The Bowerman Women’s Official Preseason Watch List Announced
January 14, 2010
NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on Thursday the 10 female collegiate track & field athletes named to the official preseason watch list for the 2010 awarding of The Bowerman as selected by The Bowerman Women’s Watch Committee. Included in the preseason watch list is 2009 Bowerman finalist Porscha Lucas from Texas A&M Unversity among other great talent.
In addition to the 10 listed in the preseason watch list, five others were listed as also receiving mention and will be considered for future official watch lists.
The Bowerman Advisory Board appointed four of its members to comprise The Bowerman Men’s Watch Committee and another four of its members to make up The Bowerman Women’s Watch Committee. The committee will release its next list, using only marks from the 2010 season, on Tuesday, February 9, with updates occurring during the first Tuesday of each month leading to the final watch lists on Tuesday, June 7, the week of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Watch lists will also be released on March 16 to coincide with the conclusion of the indoor season and May 18 to mark the ending of the outdoor conference season. The three men and three women finalists will be named on June 15.
For more information on The Bowerman, the award, the recently-debuted trophy, and Bill Bowerman himself, visit TheBowerman.org. Keep up with Bowerman candidates on the USTFCCCA’s weekly results page (http://www.ustfccca.org/weekly-results) and by following the organization’s twitter feed twitter.com/USTFCCCA.
THE BOWERMAN OFFICIAL PRESEASON WATCH LIST, 2010 WOMEN
(in alphabetical order)
|
NAME |
YEAR |
SCHOOL |
EVENTS |
| Joanna Atkins | JR | Auburn | Sprints |
| Jessica Beard | JR | Texas A&M | Sprints |
| Angela Bizzarri | SR | Illinois | Distance |
| Lacey Cramer | SO | BYU | Mid-Distance |
| Semoy Hackett | SO | Lincoln (Mo.) | Sprints |
| Kylie Hutson | SR | Indiana State | Pole Vault |
| Mariam Kevkhisvili | SR | Florida | Throws |
| Porscha Lucas | SR | Texas A&M | Sprints |
| Brianne Theisen | JR | Oregon | Combined Events |
| Kim Williams | JR | Florida State | Jumps |
Also Receiving Mention
|
NAME |
YEAR |
SCHOOL |
EVENTS |
| Marie Borner | SR | Bethel (Minn.) | Distance |
| Kristi Castlin | SR | Virginia Tech | Hurdles |
| Brenda Martinez | SR | UC Riverside | Mid-Distance |
| Francena McCorory | JR | Hampton | Sprints |
| Liz Patterson | SR | Arizona | High Jump |
BOWERMAN WATCH LIST PROFILES
(all career bests are outdoor unless listed)
Joanna Atkins, Jr., Auburn,
Sprints, Stone Mountain, Ga., Stephenson HS
Atkins won the 400 meters at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships with a career-best time of 50.39 seconds in the finals, surpassing her previous best by nearly a second and a half. She showed her versatility during the outdoor season by being ranked among the nation’s leaders in three events, with career-best times of 11.34 in the 100 meters, 22.89 in the 200 meters and 50.39 in the 400 meters. During the indoor season, she was the SEC Champion in the 400 meters and finished fourth at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Career bests:
100 meters, 11.34
200 meters, 22.89
400 meters, 50.39
Upcoming Auburn meets:
Weekend of January 16: at Kentucky Invitational (Lexington, Ky.)
Weekend of January 23: idle
Weekend of January 30: at Clemson Games (Clemson, S.C.)
Weekend of February 6: at Penn State’s Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup (State College, Pa.)
Jessica Beard, Jr., Texas A&M,
Sprints, Euclid, Ohio, Euclid HS
Beard was the anchor leg on Texas A&M’s NCAA Indoor Championship-winning 4×400-meter relay team in 2009, turning in a 51.25 split to help the Aggies top the field by just under two seconds. In the open 400 meters, Beard claimed double runner-up performances at both NCAA indoor and outdoor championships in 2009. Beard used close finishes to also claim double 400-meter Big 12 Conference titles, topping Oklahoma’s Leslie Cole at the outdoor meet by just three thousandths of a second. Beard additional claimed the bronze at the USATF Championships this past June in 400 meters and later advanced to the semifinals of the IAAF World Championships in Berlin. In 2008, Beard was a World Junior silver medalist after running a 52.09 in Poland as a member of the U.S. Junior team.
