Accomplishments: Three-time national champion and 11-time All-American in track and field; won the long jump at the 1997 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships; claimed the 200-meter dash and 4x100 relay titles at the 1998 Outdoor Track & Field Championships while finishing third in the 100 meters; 1998 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Outdoor Track and Field Championships Outstanding Performer after winning the 200-meter dash and 4x100 relay while taking second in the 100-meter dash and long jump; school record-holder in the 60 meters (indoor), 100 meters (outdoor), 200 meters (outdoor) and as part of the 400- and 800-meter relay teams (outdoor).
David Thompson ’99 was a championship performer. Whether it was the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships or the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Championships, Thompson shined when it mattered most.
“I could have won an individual championship at a lot of schools, but I came to North Central College to win a national championship as a team,” Thompson said at the time.
Thompson transferred to North Central College from Monmouth College (Illinois). The Chicago native won an individual title in the long jump at the 1997 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships and was second at the national outdoor meet that same year. His performance the following year at the 1998 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships propelled the Cardinals to their fourth national title in track & field.
Instead of pursuing another individual title in the long jump, Thompson focused on the 100 meters, 200 meters and 4x100 meter relay to give the Cardinals their best shot at a national championship. Thompson began the meet by helping the 4x100 relay win top honors and become the first-ever North Central College national championship team in the sprints, setting a school record. Despite a cramped leg he took third in the 100 meters. Needing to place sixth or better in the 200 meters for the Cardinals to clinch the national team title, Thompson cruised to victory in 21.41. The time might have been better but the senior, sensing the moment, raised his arms in triumph just meters from the finish.
Thompson’s performances at the conference level were equally impressive. He claimed 1997 titles in the long jump, 200-meter dash and the 4x100 relay. He was also second in the 100-meter dash and long jump at the 1998 CCIW Outdoor Championships, earning the meet’s Outstanding Performer honor.
The 11-time All-American in track & field (four honors at Monmouth, seven at North Central) still holds school records in the 60 meters (indoor), 100 meters (outdoor), 200 meters (outdoor), and as part of the 400 and 800-meter relay teams (both outdoor). He graduated in 1999 with a degree in individualized studies.
