Personal
- Married high school sweetheart Jackie
- Majored in mechanical engineering
Career Highlights
- Won the NCAA 440-yard hurdle title for the third year in a row, this time in 49.6 at Seattle, Wash
- Won third WAC 440-yard outdoor title in 50.5 at Tucson, Ariz., for a new stadium record
- Broke the world record in 48.74 on June 20 for the 440-yard hurdles at the NCAA Championships in Des Moines, Iowa when BYU tied for the national title in outdoor track with Kansas and Oregon, breaking his own meet mark
- U.S. College Track and Field Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News
- Won Western Athletic Conference 440-yard crown in 50.4 at Tempe, Ariz., for a new WAC meet record
- Was second in the voting for the Sullivan Award
Before BYU
- Ran high hurdles at Carson High, reaching Semifinals (14.2) in state meet
- Received acclaim as a baseball pitcher
After BYU
- Earned his Ph.D. from Washington State University
- Competed in the 1972 World Olympic Games
Post BYU Honors and Societies
- Received the AAU’s DiBenedetto Award for the single most outstanding career by winning the silver medal in the 1972 World Olympic Games
- Inducted into the BYU Hall of Fame in 1981
1981 BYU Hall of Fame
In 1969 Ralph Mann won his first NCAA 440 intermediate hurdles championship with a time of 49.6 seconds. Tying NCAA and American records, the time was three-tenths of a second off the world mark. A year later in Des Moines, Iowa, Ralph captured his second NCAA championship and set a new world record time of 48.8 seconds for the 440 intermediate hurdles.
During his collegiate career Ralph was NCAA champion three times. He was a three-time all-American and in 1970 was second in the voting for the Sullivan Award.
Ralph was also a five-time AAU campion. He received the AAU’s DiBenedetto Award for the single most outstanding career by winning the silver medal in the 1972 World Olympic Games.
After graduating from BYU, Ralph earned a Ph.D. from Washington State.
- Won the NCAA 440-yard hurdles in the Outdoor Championships at Knoxville, Tenn., in a time of 49.6 to tie an NCAA meet record.
- Won Western Athletic Conference 440-yard crown in 50.4 at Tempe, Ariz., for a new WAC meet record.
- Broke the world record in 48.74 on June 20 for the 440-yard hurdles at the NCAA Championships in Des Moines, Iowa when BYU tied for the national title in outdoor track with Kansas and Oregon, breaking his own meet mark.
- Placed second in the Sullivan Award by one point to Frank Shorter.
- Won the AAU's DeBenedetto Award for single most outstanding track performance of the year
- U.S. College Track and Field Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News.
- Set new American and NCAA record in 49.4 at the Drake Relays.
- Repeated as WAC 440-yard hurdle champion in 50.68 at Salt Lake City.
- Won the NCAA 440-yard hurdle title for the third year in a row, this time in 49.6 at Seattle, Wash.
- Won third WAC 440-yard outdoor title in 50.5 at Tucson, Ariz., for a new stadium record.