Northeastern University Athletics

Geoff Caldarone has been elected to the Northeastern Hall of Fame for excellence in the sport of track and field.

Caldarone, Class of '86, was a highly sought-after star from Danvers, Mass. who had set New England high school records and was considered one of the top recruits in the country. NU track head coach Irwin Cohen considered landing the great hurdler one of his finest recruiting success stories. Caldarone did not disappoint. As a freshman, he took second in the indoor hurdles at the 1982 Greater Boston Collegiate Championship and the New England Championship. Outdoors, he was fourth at both the GBC and New England meets. Caldarone's sophomore indoor season was a duplicate of his freshman campaign as he again took second at both the GBC's and New England's. He tasted his first gold at the GBC outdoor meet and then placed second at the New England Championship.

Although the Huskies had a combined dual meet record of 15-3 in 1982 and '83, they had won only one of the eight major championships. In 1984, the team turned the tide, sweeping all four titles. Caldarone's times had started to move down into record-breaking levels. He had run a 7.52 in the 55 meter hurdles at the indoor GBC meet and a 14.07 in the New England outdoor 110 hurdles.

The 1985 season was both sweet and sour. It was to be Caldarone's last year and he had been elected co-captain. However, a hip injury would eliminate all competition and leave him on the sidelines as a combined cheerleader/coach. He preserved the year of eligibility and returned for a final season in 1986. It could not have been much better as the team records were a combined 21-1 and NU won both the indoor and outdoor titles at the GBC and New England meets.

Caldarone started his record onslaught by besting the GBC indoor 55 hurdles record in a time of 7.39. Then at the New England meet he ran an incredible 7.28, a mark that still stands today in the NU and New England record books. Outdoors, his dream was to break 14 seconds. At the GBC's, he finished the 110 hurdles in 14.1 to set that record, and then a week later he ran a 13.98 at the New England's. The dream was accomplished and the time remains a Husky record. Caldarone was NU's Indoor MVP and Track Man of the Year.