University of Tennessee Athletics
Olympians Made Here: Benita Fitzgerald Mosley
January 28, 2021 | Track & Field
By Rachel Ward, UTSports.com
With the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (to be held in 2021) coming up this summer, Tennessee track & field will honor and recognize past Vols and Lady Vols who have taken their talents to previous Olympic Games. Prior to their success on the world's biggest stage for track and field, several UT athletes shattered records, gained NCAA and SEC titles and rose to the top of collegiate competition during their time on Rocky Top.
Benita Fitzgerald Mosley (LVFL 1980-83)
Benita Fitzgerald Mosley is no stranger to inserting her name at the top of record boards. A year after she graduated from the University of Tennessee with her degree in Industrial Engineering, Fitzgerald Mosley became Tennessee track & field's first Olympic gold medalist with a time of 12.84 in the 100-meter hurdles. Her 1984 Olympic win in Los Angeles also made her the first African-American woman and second American woman ever to win the event.
Fitzgerald Mosley accomplished a rare feat as a freshman on Rocky Top when she made the Team USA roster for the 1980 Games, but was unable to participate due to the U.S. boycott. Under the guidance of coach Terry Crawford, her talents only grew as she continued her career at UT.
An eight-time national champion and 14-time All-American, Fitzgerald Mosley's name remains all throughout Tennessee record books. These feats include the most outdoor national titles in UT history (4), fourth-most total national titles (5) and sixth-most total SEC titles (9). Her national and conference championships came from six different events: 60-yard hurdles, 100-meter hurdles, 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 4x100m relay and 4x200m medley relay.
In her freshman debut season, Fitzgerald Mosley became a two-time All American during outdoor competition. As a sophomore, she added five more All-American performances to her resume and had two SEC meet record performances in the 100 and 200-meter dash, with times of 11.44 and 23.55 respectively.
Fitzgerald Mosley's sophomore season was further marked by historic performances. The year 1981 was not only historic for her as an individual—it was historic for the Lady Vols as a whole. Led by coach Terry Crawford, 10 women on the 1981 track and field roster gave the University of Tennessee its first national championship on the women's side. Not yet introduced to the NCAA, the Lady Vols captured their title under the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). One of the leading forces that led to the title were performances from Fitzgerald Mosley in the 100-meter hurdles and 800 Medley Relay.
Prior to their national championship, the 1981 Lady Vols made history at the conference level as they notched the SEC Outdoor Championship title during the first year women were introduced to the league. Again, Fitzgerald Mosley's performances helped in raising the team to prominence.
Fitzgerald Mosley was inducted into University of Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001. Still driven today by the power of athletics, she currently serves as the Head of Community & Impact for LeagueApps, a platform that helps youth and sports leaders grow their organizations and "creates a youth sports culture that makes the world better."
With the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (to be held in 2021) coming up this summer, Tennessee track & field will honor and recognize past Vols and Lady Vols who have taken their talents to previous Olympic Games. Prior to their success on the world's biggest stage for track and field, several UT athletes shattered records, gained NCAA and SEC titles and rose to the top of collegiate competition during their time on Rocky Top.
Benita Fitzgerald Mosley (LVFL 1980-83)
Benita Fitzgerald Mosley is no stranger to inserting her name at the top of record boards. A year after she graduated from the University of Tennessee with her degree in Industrial Engineering, Fitzgerald Mosley became Tennessee track & field's first Olympic gold medalist with a time of 12.84 in the 100-meter hurdles. Her 1984 Olympic win in Los Angeles also made her the first African-American woman and second American woman ever to win the event.
Fitzgerald Mosley accomplished a rare feat as a freshman on Rocky Top when she made the Team USA roster for the 1980 Games, but was unable to participate due to the U.S. boycott. Under the guidance of coach Terry Crawford, her talents only grew as she continued her career at UT.
An eight-time national champion and 14-time All-American, Fitzgerald Mosley's name remains all throughout Tennessee record books. These feats include the most outdoor national titles in UT history (4), fourth-most total national titles (5) and sixth-most total SEC titles (9). Her national and conference championships came from six different events: 60-yard hurdles, 100-meter hurdles, 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 4x100m relay and 4x200m medley relay.
In her freshman debut season, Fitzgerald Mosley became a two-time All American during outdoor competition. As a sophomore, she added five more All-American performances to her resume and had two SEC meet record performances in the 100 and 200-meter dash, with times of 11.44 and 23.55 respectively.
Fitzgerald Mosley's sophomore season was further marked by historic performances. The year 1981 was not only historic for her as an individual—it was historic for the Lady Vols as a whole. Led by coach Terry Crawford, 10 women on the 1981 track and field roster gave the University of Tennessee its first national championship on the women's side. Not yet introduced to the NCAA, the Lady Vols captured their title under the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). One of the leading forces that led to the title were performances from Fitzgerald Mosley in the 100-meter hurdles and 800 Medley Relay.
Prior to their national championship, the 1981 Lady Vols made history at the conference level as they notched the SEC Outdoor Championship title during the first year women were introduced to the league. Again, Fitzgerald Mosley's performances helped in raising the team to prominence.
Fitzgerald Mosley was inducted into University of Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001. Still driven today by the power of athletics, she currently serves as the Head of Community & Impact for LeagueApps, a platform that helps youth and sports leaders grow their organizations and "creates a youth sports culture that makes the world better."
T&F | NCAA Indoor Championships Meet Recap (3.14.26)
Wednesday, March 18
Everything Orange S3 l Ismaila Sawaneh (Track & Field)
Friday, March 06
T&F | SEC Indoor Championships Meet Recap (2.28.26)
Saturday, February 28
T&F | Tyson Invitational Meet Recap (2.14.26)
Saturday, February 14