Career bests:
400 meters, 50.66
400 meters, 51.77 (indoor)
Upcoming Texas A&M meets:
Weekend of January 16: hosts Texas A&M Invitational (College Station, Texas)
Weekend of January 23: hosts dual versus Texas (College Station, Texas)
Weekend of January 30: hosts Texas A&M Conference Challenge (College Station, Texas)
Weekend of February 6: at New Balance Invitational (New York, N.Y.)
Angela Bizzarri, Sr., Illinois,
Distance, Mason, Ohio, Mason HS
Bizzarri is coming off a dream fall that saw her win the NCAA Cross Country individual title, becoming the first female from Illinois to accomplish the feat. On the track in 2009, Bizzarri was the NCAA champ at 5000 meters and placed third in the event at the USATF Championships. At the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, Bizzarri accounted for 18 team points as winner of the 5000 meters and as runner-up in the 1500. Indoors, Bizzarri placed fourth at 3000 meters.
Career bests:
1500 meters, 4:16.95
Mile, 4:41.98 (indoor)
3000 meters, 9:11.62 (indoor)
5000 meters, 15:33.02
Upcoming Illinois meets:
Weekend of January 16: at Southern Illinois’ SASF Invitational (Carbondale, Ill.)
Weekend of January 23: hosts Carle/Health Alliance Classic (Champaign, Ill.)
Weekend of January 30: at Illinois Intercollegiates (Charleston, Ill.)
Weekend of February 6: at Notre Dame’s Meyo Invitational (South Bend, Ind.)
Lacey Cramer, So., BYU,
Mid-Distance, Cedar Hills, Utah, Lone Peak HS
Cramer came into the scene in a flash, taking the 2009 NCAA 800-meter indoor crown as a freshman with a 2:04.27 clocking and helped the Cougars to a third-place showing in the distance medley relay. Earlier in the indoor season, Cramer won the Mountain West Conference 800 meters. Outdoors, Cramer was fourth at the NCAA Outdoor meet, clocking 2:03.19 in the finals. Cramer earned topped the field at the NCAA West Regional and again was champ of the Mountain West outdoors. Cramer also ran on the conference champion 4×400-meter relay team.
Career bests:
800 meters, 2:03.01
1500 meters, 4:17.10
Mile, 4:47.77 (indoor)
Upcoming BYU meets:
Weekend of January 16: at Idaho State Invitational (Pocatello, Idaho)
Weekend of January 23: at New Mexico’s Cherry & Silver Invitational (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Weekend of January 30: at Washington Invitational (Seattle, Wash.)
Weekend of February 6: at New Balance Invitational (New York, N.Y.)
Semoy Hackett, So., Lincoln (Mo.),
Sprints, Scarborough, Trinidad & Tobago
Hackett hails from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo., a member of the NCAA’s Division II. Hackett was a four-time NCAA outdoor champion in her freshman campaign, winning the individual 100-, 200-meter double with personal bests of 11.18 and 22.95, respectively. In addition, Hackett was a member of the Blue Tigers’ 4×100- and 4×400-meter relay teams that took top honors at the NCAA Division II meet in San Angelo, Texas. Her 11.18 clocking made her the seventh-fastest collegian among all divisions in 2009.
Career bests:
100 meters, 11.18
200 meters, 22.95
Upcoming Lincoln (Mo.) meets:
Weekend of January 16: at Southern Illinois’ SASF Invitational (Carbondale, Ill.)
Weekend of January 23: hosts Carle/Health Alliance Classic (Champaign, Ill.)
Weekend of January 30: at Indiana Relays (Bloomington, Ind.)
Weekend of February 6: at Nebraska’s Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational (Lincoln, Neb.)
Kylie Hutson, Sr., Indiana State,
Pole Vault, Terre Haute, Ind., Terre Haute North HS
In her junior season, Hutson won NCAA crowns during both the indoor and outdoor seasons with the pole vault, claiming personal bests in both championship meets to take the titles. During the outdoor championship, Hutson needed a clearance at 14-5¼(4.40m) to win the competition as with a first-attempt miss at 14-1¼ (4.30m) placed her second going into the height. Hutson was the only to clear 14-5¼, doing so on her first attempt and, before bowing out of the competition, she went on to attempt an NCAA-meet record height of 14-6 (4.42m).
