Hall of Fame
Early in the history of the women’s track & field program at Columbia, Heather Ruddock ‘88CC made her own marks in the school record books, some of which still stand 30 years later.
As a part of just the second co-ed class at Columbia College, Ruddock took some convincing by a first-year roommate to even be a part of Columbia’s track & field team. That convincing paid off her first season, when she broke the women’s Outdoor Heps and Ivy League record in the 400m, taking the tape in 55.60 – more than half a second faster than Princeton’s Betty Newsam’s 1982 mark.
In the 1986 season, another Ivy League mark fell thanks to Ruddock. This time at Indoor Heps, a 55.45 in the 400m gave Ruddock her second Ivy League title, and bested Brown’s Donna Neal’s 55.76 Ancient Eight record from a season prior. The title combined with teammate Sarah Day’s winning 3,000m run from the same meet made the pair the first two Indoor Heps Champions from Columbia.
Upon the completion of her career, Ruddock set school records in both the indoor and outdoor 200m and 400m, while also winning an Eastern indoor title in the 500m. The three-time team captain still sits at third all-time in the Columbia record books with a 1:13.41 in the indoor 500m, sixth in the indoor 400m at 55.45, and seventh with a 54.95 in the outdoor 400m.
