Barringer, Hooker, and Lucas Named Women’s Bowerman Finalists
October 6, 2009
NEW ORLEANS (USTFCCCA.org) – The Bowerman Advisory Board announced on Thursday the three women’s finalists for The Bowerman, an award which will recognize annually the most outstanding collegiate women’s track and field athlete. The 2009 finalists are Colorado’s Jennifer Barringer, Texas’ Destinee Hooker, and Texas A&M’s Porscha Lucas.
“As a former coach, I am pleased there is such an honor for women in the sport of collegiate track & field. This award provides a great opportunity to highlight the achievements of some of the most talented athletes in collegiate sports,” said Alfreeda Goff, Vice-Chairman of the Bowerman Advisory Board and Senior Associate Commissioner of the Horizon League.
As a former coach, I am pleased there is such an honor for women in the sport of collegiate track & field. This award provides a great opportunity to highlight the achievements of some of the most talented athletes in collegiate sports
– Alfreeda Goff, Vice-Chairman of the Bowerman Advisory Board and Senior Associate Commissioner of the Horizon League
The three women’s finalists were selected by the ten-member Bowerman Advisory Board, which is comprised of NCAA collegiate administrators, national and regional media personnel, and track & field statisticians. The Bowerman is administered by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
“I would like to thank the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for having the foresight to create such a prestigious award for collegiate track & field athletes. The Bowerman is an excellent way to recognize the talented young men and women who participate in track & field, as well as to honor one of the all-time great track & field coaches, Bill Bowerman,” said Herman Frazier, Chairman of the Bowerman Advisory Board and Senior Associate Athletic Director at Temple University.
The 2009 announcement and presentation of The Bowerman will be held on December 16th in conjunction with the 2009 USTFCCCA Convention at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida. The three women’s finalists will be invited to the announcement and presentation of The Bowerman.
The Bowerman is named in honor of track and field pioneer Bill Bowerman, who served the sport of track and field in numerous ways, including his leadership in the USTFCCCA predecessor organization the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association, and his contributions to NCAA track and field and the running community as a whole.
“Our family is greatly honored by this distinguished award that gives recognition to a student-athlete for their abilities and performance in track and field,” said Barbara Bowerman, wife of the late Bill Bowerman. “Bill always felt that the achievements of the athletes on the athletic fields should be recognized in a most meaningful way.”
A ballot consisting of the three finalists will be sent in early November to The Bowerman Voters who will rank their selections for The Bowerman. Fans and USTFCCCA members will also be able to vote online as part of the national voting process.
An independent firm will collect and tabulate the votes to determine the women’s 2009 winner of The Bowerman.
ABOUT THE WOMEN’S FINALISTS
JENNIFER BARRINGER – UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO
Barringer, an Oviedo, Florida native, set outdoor collegiate records in the 1,500 meters, the 5,000 meters, and the 3,000 meter steeplechase. Her time in the 3,000 meter steeple was an NCAA collegiate outdoor championship meet record and gave her the NCAA outdoor title in the event. Barringer also set three collegiate records indoors in the mile, the 3,000 meters, and the 5,000 meters. She won the NCAA indoor national title in the 3,000 meters, breaking the NCAA meet record in the process. Overall, Barringer was undefeated in collegiate competition in 2009. Barringer was named the 2009 USTFCCCA Women’s Division I Indoor National Track Athlete of the Year and the 2009 USTFCCCA Women’s Division I Outdoor National Track Athlete of the Year.
DESTINEE HOOKER – UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
Hooker, from San Antonio, Texas, won both the indoor and outdoor Division I NCAA national titles in the high jump in 2009. She set a new collegiate and meet record at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships in the high jump, clearing 1.98m (6’6”). She also won Big 12 high jump titles at the indoor conference meet and outdoor conference meet in 2009, breaking both meet records in the process. Hooker only suffered one defeat over the course of the 2009 indoor track & field and outdoor track & field seasons, registering a total of 10 wins over the course of both seasons. She was honored as the 2009 USTFCCCA Women’s Division I Indoor National Field Athlete of the Year.
PORSCHA LUCAS – TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
Lucas, a native of Plano, Texas, won the 200 meters, finished fourth in the 100 meters, and ran on the 4×100 meter relay team that broke the collegiate record at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships. She also picked up Big 12 titles outdoors in the 200 meters and the 4×400 meter relay, and finished as runner-up in the 100 meters. During the 2009 indoor season, Lucas won Big 12 titles in the 200 meters and the 4×400 meter relay, and finished third in the 60 meters. At indoor championships, Lucas finished second in the 200 meters, eighth in the 60 meters, and ran on the winning 4×400 meter relay team. Lucas was honored as the 2009 USTFCCCA Women’s Division I Outdoor South Central Region Track Athlete of the Year.