Career bests:
Pole vault, 14-5¼, 4.40m
Pole vault, 14-4¾, 4.35m
Upcoming Indiana State meets:
Weekend of January 16: at dual with Illinois State (Normal, Ill.)
Weekend of January 23: at RHIT Friday Night Invite (Terre Haute, Ind.) /
at Purdue’s Gene Edmonds Cup (West Lafayette, Ind.)
Weekend of January 30: at Wisconsin Elite Meet (Madison, Wis.)
Weekend of February 6: at Notre Dame’s Meyo Invitational (South Bend, Ind.)
Mariam Kevkhisvili, Sr., Florida,
Throws, Tbilisi, Georgia, Varketili Secondary
Kevkhisvili is the two-time defending NCAA indoor shot put champion and will return for her senior campaign to also defend her 2009 NCAA outdoor shot put title. The Gator is only the fourth woman in NCAA to win back-to-back indoor crowns in the event. In 2009, Kevkhisvili went undefeated against collegiate competition and swept SEC crowns with the shot. Kevkhisvili has twice been an Olympian for her home country of Georgia.
Career bests:
Shot put, 18.05m, 59-2¾
Shot put, 17.94m, 58-10¼ (indoor)
Upcoming Florida meets:
Weekend of January 16: at Kentucky Invitational (Lexington, Ky.)
Weekend of January 23: idle
Weekend of January 30: at Texas A&M Conference Challenge (College Station, Texas)
Weekend of February 6: at Virginia Tech Elite Meet (Blacksburg, Va.)
Porscha Lucas, Sr., Texas A&M,
Sprints, Plano, Texas, Plano HS
As a 2009 Bowerman finalist, Lucas was a dominant national force at the 200 meters and as a part of Texas A&M’s sprint relays last year. Lucas claimed an individual NCAA Championship outdoors at 200 meters, running a collegiate-leading, season best of 22.38 in the semifinal. Lucas was the second leg on the A&M 4×100-meter relay squad that claimed an NCAA outdoor title and ran to a collegiate-record time of 42.36. Overall, Lucas scored 17½ team points at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in leading the Aggies to their first NCAA team title. In addition, Lucas swept Big 12 titles in the 200 meters indoors and outdoors and won an additional two conference crowns as part of the Aggies’ indoor 4×400-meter relay and outdoor 4×100-meter relay.
Career bests:
60 meters, 7.24 (indoor)
100 meters, 11.12
200 meters, 22.38
200 meters, 22.83 (indoor)
Upcoming Texas A&M meets:
Weekend of January 16: hosts Texas A&M Invitational (College Station, Texas)
Weekend of January 23: hosts dual versus Texas (College Station, Texas)
Weekend of January 30: hosts Texas A&M Conference Challenge (College Station, Texas)
Weekend of February 6: at New Balance Invitational (New York, N.Y.)
Brianne Theisen, Jr., Oregon,
Combined Events, Humboldt, Saskatchewan, Humboldt Collegiate Institute
Theisen is the defending NCAA champion in the heptathlon after scoring a personal best of 6,086 points at the national meet in Fayetteville, Ark. Theisen went on to win the Canadian national championship in the event to earn a berth on Team Canada for the IAAF World Championships in Berlin. Theisen was responsible for 17 team points at the Pac-10 Conference Championships in2009 to help the Ducks win the league title for the first time since 1992. At the Pac-10 meet, Theisen won the heptathlon, was part of the winning 4×400-meter relay team, placed sixth in the long jump, and in a tie for seventh in the high jump.
Theisen also was the 2007 Pan American Junior heptathlon champion and also competed in the 2006 World Junior Championships and 2005 World Youth Championships.
Career bests:
Heptathlon, 6,086
Pentathlon, 4,321
Upcoming Oregon meets:
Weekend of January 16: at Washington Indoor Preview (Seattle, Wash.)
Weekend of January 23: idle
Weekend of January 30: at Texas A&M Conference Challenge (College Station, Texas)
Weekend of February 6: idle
Kim Williams, Jr., Florida State,
Jumps, Kingston, Jamaica, Vere Technical
Williams was crowned three times in 2009 as an NCAA Champion as the Seminole swept triple jump indoor and outdoor titles and added an outdoor long jump crown. In addition, Williams became just the second woman to have swept both long jump and triple jump titles at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Williams also won three ACC championships in 2009 to add to the three she won as a freshman in 2008. Williams notched her long jump career best of 21-10¼ (6.66m) at the NCAA East Regional in 2009 and her all-conditions triple jump best of 47-2¼ (14.38m) came on her final attempt of the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships, carrying only a 2.1 meter-per-second wind-aided advantage.
