N.A.I.A. National Champions
Men's Outdoor 400-Meter Dash
| Year | Name | School | Performance |
| 2011 | Dredame Carter | Florida Memorial | 46.53 |
| 2010 | Sean Pickstock | Dickinson State (ND) | 46.25 |
| 2009 | Ramon Miller | Dickinson State (ND) | 45.43 |
| 2008 | Ramon Miller | Dickinson State (ND) | 46.52 |
| 2007 | William McCaskill | St. Gregory's (OK) | 47.07 |
| 2006 | Aaron Cleare | Dickinson State (ND) | 47.15 |
| 2005 | Aaron Cleare | Dickinson State (ND) | 46.20 |
| 2004 | Aaron Cleare | Dickinson State (ND) | 46.61 |
| 2003 | Trevar Hemphill | Claflin (SC) | 47.13 |
| 2002 | Aaron Cleare | Dickinson State (ND) | 46.92 |
| 2001 | Jacob Koczman | Northwestern (IA) | 46.34 |
| 2000 | Wilson Ogbeide | Wayland Baptist (TX) | 47.06 |
| 1999 | David Phillips | Oklahoma Baptist | 47.92 |
| 1998 | Michael Blackwood | Southern-New Orleans | 45.45 |
| 1997 | Ryan Chaney | George Fox (OR) | 45.98 |
| 1996 | Lenear Dakari | Prairie View A&M (TX) | 45.64 |
| 1995 | Neil DeSilva | Central State (OH) | 45.72 |
| 1994 | Hugh Powell | Central State (OH) | 46.21 |
| 1993 | Neil DeSilva | Central State (OH) | 46.05 |
| 1992 | Andre Brown | Southern-New Orleans | 46.51 |
| 1991 | Anthony Christie | Prairie View A&M (TX) | 46.34 |
| 1990 | Garth Solomon | Wayland Baptist (TX) | 46.96 |
| 1989 | Kenneth Davis | Central Arkansas | 46.23 |
| 1988 | Devon Morris | Wayland Baptist (TX) | 45.45 |
| 1987 | Devon Morris | Wayland Baptist (TX) | 46.04 |
| 1986 | Devon Morris | Wayland Baptist (TX) | 45.07 |
| 1985 | Devon Morris | Wayland Baptist (TX) | 45.25 |
| 1984 | Sammy Epps | Southern Arkansas | 46.46 |
| 1983 | Willie Hudson | Alcorn State (MS) | 46.08 |
| 1982 | Eugene Sanders | Mississippi Valley State | 46.02 |
| 1981 | Eugene Sanders | Mississippi Valley State | 45.38 |
| 1980 | Kevin Jones | Northwood (MI) | 45.74 |
| 1979 | Fred Taylor | Texas Southern | 45.4 |
| 1978 | Fred Taylor | Texas Southern | 46.90 |
| 1977 | Dennis Ducksworth | Jackson State (MS) | 46.67 |
| 1976 | Charles Oliver | Troy State (AL) | 45.74 |
| 1975 | Ronald Ray | North Carolina Central | 46.04 |
| 1974 | Mike Singletary | Southern California College | 46.3* |
| 1973 | Bobby Coleman | Stephen F. Austin (TX) | 46.5* |
| 1972 | James Redd | Southern-Baton Rouge | 45.8 |
| 1971 | Alvin Dotson | Prairie View A&M (TX) | 46.4* |
| 1970 | Fred Newhouse | Prairie View A&M (TX) | 46.4* |
| 1969 | Fred Newhouse | Prairie View A&M (TX) | 46.6* |
| 1968 | Hal Francis | Arkansas AM&N | 45.6 |
| 1967 | Vince Matthews | Johnson C. Smith (NC) | 45.4* |
| 1966 | Theron Lewis | Southern-Baton Rouge | 45.2* |
| 1965 | Theron Lewis | Southern-Baton Rouge | 46.6* |
| 1964 | Don Owens | Grambling (LA) | 46.6 |
| 1963 | Lester Milburn | Texas Southern | 46.7* |
| 1962 | Ray Saddler | Texas Southern | 49.6* |
| 1961 | Walter Johnson | North Carolina College | 46.3* |
| 1960 | William Miller | Southern (LA) | 47.0 |
| 1959 | Nick Ellis | Morgan State (MD) | 46.8* |
| 1958 | John Zetzman | Occidental (CA) | 47.4* |
| 1957 | Bob McMurray | Morgan State (MD) | 46.7* |
| 1956 | Bob Perkins | Lincoln (MO) | 47.4 |
| 1955 | Bob Perkins | Lincoln (MO) | 48.6* |
| 1954 | Henry Thompson | Emporia State (KS) | 49.1* |
| 1953 | George Adrian | Abilene Christian | 47.9* |
| 1952 | George Adrian | Abilene Christian | 47.8* |
