Brooks (Grand Rapids, Mich.) marked a collegiate-leading put of 60-8 (18.49m) two weekends ago at Oklahoma’s JD Martin Duals for the victory. In addition, the mark moved her to fifth on the all-time collegiate indoor performers list.

Freeman (Lake Wales, Fla.) notched a collegiate-leading, season’s best of 7.23 seconds in the 60 meters to finish as the top collegian at the Auburn Invitational two weekends ago. She was also the winner of the VT Invitational 60 meters in 7.27 the week prior. Through two meets and four rounds, Freeman has clocked 7.27 or better on three occasions this year.

It is the first time Brooks or Freeman has landed on the Watch List.

For this update, new to the “also receiving mention” list – a group of great athletes just outside of the Watch List’s ten – are Clemson freshman Dezerea Bryant, Washington sophomore Katie Flood, Southern Illinois’s Jeneva McCall, Academy of Art’s Vashti Thomas, and Stony Brook’s Lucy Van Dalen.

THE BOWERMAN OFFICIAL WATCH LIST, 2012 WOMEN

(updated February 2, 2012, listed in alphabetical order)

QUICKLY – The Watch List in 2012

Brigetta Barrett, Arizona – Barrett is so far two-for-two in the victories department this season in the high jump. But, more impressively she cleared 6-5½ (1.97m) on the way to winning the Razorback Invitational’s event. The leap is just one centimeter (half inch) from the collegiate record set in 2009 by Destinee Hooker. Barrett took attempts at 6-6¾ (2.00m) but missed all three. Barrett is the current American leader in the high jump and ranks second in the world for the year.

Tia Brooks, Oklahoma – Brooks is the collegiate leader in the shot put as the only this season to throw for over 60 feet this season, having marked a put of 60-8 (18.49m) two weekends ago at Oklahoma’s JD Martin Duals for the victory. In addition, the mark moved her to fifth on the all-time collegiate indoor performers list. Brooks in the American-leader in the shot put and No. 6 in the world in 2012.

Emma Coburn, Colorado – Has yet to compete.

Kimberlyn Duncan, LSU – Duncan is the collegiate leader in the 200 meters, having recorded a time of 23.25 last weekend as the event’s top collegian at the Razorback Invitational – a time that ranks No. 2 in the world so far this year. Duncan was the winner of the 200 at the dual at Texas A&M.

Octavious Freeman, UCF – Freeman, within the first two collegiate meets of her career, has clocked the collegiate-leading 60-meter time of 7.23 seconds set at the Auburn Invitational two weekends ago. She was also the winner of the VT Invitational 60 meters in 7.27 the week prior. Through two meets and four rounds, Freeman has clocked 7.27 or better on three occasions this year.

Jordan Hasay, Oregon – Winner of the Mile at the Texas A&M Mondo Challenge last weekend with a time of 4:37.29. Last weekend she also ran the anchor leg with a 4:35.75 split in leading Oregon’s DMR to victory. The DMR’s time of 10:56.331 is the second-best collegiate time in 2012 and the eighth-best legal time (non-oversized track) of all time. Hasay currently ranks No. 5 in the world in the Mile.

Anne Kesselring, Oregon – Last weekend at the Texas A&M Mondo Challenge, Kesselring opened the season with a 2:05.77 clocking in the 800 meters, taking second to Tennessee’s Chanelle Price. However, the great accomplishment of the weekend was her contribution as the opening 1200-meter leg, split at 3:20.69, of the Ducks’ DMR that clocked 10:56.31 – the second-best collegiate time this season so far and the eighth all-time best.

Sheila Reid, Villanova – Has yet to compete.

Tina Sutej, Arkansas – Sutej has won two meets so far this season in the pole vault, continuing her indoor winning streak that now spans nine meets and dates back to beginning of the 2011 season. Her best clearance of the season for the collegiate-record holder came last weekend at the Razorback Invitational where she went over the bar at 14-7¼ (4.45m).

