Brenda Webb

Year Inducted: 2023

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Perhaps no Dayton area athlete is more deserving of Hall of Fame honors than Brenda Webb. For nearly two decades from the mid-1970’s until the 1990’s, Brenda received more awards and accolades than can be recounted. From Junior High School onward, Brenda was among the top female distance runners in the United States, helping to pioneer the sport for girls and women. Her achievement spanned local, state, regional, national and international competition, amassing several collegiate All-American awards, national championships, a world record, and representing Team USA in the World Cross Country Championships, winning a gold medal as a member of the 1984 team.

 

Runner

Running for the Kettering Striders AAU club (1970-1974), Brenda quickly became one of the best female runners in the nation while still a teenager. Some highlights include: USA Cross Country National Junior Championships (3rd place), USA Track and Field Senior Championships (3000 meters, 2nd place), USA Women’s Track & Field Olympic Trials (1500 meters), USA Track & Field Junior National Championships (mile, 2nd place), All-American Invitational HS meet (mile, 1st place), and the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. As a collegiate runner (1975-1979), Brenda ran her first two years at Wright State University and then transferred to the University of Tennessee. She placed in the top 10 at the AIAW Cross Country National Championships all four years (4th, 7th, 2nd, and 5th). She also won three National Championships in track while at the University of Tennessee (5000m - 1977, 1500m and 3000m - 1979). She was a four time All-American in cross country and an eight time All American in track. Between 1972 and 1990, Brenda ran in nine USA Track & Field National Championships, winning four more National Championships along the way (2-mile, 1975 and 1978), (3000m, 1981), (5000m, 1988). She was a member of 15 USA Track & Field national teams from 1974 to 1991. Brenda was also a member of the USA team in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships seven times. Brenda was the Silver medalist in 3000m at the 1983 Pan Am Games. In 1988, she set an American record for the 8K and set a world record for the indoor 5000m.

 

Coach

She has served as the coach or assistant coach for the USA at the Pam American Junior World Track & Field Championships, USA Olympic Sports Festival , World Cross Country Championships, and World Junior Track & Field Championships.