Career bests:
Long jump, 6.66m, 21-10¼
Long jump, 6.51m, 21-2¾ (indoor)
Triple jump, 14.08m, 46-2½ [wind-aided: 47-2¼, 14.38m]
Triple jump, 14.03m, 46-½ (indoor)
Upcoming Florida State meets:
Weekend of January 16: at Virginia Tech Invitational (Blacksburg, Va.)
Weekend of January 23: at Florida State’s Hokie Invitational (Blacksburg, Va.)
Weekend of January 30: at Kentucky’s Rod McCravy Memorial Invitational (Lexington, Ky.)
Weekend of February 6: at Virginia Tech Elite Meet (Blacksburg, Va.)
The Bowerman Men’s Official Preseason Watch List Announced
January 14, 2010
NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on Thursday the 10 male collegiate track & field athletes named to the official preseason watch list for the 2010 awarding of The Bowerman as selected by The Bowerman Men’s Watch Committee. Included in the preseason watch list are 2009 Bowerman finalists Ashton Eaton of the University of Oregon and German Fernandez of Oklahoma State University.
In addition to the 10 listed in the preseason watch list, five others were listed as also receiving mention and will be considered for future official watch lists.
The Bowerman Advisory Board appointed four of its members to comprise The Bowerman Men’s Watch Committee and another four of its members to make up The Bowerman Women’s Watch Committee. The committee will release its next list, using only marks from the 2010 season, on Tuesday, February 9, with updates occurring during the first Tuesday of each month leading to the final watch lists on Tuesday, June 7, the week of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Watch lists will also be released on March 16 to coincide with the conclusion of the indoor season and May 18 to mark the ending of the outdoor conference season. The three men and three women finalists will be named on June 15.
For more information on The Bowerman, the award, the recently-debuted trophy, and Bill Bowerman himself, visit TheBowerman.org. Keep up with Bowerman candidates on the USTFCCCA’s weekly results page (http://www.ustfccca.org/weekly-results) and by following the organization’s twitter feed twitter.com/USTFCCCA.
THE BOWERMAN OFFICIAL PRESEASON WATCH LIST, 2010 MEN
(in alphabetical order)
|
NAME |
YEAR |
SCHOOL |
EVENTS |
| Jeshua Anderson | JR | Washington State | Hurdles |
| Ronnie Ash | JR | Oklahoma | Hurdles |
| Sam Chelanga | RS JR | Liberty | Distance |
| Will Claye | SO | Oklahoma | Jumps |
| Jason Colwick | SR | Rice | Pole Vault |
| Ashton Eaton | SR | Oregon | Combined Events |
| German Fernandez | SO | Oklahoma State | Distance |
| Trindon Holliday | SR (ind.) | LSU | Sprints |
| Andrew Wheating | SR | Oregon | Distance |
| Ryan Whiting | SR | Arizona State | Throws |
Also Receiving Mention
|
NAME |
YEAR |
SCHOOL |
EVENTS |
| Charles Clark | SR | Florida State | Sprints |
| Ramon Gittens | JR | St. Augustine’s | Sprints |
| Ricky Flynn | SR | Lynchburg | Distance |
| Tabarie Henry | JR | Texas A&M | Sprints |
| Ngonidzashe Makusha | JR | Florida State | Jumps |
BOWERMAN WATCH LIST PROFILES
(all career bests are outdoor unless listed)
Jeshua Anderson, Jr., Washington State,
Hurdles, Woodland Hills, Calif., Taft HS
Anderson is the reigning two-time NCAA 400-meter hurdle champion, having clocked his career best 48.47 in the finals of the 2009 NCAA Championships. Anderson is also a two-time Pac-10 Champion in the long hurdles and also competes in the open 400-meter dash and as part of the Cougar 4×400-meter relay team. In 2008, Anderson won the USATF Junior Championship in the 400-meter hurdles and later won the IAAF World Junior Championship in the same event in Poland.
Anderson was also a member of the Washington State football team as a wide receiver. Previous to Anderson leaving the team in September 2009 to concentrate on track conditioning, Anderson played in two games and caught four passes for 66 yards including a 44-yard reception versus Hawaii.
