer Olympics, he became the first and so far only athlete to win both the 400 and 800 m Olympic titles....
, a Cuban Olympic champion. McNichol said that she "ran exactly like" Juantorena and that she was "a real thoroughbred." Huber won five state titles as a prep athlete, setting state records in the 800 and 1600 meters.
After graduating from high school, Huber attended Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
where she continued her running career. Huber struggled at first due to the intensity of the training program. At the time, Villanova coach Marty Stern
Marty Stern
"Uncle" Marty Stern is a 43-year championship track coach veteran. Marty started his track career as a hall of fame athlete at West Chester University in the mid-1950s. He began coaching several successful high school programs in the Philadelphia metropolitan area...
thought that Huber "was a wimp" and hoped "she'd leave and go home." Although she won the 1986 Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
championship in the 3000 meters, she did not qualify for the NCAA track and field championships. In the fall of 1986, Huber finished 29th at the NCAA cross country championships. Huber had a breakthrough during the 1987 indoor and outdoor track seasons, winning her first NCAA championships. She won the NCAA indoor championship in the 3000 meters. Huber entered the NCAA outdoor championships as the favorite to win the 3000 meters, and she did just that, winning in a meet record time of 8:54.41. That fall, she finished 9th at the NCAA cross country championships.
Huber's success continued in 1988. She won NCAA indoor championships in the 1500 and 3000 meters. At the NCAA outdoor track and field championships, Huber successfully defended her title in the 3000 meters, finishing in a collegiate-record time of 8:47.35. She then competed in the 1500 meters at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
The USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships is an annual track and field competition organized by USA Track & Field, which serves as the American national championships for the sport...
, winning in a time of 4:07.40. Following these victories, Huber attempted to qualify for the Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in the 3000 meters. At the Olympic Trials
United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
The United States Olympic Trials for the sport of Track and Field is the quadrennial meet to select the United States representatives at the Olympic Games. Since 1992, the meet has also served as the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Because of the depth of competition in some events,...
, she faced a field which included American record-holder
United States records in track and field
The following are the national records in track & field in the United States maintained by USA Track & Field .Key:-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:+ = en route to a longer distanceA = affected by altitude# = not officially ratified by IAAF...
Mary Slaney
Mary Decker
Mary Slaney is an American former track athlete. During her career, she won gold medals in the 1500 meters and 3000 meters at the 1983 World Championships, and set 17 official and unofficial world records and 36 US national records.-Biography:Mary Decker was born in Bunnvale, Hunterdon County, New...
. Huber ran with the pack at the beginning of the race before making a move with 1200 meters left. She caught Slaney with 800 meters to go, but Slaney's finishing speed was too much for Huber to overcome. Despite this, Huber finished 2nd with a time of 8:46.48, earning her a spot on the US team in Seoul
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
. At the Olympics, Huber finished 6th in the 3000 meters with a time of 8:37.25. She ran a competitive race, taking the lead with 800 meters left, but she ended up eight seconds out of medal position.
In 1989, Huber again won indoor and outdoor NCAA championships in the 3000 meters. Rather than go to Europe and run professionally during the summer, which would have ended her collegiate eligibility, Huber decided to return to Villanova for one final cross country season. She explained that she "owed it to Villanova" and that the time would be better spent resting and training. In the last race of her collegiate career, Huber won the NCAA cross country championship and led Villanova to a team title. She finished her career with eight NCAA championships.
During the next few seasons, Huber dealt with a number of injuries and illnesses, including back and pelvis injuries in 1990, a stress fracture in 1991, and an Achilles tendon injury in 1994. She had some success, however, finishing fourth at the 1992 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
1992 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 20th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 21, 1992 in Boston, United States.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**...
and setting an American road record for the 5K.
After giving birth to a daughter in May 1995, Huber began training again, with the goal of qualifying for the 1996 Olympics. She said, "[after giving birth], I got this fire back in me." She had several impressive results in the months leading up to the Trials, including a time in the 1500 meters that was less than a second off her best. Going into the Trials, she was ranked second in the 1500 meters and fifth in the 5000 meters. At the 1996 Olympic Trials, Huber did not finish her heat in the 5000 meters. She was in third place, only needing to finish in the top five to qualify for the finals, when she dropped out of the race. After the race, she said she felt tired, dehydrated, and sick. Her coach, Dick Brown, described Huber as "absolutely devastated" by her performance. Despite this, he asked her if she wanted to run in the 1500 meters, and with the encouragement of a friend, Huber decided to attempt to qualify in that race. Brown told her, "Stay in fourth or fifth place, and if someone moves, try to cover the move." Huber was in fourth place late in the race when she began catching up to Amy Wickus, passing Wickus with only thirty meters left in the race. Huber finished in third place with a time of 4:11.23, earning her a spot on the US team for the Olympics in Atlanta
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
. In the month leading up to the Olympics, Huber's training was limited due to a sore Achilles tendon. At the Olympics, Huber failed to qualify for the semifinals in the 1500 meters.
She was inducted into the Delaware Track & Field Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame
Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame
The Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame is a membership-based organization founded in 1976. The organization runs a museum with exhibits at Daniel S...
in 2002.