Hall of Fame
Don Allbritton competed on the track squad from 1969-72 and received eight NCAA Division II all-America honors, the most by any Truman track athlete. All of his all-America honors were at the outdoor championships since the NCAA did not hold indoor meets for DII at that time. The Rock Island, Ill., native's career began as a freshman when he finished second in the pole vault and fourth in the high jump at the indoor Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association meet. At the conference outdoor meet, he finished second in the high jump and third in the pole vault. Allbritton advanced to nationals where he set a national record of 15-8 in the pole vault, helping Truman to an eighth-place NCAA finish. That accomplishment earned him a place in the Division I competition where he finished tied for seventh, becoming the first Truman athlete to place at the NCAA highest level. Division II athletes can no longer qualify for Division I meets. As a sophomore, he won MIAA titles in the indoor and outdoor high jump, and indoor and outdoor pole vault, helping the Bulldogs claim the 1970 MIAA indoor championship. At the national level, he finished second in the decathlon and was fourth in the pole vault. He once again advanced to the NCAA University Division championship, finishing 12th in the decathlon. In 1971, he again claimed MIAA indoor pole vault and high jump titles, and the conference outdoor pole vault crown. Allbritton then captured two more all-America honors by finishing fifth in the pole vault and sixth in the high jump at nationals. Truman had another top 10 national finish, tying for seven at the '71 event. Allbritton competed at the University meet again but did not place in the finals of the pole vault. As a senior in 1972, Allbritton was a key member on the best Truman track team in school history. The squad swept both MIAA indoor and outdoor titles and finished third in the nation at the national meet. Allbritton was first in the MIAA indoor high jump and pole vault contests, as well as the outdoor pole vault. At the Division II meet, he won the decathlon, finished second in the high jump and was third in the pole vault. At his final Division I national meet, he captured third-place in the decathlon event. Allbritton still holds Truman records in the indoor pole vault (16-0.75), outdoor pole vault (16-4.5) and decathlon (7,328 points). He died in 2002 in Los Angeles and was survived by nine siblings.