Eaton, Fernandez, and Rupp Named Men’s Bowerman Finalists
October 6, 2009
NEW ORLEANS (USTFCCCA.org) – Oregon’s Ashton Eaton and Galen Rupp and Oklahoma State’s German Fernandez have all been named finalists for the inaugural The Bowerman, which will recognize annually the most outstanding collegiate men’s track and field athlete, The Bowerman Advisory Board announced on Tuesday. The Bowerman is administered by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
The three men’s finalists for the 2009 award were selected by The Bowerman Advisory Board, which is comprised of NCAA collegiate administrators, national and regional media personnel, and track & field statisticians.
“On behalf of the entire Bowerman Advisory Board, we are very pleased with the work of the Bowerman Watch Committees and the athletes they have identified for our Inaugural Awards. Each of these athletes boasts outstanding qualifications, and they are truly the ‘cream of the crop’ in collegiate track & field,” said Herman Frazier, Chairman of the Bowerman Advisory Board and Senior Associate Athletic Director at Temple University.
The 2009 announcement and presentation of The Bowerman will be held on December 16th in conjunction with the 2009 USTFCCCA Convention at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida. The three men’s finalists will be invited for the announcement and presentation of The Bowerman.
“I would also like to thank the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for having the foresight to create such a prestigious award for collegiate track & field athletes. The Bowerman is an excellent way to recognize the talented young men and women who participate in track & field, as well as to honor one of the all-time great track & field coaches, Bill Bowerman,” added Frazier.
The Bowerman is named in honor of track and field pioneer Bill Bowerman, who served the sport of track and field in numerous ways, including his leadership in the USTFCCCA predecessor organization the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association, and his contributions to NCAA track and field and the running community as a whole.
Our family is greatly honored by this distinguished award that gives recognition to a student-athlete for their abilities and performance in track and field
– Barbara Bowerman, wife of the late Bill Bowerman
“Our family is greatly honored by this distinguished award that gives recognition to a student-athlete for their abilities and performance in track and field,” said Barbara Bowerman, wife of the late Bill Bowerman. “Bill always felt that the achievements of the athletes on the athletic fields should be recognized in a most meaningful way.”
A ballot consisting of the three finalists will be sent in early November to The Bowerman Voters who will rank their selections for The Bowerman. Fans and USTFCCCA members also will be able to vote online as part of the national voting process.
An independent firm will collect and tabulate the votes to determine the men’s 2009 winner of The Bowerman.
ABOUT THE MEN’S FINALISTS
ASHTON EATON – UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
Eaton, a junior from Bend, Ore., was undefeated in the combined events during the 2009 NCAA indoor and outdoor track & field seasons. The Duck standout won two NCAA titles, took the Pac-10 outdoor decathlon title and finished second in the men’s long jump at the Pac-10 outdoor championships. Eaton cracked the 8,000 point barrier in all three collegiate decathlon competitions during the outdoor season, with a season-best total of 8,214 points (wind-aided) at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships. He also posted a season-best of 6,174 points in the indoor heptathlon. Eaton was honored as the 2009 USTFCCCA Men’s Division I Indoor National Field Athlete of the Year and the 2009 USTFCCCA Men’s Division I Outdoor National Field Athlete of the Year.
GERMAN FERNANDEZ – OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
Freshman German Fernandez made a name for himself on the collegiate track & field scene as he went undefeated at distances of 3,000 meters or less during the 2009 indoor and outdoor seasons, winning the NCAA Division I outdoor national title in the 1,500 meters with a season-best time of 3:39.00. Fernandez won Big 12 Conference indoor titles in the one mile and 3,000 meter races, setting a new indoor collegiate record and a new junior world record of 3:55.02 in the one mile race. He added two more Big 12 titles to his name when he won outdoor conference titles in the 1,500 meters and 5,000 meters. The Riverbank, Calif. native was named the 2009 USTFCCCA Men’s Division I Indoor Midwest Region Track Athlete of the Year and the 2009 USTFCCCA Men’s Division I Outdoor Midwest Region Track Athlete of the Year.
