(compiled by Tom Lewis)
There are 11 athletes who belong to a very special club: during a calendar year in which they were collegians they also won a World Championships gold medal outdoors (this compilation does not address indoors).
9 of the 11 were NCAA champions. Of the other 2, Donald Thomas was 3rd in the NCAA and Ryan Brathwaite was the National JC champ.
The 11 athletes who have turned the trick, through the ’17 WC:
| Year | Athlete | Nation | School | Class | Event |
| 1987 | Abdi Bile | Somalia | George Mason | Jr | 1500 |
| 1991 | Samuel Matete | Zambia | Auburn | Sr | 400H |
| 1995 | John Godina | USA | UCLA | Sr | SP |
| 2003 | Perdita Felicien | Canada | Illinois | Sr | 100H |
| 2005 | Tianna Bartoletta | USA | Tennessee | So | LJ |
| 2007 | Donald Thomas | Bahamas | Auburn | Sr | HJ |
| 2009 | Ryan Brathwaite | Barbados | Barton County | So | 110H |
| 2011 | Christian Taylor | USA | Florida | Jr | TJ |
| Kirani James | Grenada | Alabama | So | 400 | |
| 2013 | Brianna Rollins | USA | Clemson | Jr | 100H |
| 2015 | Shawn Barber | Canada | Akron | Jr | PV |