Career bests:
400m hurdles: 48.47
Upcoming Washington State meets:
Weekend of January 16: hosts WSU Indoor Open (Pullman, Wash.)
Weekend of January 23: hosts Cougar Indoor (Pullman, Wash.)
Weekend of January 30: at Texas A&M Conference Challenge, Big 12 vs. Pac-10 vs. SEC (College Station, Texas)
Weekend of February 6: at Idaho’s Vandal Indoor (Moscow, Idaho)
Ronnie Ash, Jr., Oklahoma,
Hurdles, Raleigh, N.C., Knightdale HS/Bethune-Cookman
A newcomer to the Oklahoma program, Ronnie Ash arrives in Norman as the nation’s top-ranked collegiate hurdler having won the 2009 NCAA titles in the 60- and 110-meter hurdles. The junior from Raleigh, N.C., was a three-time MEAC Champion while at Bethune-Cookman and earned three All-America honors as well.
Career bests:
60m hurdles: 7.63 (indoor)
110m hurdles: 13.27 (sixth-best collegian all-time)
Upcoming Oklahoma meets:
Weekend of January 16: at Texas A&M Invitational (College Station, Texas)
Weekend of January 23: at Arkansas’ Razorback Invitational (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Weekend of January 30: hosts J.D. Martin Invitational (Norman, Okla.)
Weekend of February 6: at New Balance Collegiate Invitational (New York, N.Y.)
Sam Chelanga, RS Jr., Liberty,
Distance, Nairobi, Kenya, Bartolimo HS/Fairleigh Dickinson
In 2009, Chelanga caught attention on the track by breaking the collegiate record at 10,000 meters, running 27:28.48 to break the 2007 mark of Bowerman winner Galen Rupp. Chelanga, also the NCAA Cross Country Champion this past fall, is the nation’s top returner on the track indoors at 5,000 meters and outdoors at 10,000 meters, placing second at last year’s NCAA indoor meet at 5k and third at the NCAA outdoor meet at 10k.
Career bests:
5000 meters, 13:19.79 (indoor)
10,000 meters, 27:28.48 [collegiate record]
Upcoming Liberty meets:
Weekend of January 16: idle
Weekend of January 23: at Virginia Tech’s Hokie Invitational (Blacksburg, Va.)
Weekend of January 30: hosts Liberty Open (Lynchburg, Va.)
Weekend of February 6: at Penn State’s Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup (State College, Pa.)
Will Claye, So., Oklahoma,
Jumps, Phoenix, Ariz., Mountain Pointe HS
As a 17-year-old freshman in 2009, Will Claye finished second nationally in the triple jump, breaking the Oklahoma program record in the process and was third in the long jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships. After a successful indoor season, Claye continued his progression during the outdoor season breaking the Oklahoma program record and a 27-year-old American Junior Record en route to the NCAA triple jump title on his 18th birthday. Claye also added a USATF Junior triple jump title and the Pan-Am Junior Championships triple jump title. Claye was undefeated throughout the NCAA outdoor season, winning every triple jump competition he was entered in.
Career bests:
Long jump, 7.89m, 25-10¾;
Triple jump, 17.19m, 56-4¾ (ninth-best collegian all-time) [wind-aided best: 17.24m, 56-6¾]
Upcoming Oklahoma meets:
Weekend of January 16: at Texas A&M Invitational (College Station, Texas)
Weekend of January 23: at Arkansas’ Razorback Invitational (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Weekend of January 30: hosts J.D. Martin Invitational (Norman, Okla.)
Weekend of February 6: at New Balance Collegiate Invitational (New York, N.Y.)
Jason Colwick, Sr., Rice,
Pole Vault, San Marcos, Texas, San Marcos HS
Colwick pulled the NCAA indoor-outdoor double championship win with the pole vault in 2009. At the outdoor national championship, Colwick cleared 18-8¼ (5.70m) and was one of only two in the competition to clear more than 18 feet. Colwick also attempted to better the 1996 NCAA-meet record with tries at 19-1½ (5.83m). At the indoor NCAA meet, Colwick was the only to clear a bar over 18 feet with a winning effort at 18-4½ (5.60m). Colwick cleared his personal best of 18-9¼ (5.72m) at the 2009 Texas Relays in a winning effort.