GALEN RUPP – UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
Rupp, the 2009 USTFCCCA Men’s Division I Indoor National Track Athlete of the Year and the 2009 USTFCCCA Men’s Division I Outdoor National Track Athlete of the Year, won NCAA Division I Indoor national titles in the 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters. Rupp earned a third indoor national title when he anchored the winning Distance Medley Relay squad to lead the Ducks to their first-ever indoor national team title. Rupp was at it again during the outdoor campaign, winning NCAA Division I Outdoor national titles in the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters. The most decorated athlete in Oregon history, Rupp won the Pac-10 outdoor title in the 10,000 meters and finished second in the 1,500. Rupp set a new American and collegiate record in the indoor 5,000 meters this season with a time of 13:18.12. He also anchored Oregon’s 4xMile relay squad to a new collegiate record at the Oregon Twilight meet.
USTFCCCA Announces the Inception of The Bowerman
October 5, 2009
EUGENE, Ore. – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announces the creation of an esteemed award, The Bowerman. This award will annually recognize the most outstanding collegiate men’s and women’s track and field athlete.
The inaugural award will recognize the 2009 winners of The Bowerman. The announcement and presentation of the inaugural award will be held in conjunction with the 2009 USTFCCCA Convention. The convention will be held at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida from December 14th through 17th, 2009.
When you think of Bill Bowerman, you think of excellence, you think of longevity, you think of a love of the sport and of a certain ethic toward the sport. To create an award in his name is to honor the brilliant legacy that Bowerman built in track & field.
– Former USTFCCCA President Pat Henry
The Bowerman is named in honor of track and field pioneer Bill Bowerman, who served the sport of track and field in numerous ways, including his leadership in the USTFCCCA predecessor organization the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association, and his contributions to NCAA track and field and the running community as a whole.
“Our family is greatly honored by this distinguished award that gives recognition to a student-athlete for their abilities and performance in track and field,” said Barbara Bowerman, wife of the late Bill Bowerman. “Bill always felt that the achievements of the athletes on the athletic fields should be recognized in a most meaningful way.”
Bowerman’s legacy in track and field is undeniable. He began his illustrious and famed career in Eugene as a University of Oregon quarter-miler under Hall of Fame Coach Bill Hayward. One year after Hayward’s retirement, Bowerman took over the Oregon track and field program, and led the Ducks to unprecedented success over the next 23 years. Bowerman served as Oregon’s head track and field coach from 1949-1972. He remained active at the University and in the Eugene community even as Nike®, the company he cofounded, grew into a global sports giant.
“He [Bowerman] enjoyed and appreciated the recognition of athletes who received The Heisman Trophy [in collegiate football], and felt it was a great honor for those who received it. Bill would be so pleased to have this award carry his name,” added Mrs. Bowerman.
The Bowerman will be designed by former Oregon and Bowerman-coached track and field student-athlete Tinker Hatfield, now the overseer of Nike’s® “Innovation Kitchen”. Hatfield is perhaps best known as the designer of the Air Max I and of 13 of the iconic line of Air Jordan shoes.
“When you think of Bill Bowerman, you think of excellence, you think of longevity, you think of a love of the sport and of a certain ethic toward the sport,” said USTFCCCA President Pat Henry. “To create an award in his name is to honor the brilliant legacy that Bowerman built in track & field.”
About the Selection Process
For the inaugural award, a 12-person Bowerman Advisory Board will select three male and three female finalists who will be invited to Orlando for the announcement and presentation of The Bowerman winner.
Following the selection of the finalists, a nationally representative group accounting for 100 votes, to be known collectively as The Bowerman Voters, will determine the winner of the The Bowerman.
Beginning in 2010, the Bowerman Advisory Board will maintain a “Bowerman Watch List” throughout the collegiate track and field seasons. At a specified time (to be determined), the Bowerman Advisory Board will select 15 semi-finalists in each gender for The Bowerman.
From the list of semi-finalists, The Bowerman Voters will vote for their top three selections in each gender. The top three vote-getters overall in each gender will be invited to that year’s presentation of The Bowerman. An independent firm will tabulate the votes for The Bowerman.
About the USTFCCCA
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is the non-profit professional organization that represents men’s and women’s cross country and track and field coaches in the United States. The organization represents over 8,000 coaching members, including 93% of NCAA track and field coaches. USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track and field coaches, providing a leadership structure to assist the needs of a diverse membership, serving as a lobbyist for coaches’ interests, and working as a liaison between the various stakeholders in the sports of cross country and track and field.