Hall of Fame: Rick Noji

The Pasco Invite welcomes to our Hall of Fame former Franklin High School of Seattle (class of 1985) great Rick Noji. Rick began running track as a freshman at Franklin and would go on to become a Metro League champion in the 100 meters, high jump, long jump, 4x100 relay along with a Washington State high school high indoor high jump championship.

Rick would go on to win four State championship titles – 200 meters, high jump (x2), and long jump and become a high school Track and Field All-American in 1985. In addition, he was the USA Junior Olympic (17-18 age group) High Jump Champion. In 1984, Rick set the Washington State all-time high jump record at 7' 4 1⁄2" as a junior in high school. This same year (1984) Rick was the youngest male U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier at age 16 years and 8 months. He was also the 1984 Hertz Sports award winner for Washington State.

Following his illustrious high school career, Rick attended the University of Washington on a track scholarship. While at UW he was a four-year letterman, three-time Team Co-Captain and six-time All-American high humper. He is the UW Track & Field school record holder in the high jump at 7’6 1⁄2”, a former Pac-10 HJ Champion, Pacific Northest Bell Indoor Champion, Oregon Invitational Champion, a 2nd place finisher at the NCAA Indoor high jump and a 3rd place finisher at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

During and following his collegiate years Rick would go on to compete in three World Track and Field World

Championships (1991, 1993, 1995) and is one of only a few Americans to have ever qualifi ed and competed in four US Olympic Track and Field Trials (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996). While fi nishing 8th at the 1991 Track and Field World Championships, Rick also was USA vs Great Britian Dual meet champion, was twice ranked 3rd in the United States Track & Field for high jumpers, ranked 10th in the World for high jumpers along with finishing USA National Championship meet – Finished 2nd & 3rd (twice).

Rick is a member of the Seattle Public Schools Hall of Fame, University of Washington Athletic Hall of Fame, Robert Chinn Foundation Asian Hall of Fame and the WIAA Hall of Fame.

Rick currently lives in the Montlake area (near the University of Washington) of Seattle with his wife Amy (former University of Washington 400M and 4x400 runner), and their daughter Kela. He is a third-generation Japanese American, born and raised in Seattle. He has a personal best high jump of 7’7” (2.31 meters) and standing at 5’8” that is a height to head diff erential of 23” (inches). At the time Rick was competing, he held the second-best height to head differential in the world. Since retirement in 1996, he is ranked third all-time.

Rick Noji personal bests: high jump: 7’7”, long jump: 24’0”, 200 meters 21.2, 100 meters 10.44, 55 meters 6.22 seconds.