Career bests:
Pole vault, 5.72m, 18-9¼
Upcoming Rice meets:
Weekend of January 16: idle
Weekend of January 23: idle
Weekend of January 30: at Houston Indoor Invitational (Houston, Texas)
Weekend of February 6: at Nebraska’s Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational (Lincoln, Neb.)
Ashton Eaton, Sr., Oregon,
Combined Events, Bend, Ore., Mountain View HS
During the previous track & field season, Eaton, a 2009 Bowerman finalist, became the first athlete in NCAA history to win national titles in both the indoor heptathlon and outdoor decathlon. Eaton broke the 8,000-point barrier in the decathlon in each of his three decathlon competitions, tallying a season’s best 8,241-point wind-aided total at the NCAA Championships. Eaton scored 6,174 points in the seven-event heptathlon at the Washington Invitational in January, recording the all-time second-best, all-conditions performance by a collegian.
Over the summer, Eaton placed second at the USATF Championships with another 8,000-point-plus performance, earning him a berth on Team USA for the IAAF World Championships in Berlin. Eaton’s streak of 8,000-plus performances stands at seven, dating back to the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Career bests:
Decathlon, 8,241w (sixth-best collegian all-time)
Heptathlon, 6,174 (oversized track) [second-best collegian all-time]
Upcoming Oregon meets:
Weekend of January 16: Washington Indoor Preview (Seattle, Wash.)
Weekend of January 23: idle
Weekend of January 30: at Texas A&M Conference Challenge, Big 12 vs. Pac-10 vs. SEC (College Station, Texas)
Weekend of February 6: idle
German Fernandez, So., Oklahoma State,
Distance, Riverbank, Calif., Riverback HS
The 2009 Bowerman finalist enters the 2010 campaign as just a sophomore.As a freshman, Fernandez had a tremendous year. He started the season by blazing to a 3:56.50 mile in his first collegiate track race at the Razorback Invitational in January. Then, a month later, Fernandez continued to amaze, setting an all-time collegiate record along with World and American junior records in the mile with a 3:55.02 clocking to capture his first Big 12 Conference crown. Outdoors, Fernandez pulled off the 1500-, 5000-meter double win at the Big 12 Championships in Lubbock and won his first NCAA title at 1500 meters in running a season-best 3:39.00 at the national championships.
Fernandez opted not to compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2009, instead choosing to represent America at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Amman, Jordan.
Career bests:
1500 meters, 3:39.00;
Mile, 3:55.02 (indoor) [Collegiate Record];
5000 meters, 13:25.46
Upcoming Oklahoma State meets:
Weekend of January 16: at Wichita State Invitational (Wichita, Kan.)
Weekend of January 23: at Arkansas’ Razorback Invitational (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Weekend of January 30: at J.D. Martin Invitational (Norman, Okla.)
Weekend of February 6: at Oklahoma Christian Invitational II (Norman, Okla.)
Trindon Holliday, Sr. (indoor only), LSU,
Sprints, Zachary, La., Northeast HS
Holliday, the proven speedster, claimed the NCAA outdoor 100-meter title in 2009 after clocking a personal-best 10.00 in both the heats and the final round. Holliday earned the title “World’s Fastest Football Player” with the personal best, claiming the fastest time ever recorded by a football player. Holliday also anchored the 4×100-meter relay team to a runner-up performance at the NCAA outdoor meet, accounting for 12 of LSU’s 37 team points (fifth place). Indoors, Holliday was second at the NCAA meet at 60 meters, running a 6.55 in the final. Overall, Holliday is a four-time SEC Champion. Holliday has only indoor eligibility for the 2010 season.
On the Tiger football team, Holliday was listed as a wide receiver, but was a return specialist. Prior to this year’s Capital One Bowl, Holliday led the SEC and was ranked second in the country with a 17.7-yard punt return average. Holliday took a punt return 87 yards for a touchdown, helping LSU defeat Arkansas.
Career bests:
60m dash, 6.54
100m dash, 10.00 (tied as 10th-best collegian all-time)
Upcoming LSU meets:
Weekend of January 16: idle
Weekend of January 23: hosts Purple Tiger Invitational (Baton Rouge, La.)
Weekend of January 30: at New Mexico’s Lobo Opener (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Weekend of February 6: at New Balance Collegiate Invitational (New York, N.Y.)
