The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Hall of Honor
- Induction:
- 2026
- Class:
- 2015
A three-time Olympic gold medalist, three-time world champion and world record holder, Ryan Crouser built the foundation for one of the most accomplished careers in track and field history during his time at Texas from 2012-16. The native of Boring, Oregon arrived in Austin as one of the nation's top throwing prospects and quickly established himself among the best collegiate student-athletes in the country. By the conclusion of his Longhorn career, Crouser had captured four NCAA shot put championships, earned 11 All-America honors and cemented his place among the most decorated throwers in program history. Crouser's collegiate success began immediately as he earned Big 12 Indoor Freshman of the Year honors in 2012 after winning the conference indoor shot put title. He went on to claim six Big 12 shot put championships and back-to-back conference discus titles in 2014 and 2015. His most dominant season came in 2014, when he swept the NCAA indoor and outdoor shot put titles, won both Big 12 shot put crowns and was named the USTFCCCA Men's National Field Athlete of the Year. Over his career, Crouser won NCAA shot put titles at the 2013 outdoor, 2014 indoor and outdoor and 2016 indoor championships. Just as impressive was his success in the classroom. Crouser earned CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-America honors in 2016 and was named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team in 2015. He graduated from Texas with a bachelor's degree in Economics in 2015 before completing his master's degree in Finance in 2016. Following his collegiate career, Crouser elevated himself from NCAA champion to one of the most dominant athletes the sport has ever seen and the man that is considered the world’s greatest shot putter ever. He captured Olympic gold medals in the shot put at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, becoming the first man to win three consecutive Olympic shot put titles. He also claimed World Athletics Championships gold medals in 2022, 2023 and 2025 after earning silver in 2019, while adding a gold medal (2024) and silver (2019) at the World Indoor Championships. He has also been a dominant force domestically, winning seven USA Outdoor shot put titles between 2016 and 2024 and four USA Indoor championships. Crouser's impact on the sport extends beyond championship medals as he broke world records that stood for decades. He first broke the world outdoor shot put record that stood for 31 years (Randy Barnes, 1990) at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials with a toss of 23.37 meters (76-8.25/10 inches further than the previous record) and has eclipsed his own world outdoor record two times since —the current record was set in 2023 with a mark of 23.56 meters (77-3.50). He also holds the indoor world record with a mark of 22.82 meters (74-10.25) set in 2021 and has recorded the top-five indoor throws in the world. His toss of 23.30m (76-5.5) at the Tokyo Games stands as the Olympic record. His achievements earned widespread appreciation beyond the throwing circle. In recognition of his historic 2021 season, Crouser received the Jesse Owens Award as USA Track & Field’s Male Athlete of the Year. Track & Field News’ Men’s Athlete of the Year in 2021 and 2023, he was a finalist for World Athletics’ Male Athlete of the Year in 2020 and 2023 and for that organization’s 2024 Men’s Field Athlete of the Year Award. He was inducted into International Sports Hall of Fame in 2025, the Drake Relays Hall of Fame and was selected as the Honorary Referee of the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in 2023. Crouser is married to the former Megan Clark, also an accomplished track and field athlete who earned first-team All-American honors and ACC Women’s Field Performer of the Year during a record-setting pole vaulting career at Duke. After retiring from professional track and field, she completed her medical degree at the University of Arkansas and is now Megan Crouser, MD.