Utter was the NAIA National Champion in Pole Vault in 1955, setting an NAIA meet record and school record in the process. He helped lead the Hornets to a second-place national finish in 1955. He was the NAIA National Runner-up in 1956, finishing behind the eventual Olympic Gold Medalist. He was a three-time Central Intercollegiate Conference Champion, winning in 1954, 1956 and 1957. He set the school record by clearing 14'4" at the 1956 Emporia Relays and at the time it was the best vault ever by a Kansas college athlete.