Andrew Wheating, Sr., Oregon,
Distance, Norwich, Vt., Kimball Union Academy
As one of the nation’s most exciting 800 meter runners at all levels, Wheating earned his first two NCAA titles in 2009 and was an integral part of Oregon’s near-triple crown in 2008-09. He was the 2009 NCAA Outdoor champion at 800 meters and the NCAA Indoor 800 meter runner-up. He also ran the 800-meter leg on Oregon’s NCAA Indoor Champion and school record-setting distance medley relay team. Overall, Wheating is a four-time All-American, a two-time Pac-10 champion at 800 meters, and a Pac-10 scorer in both cross country and at 1,500 meters. His 800 meter runner-up performance to clinch an Olympic berth remains one of the indelible moments of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials. Wheating is also the first native of Vermont to run a sub-4:00 mile.
Career bests:
800 meters, 1:45.03
1500 meters, 3:38.60
Mile, 3:59.11 (indoor)
Upcoming Oregon meets:
Weekend of January 16: Washington Indoor Preview (Seattle, Wash.)
Weekend of January 23: idle
Weekend of January 30: at Texas A&M Conference Challenge, Big 12 vs. Pac-10 vs. SEC (College Station, Texas)
Weekend of February 6: idle
Ryan Whiting, Sr., Arizona State,
Throws, Harrisburg, Pa., Central Dauphin HS
Whiting returns for his senior season and will look to defend both of his national titles won in the shot put last season after capturing his second-consecutive NCAA indoor crown and his first-ever outdoor title. As a junior, he automatically qualified for three events at the NCAA Championships and finished in the top two in all three, adding a runner-up finish in the discus at the outdoor championships. The indoor collegiate record holder with a heave of 71-3½ (21.73m), Whiting has won back-to-back shot put crowns after throwing 66-1¾ (20.16m) to win the 2009 title. He followed that win up by finishing first in every shot put competition entered during the 2009 outdoor collegiate season, culminating with a winning toss of 65-11.75 (20.11m) at the national meet. An ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American, Whiting finished the 2009 season with the No. 10 mark in the world in the shot put and fifth among American competitors with his school-record toss of 68-10½ (20.99m) while his top discus mark of 199-3 (60.73m), which, like the shot put, broke a 27 year-old school record, ranked as the 11th-best among Americans in 2009.
Career bests:
Shot put, 21.73m, 71-3½ (indoor) [collegiate record]
Discus, 61.11m, 200-5
Upcoming Arizona State meets:
Weekend of January 16: idle
Weekend of January 23: at Northern Arizona’s Friday Night Challenge (Flagstaff, Ariz.)
Weekend of January 30: (ss) at Washington Invitational (Seattle, Wash.) /
(ss) at Northern Arizona’s Mountain ‘T’ Challenge (Flagstaff, Ariz.)
Weekend of February 6: (ss) at New Mexico’s Lobo Classic (Albuquerque, N.M.) /
(ss) at Northern Arizona Team Challenge (Flagstaff, Ariz.)
ig 12 vs. Pac-10 vs. SEC (College Station, Texas)
Weekend of February 6: idle
German Fernandez, So., Oklahoma State,
Distance, Riverbank, Calif., Riverback HS
The 2009 Bowerman finalist enters the 2010 campaign as just a sophomore.As a freshman, Fernandez had a tremendous year. He started the season by blazing to a 3:56.50 mile in his first collegiate track race at the Razorback Invitational in January. Then, a month later, Fernandez continued to amaze, setting an all-time collegiate record along with World and American junior records in the mile with a 3:55.02 clocking to capture his first Big 12 Conference crown. Outdoors, Fernandez pulled off the 1500-, 5000-meter double win at the Big 12 Championships in Lubbock and won his first NCAA title at 1500 meters in running a season-best 3:39.00 at the national championships.
Fernandez opted not to compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2009, instead choosing to represent America at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Amman, Jordan.
Career bests:
1500 meters, 3:39.00;
Mile, 3:55.02 (indoor) [Collegiate Record];
5000 meters, 13:25.46
Upcoming Oklahoma State meets:
Weekend of January 16: at Wichita State Invitational (Wichita, Kan.)
Weekend of January 23: at Arkansas’ Razorback Invitational (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Weekend of January 30: at J.D. Martin Invitational (Norman, Okla.)
Weekend of February 6: at Oklahoma Christian Invitational II (Norman, Okla.)
