Hall of Fame
Elliot Tabron, a native of Detroit, was a three-time All-American while at Wayne State University (twice in the 100-meter dash and once in the 200-meter dash). He finished second at the 1980 NCAA meet in the 100-meters with a time of 10.32. An invitee to the 1980 U.S. Olympic trials, Tabron earned two varsity letters at Wayne State (1979-80). He transferred to Michigan State when WSU de-emphasized its track program and won the 400-meters (45.32) at the 1982 Big Ten Championships, while placing second in the 200-meters. He also anchored the runner-up 400-meter relay (40.47) and was the third leg of the Big Ten Champion 1,600-meter relay (3:08.75). Tabron also broke the MSU 400-meter indoor record in 1983 with a time of 47.05. At the 1983 Indoor Central Collegiates meet, Tabron took first in the 400-meter run (47.05), breaking Indiana's Sunder Nix Big Ten mark of 47.93. Tabron's mark was the fourth fastest run in the U.S. that year to that point and the third best in the NCAA. He also anchored MSU's victorious 1,600-meter relay team which set a Big Ten record with a time of 3:10.00. He also had a national qualifying time on the 440-yard dash of 47.41. Tabron won the Outstanding Athlete of the Meet award at the 1983 Central Collegiate Conference Championships outdoor meet in Toledo. He equaled the world's best 400-meter time (45.17) of the year, and was also a member of the champion 1,600- and 400-meter relay squads. During his two years at WSU, Tabron set the school record in the 100-meters (10.31) and 200-meters (20.82). As a freshman he ran a 10.31 in the 100-meters, which placed him third in the NCAA. He was the No. 2 ranked 400-meter man in the world in 1984 and the Track and Field magazine's pick to win the Olympic gold, until a hamstring injury just months before the Olympic trials did not allow him to compete. Tabron graduated from Michigan State in 1982 with a degree in psychology. He currently lives in West Bloomfield, Michigan.
