Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame
A 1975 All-American in the mile, finishing fifth at the NCAA Championships, Speirs helped lead Rutgers to the Metropolitan outdoor team title in 1975, finishing second in the mile and 880-yard runs. Still the owner of the indoor (4:05.9) and outdoor (4:00.8) mile records "On the Banks," Speirs was an all-IC4A honoree in 1975, finishing as the runner-up (4:00.8) to Eamon Coghlan, the future world record holder. Speirs also helped lead Rutgers to a Metropolitan cross country title in 1974, and was awarded the Robert Collett Award as team MVP in 1973 and 1974. He was an all IC4A cross country honoree in 1974, and a three-time competitor in the NCAA Cross-Country Championships, finishing 31st in 1973, the highest ever by a Scarlet Knight. While obtaining his Master's Degree at Rutgers and serving as graduate assistant track and field coach, Ron went on to run 3:56.9 in the mile in 1977, the fastest time ever run by a Rutgers graduate. A finalist at the 1976 British Olympic Trials, Speirs went on to found and serve as president of RU FAST (Friends and Alumni of Scarlet Track), and founded the Lester C. Wallack, Jr. Scholarship for men's track.