Trindon Holliday, Sr. (indoor only), LSU,
Sprints, Zachary, La., Northeast HS
Holliday, the proven speedster, claimed the NCAA outdoor 100-meter title in 2009 after clocking a personal-best 10.00 in both the heats and the final round. Holliday earned the title “World’s Fastest Football Player” with the personal best, claiming the fastest time ever recorded by a football player. Holliday also anchored the 4×100-meter relay team to a runner-up performance at the NCAA outdoor meet, accounting for 12 of LSU’s 37 team points (fifth place). Indoors, Holliday was second at the NCAA meet at 60 meters, running a 6.55 in the final. Overall, Holliday is a four-time SEC Champion. Holliday has only indoor eligibility for the 2010 season.
On the Tiger football team, Holliday was listed as a wide receiver, but was a return specialist. Prior to this year’s Capital One Bowl, Holliday led the SEC and was ranked second in the country with a 17.7-yard punt return average. Holliday took a punt return 87 yards for a touchdown, helping LSU defeat Arkansas.
Career bests:
60m dash, 6.54
100m dash, 10.00 (tied as 10th-best collegian all-time)
Upcoming LSU meets:
Weekend of January 16: idle
Weekend of January 23: hosts Purple Tiger Invitational (Baton Rouge, La.)
Weekend of January 30: at New Mexico’s Lobo Opener (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Weekend of February 6: at New Balance Collegiate Invitational (New York, N.Y.)
Andrew Wheating, Sr., Oregon,
Distance, Norwich, Vt., Kimball Union Academy
As one of the nation’s most exciting 800 meter runners at all levels, Wheating earned his first two NCAA titles in 2009 and was an integral part of Oregon’s near-triple crown in 2008-09. He was the 2009 NCAA Outdoor champion at 800 meters and the NCAA Indoor 800 meter runner-up. He also ran the 800-meter leg on Oregon’s NCAA Indoor Champion and school record-setting distance medley relay team. Overall, Wheating is a four-time All-American, a two-time Pac-10 champion at 800 meters, and a Pac-10 scorer in both cross country and at 1,500 meters. His 800 meter runner-up performance to clinch an Olympic berth remains one of the indelible moments of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials. Wheating is also the first native of Vermont to run a sub-4:00 mile.
Career bests:
800 meters, 1:46.21
1500 meters, 3:40.92
Mile, 3:59.11 (indoor)
Upcoming Oregon meets:
Weekend of January 16: Washington Indoor Preview (Seattle, Wash.)
Weekend of January 23: idle
Weekend of January 30: at Texas A&M Conference Challenge, Big 12 vs. Pac-10 vs. SEC (College Station, Texas)
Weekend of February 6: idle
Ryan Whiting, Sr., Arizona State,
Throws, Harrisburg, Pa., Central Dauphin HS
Whiting returns for his senior season and will look to defend both of his national titles won in the shot put last season after capturing his second-consecutive NCAA indoor crown and his first-ever outdoor title. As a junior, he automatically qualified for three events at the NCAA Championships and finished in the top two in all three, adding a runner-up finish in the discus at the outdoor championships. The indoor collegiate record holder with a heave of 71-3½ (21.73m), Whiting has won back-to-back shot put crowns after throwing 66-1¾ (20.16m) to win the 2009 title. He followed that win up by finishing first in every shot put competition entered during the 2009 outdoor collegiate season, culminating with a winning toss of 65-11.75 (20.11m) at the national meet. An ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American, Whiting finished the 2009 season with the No. 10 mark in the world in the shot put and fifth among American competitors with his school-record toss of 68-10½ (20.99m) while his top discus mark of 199-3 (60.73m), which, like the shot put, broke a 27 year-old school record, ranked as the 11th-best among Americans in 2009.
Career bests:
Shot put, 21.73m, 71-3½ (indoor) [collegiate record]
Discus, 61.11m, 200-5
Upcoming Arizona State meets:
Weekend of January 16: idle
Weekend of January 23: at Northern Arizona’s Friday Night Challenge (Flagstaff, Ariz.)
Weekend of January 30: (ss) at Washington Invitational (Seattle, Wash.) /
(ss) at Northern Arizona’s Mountain ‘T’ Challenge (Flagstaff, Ariz.)
Weekend of February 6: (ss) at New Mexico’s Lobo Classic (Albuquerque, N.M.) /
(ss) at Northern Arizona Team Challenge (Flagstaff, Ariz.)