EUGENE, Ore.—All eyes will were on Eugene, Ore. on Sunday evening for the third annual Collegiate Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at  the Hult Center for the Performing Arts in Eugene. Villanova legend Marty Liquori became the Wildcats fourth inductee to the Collegiate Athlete Hall of Fame which was created in 2022 by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
 
The induction Class of 2024 arrived at the Hult Center and was greeted with a red carpet welcome by the voice of Hayward Field, Paul Swangard. The ceremony inside was hosted by former "SportsCenter" anchor Neil Everett. The Class of 2024 features some of the greatest names in collegiate cross country and track & field history. With 67 national collegiate titles, 24 collegiate records, five Olympic/World Championships medals, and four world records while in college, these athletes left an indelible mark during their careers.
 
Liquori was a five-time NCAA champion during his Villanova career and was named earlier this year as one of the 14 members of this year's Hall of Fame induction class. Liquori won four national titles in the mile – including three straight outdoors from 1969-71 – and another in the two mile while competing on the track and in cross country for the Wildcats. He was an eight-time All-American, an eight-time IC4A champion, and won 10 Championship of America titles at the Penn Relays.
 
While still in college, Liquori represented the United States at the 1968 Summer Olympics and advanced to the gold medal race in the 1500 meters where he was the youngest-ever competitor to reach the final. Liquori was only the fourth collegiate athlete to win the outdoor NCAA title in the mile in three consecutive years. He was a member of two Villanova national championship teams, helping the Wildcats win the 1971 indoor NCAA title and the 1971 cross country national championship.
 
During his collegiate career Liquori held world records, was ranked No.1 in the world in the 1500 meters in 1969 and 1971, ran a sub-four minute mile 26 times and held five school records at the time of his graduation.
 
In 2021, the USTFCCCA celebrated the 100^th edition of the outdoor NCAA Track & Field Championships by inducting its inaugural class to the Collegiate Track & Field and Cross Country Athlete Hall of Fame. Millions of collegians have proven their talents on the track, the field, and/or the grassy terrain over nearly 150 years since the first known intercollegiate competitions of running, jumping and throwing. Consideration for induction to the Hall of Fame is based solely on an athlete's achievements while competing for their respective schools.
 
Villanova all-time greats Ron Delany and Vicki Huber were each members of the inaugural induction class to the Collegiate Track & Field and Cross Country Athlete Hall of Fame in 2022, while Sonia O'Sullivan was a member of the 2023 induction class.
 
Liquori graduated from Villanova with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He was a co-founder of the Athletic Attic chain of running stores. He provided commentary for ABC during the Olympic Games in 1972, 1976 and 1984. Liquori wrote Marty Liquori's Guide for the Elite Runner and an autobiography, On the Run: In Search for the Perfect Race. He has been a spokesperson for the Leukemia Society of America's Team in Training initiative and has served as the vice president for the Gainesville Friends of Jazz and executive director of the Gainesville Jazz Festival.