Boise State Athletics
Title IX Celebration: Carmel Major
2/17/2023 11:00:00 AM | General
As part of its year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX, Boise State Athletics is celebrating the rich history of Bronco women in sports. Each month (July 2022-June 2023), the Broncos will feature a select woman or group of women whose contributions paved the way for future generations of female student-athletes, coaches and administrators.
Carmel Major (1983-88) was one of the top athletes to compete in track & field at Boise State University, being recruited by Ed Jacoby.
During her Boise State track & field career, the Bahamas native assisted the Broncos in garnering three conference titles and one second place finish. She also averaged 29.9 points, with a high of 41 in 1985, in four different conference meets and competed in the heptathlon, finishing eighth, at the 1987 NCAA Track & Field Championships.
“I gave it all I had, I gave it 100%,” said Majors. “I always wanted to be in front, which challenged me to push even harder. There was no giving up at that level.”
Major was named to the Big Sky Conference Women’s All-Decade team for the 1980s. Prior to competing in the Big Sky, she was a Mountain West champion in the heptathlon.
In 1985, Major topped the podium of the 100-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles, heptathlon, and was a member of the winning 4x400-meter relay team. She was tabbed the MW Outstanding Track Athlete at the league championships in 1985 and 1986.
She also competed as a member of the Bahamas National Track team, proud to represent her country and family.
Despite all of her accomplishments, Carmel noted that trying to balance the responsibilities of being a student-athlete was a demanding task. She mentioned wishing she had more guidance in school and on time management.
With the help of Title IX, Boise State Athletics has been able to accommodate student-athletes’ need for guidance by providing full-time advisors and the addition of BroncoLife. This team works to provide support for student-athletes with their academics, personal development, community engagement, and professional development for life after athletics.
Major graduated from Boise State in 1988 and was inducted into the Boise State Hall of Fame in 1993. During the time of her induction, she held the Boise State records in the 100m hurdles (12.89), 400m hurdles (58.71), and as a member of the 4x100m relay (45.88).
Thirty years later, Major still calls Boise home, working as a counselor at Spalding Stem Elementary school.