Brianne Theisen, Oregon – Theisen started the 2012 indoor season exactly the same she finished the 2011 indoor season – with a collegiate record in the pentathlon. Last weekend at Texas A&M’s Mondo Challenge, Theisen scored 4,555 points to top her own collegiate record of 4,540 set last year in winning the NCAA title. For Theisen, her last three pentathlons have been collegiate-record breaking performances. In last weekend’s pentathlon, Theisen also cleared 6-2 (1.88m) in the high jump – a performance that ranks second among all collegians so far this season. Theisen’s 4,555 also broke the Canadian record of 4,550 that was set in 1982 and ranks No. 2 in the world for 2012.

ALSO RECEIVING MENTION

ABOUT THE BOWERMAN

The Bowerman, which debuted in 2009, is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the most outstanding male and female collegiate track & field athletes in the nation.

Florida State’s Ngoni Makusha and Texas A&M’s Jessica Beard are the reigning winners of The Bowerman, which is named for legendary Oregon track & field and cross country coach Bill Bowerman.

Bowerman served the sport of track and field in numerous ways. His leadership in the USTFCCCA’s predecessor organization, the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association, and his contributions to NCAA track and field and the running community as a whole are among his many lasting legacies.

For more information on The Bowerman, the award, the trophy, and Bill Bowerman himself, visit TheBowerman.org.

ABOUT THE USTFCCCA

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is a non-profit professional organization representing cross country and track & field coaches of all levels. The organization represents over 8,000 coaching members encompassing 94% of all NCAA track & field programs (DI, DII, and DIII) and includes members representing the NAIA as well as a number of state high school coaches associations. The USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track & 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 & field.

Eaton (Abington, Pa.) recorded two of the top ten fastest-recorded times for a collegian in the 60-meter hurdles last weekend at the Penn State National. In the meet’s preliminary round, Eaton clocked 7.54, moving to eighth on the all-time collegiate charts. In the meet’s final, Eaton notched a time of 7.49 – the fastest collegiate time since 1997. Collegiate record holder Reggie Torian of Wisconsin (7.47) is the only to have run faster.

Nixon (Edmond, Okla.) had his glory in the heptathlon this past weekend at the Razorback Invitational on his home track in Arkansas. The Razorback frosh won the event and scored 6,022 points which not only places him fifth on the all-time collegiate performers list, but it also topped the world junior record set in 1989 by Germany’s Michael Kohnle (5,953).

Both Eaton and Nixon are making their first-ever appearance on The Bowerman Watch List.

The committee also added Texas’ Ryan Crouser, Kansas State’s Erik Kynard, and North Central’s (Ill.) Josh Winder to the “also receiving mention” list.

THE BOWERMAN OFFICIAL WATCH LIST, 2012 MEN

(updated February 1, 2012, listed in alphabetical order)

(P) – Promoted from the “also receiving mention” list
(N) – new to either list

QUICKLY – The Watch List in 2012

Robby Andrews, Virginia – Has yet to compete.

Miles Batty, BYU – Placed third overall and as the second collegian in the UW Invitational 3000 meters, clocking an all-conditions personal best 7:49.58. The time is also currently the NCAA’s No. 2 seed for the NCAA Championships.

Jeff Demps, Florida – Has yet to compete.

Jarret Eaton, Syracuse — Recorded two of the top ten fastest-recorded times for a collegian in the 60-meter hurdles last weekend at the Penn State National. In the meet’s preliminary round, Eaton clocked 7.54, moving to eighth on the all-time collegiate charts. In the meet’s final, Eaton notched a time of 7.49 – the fastest collegiate time since 1997. Collegiate record holder Reggie Torian of Wisconsin (7.47) is the only to have run faster. In 2011, Eaton redshirted and he previously had a collegiate best of 7.68 in the 60 hurdles. The 7.49 is also currently the world-leading time.

Marquise Goodwin, Texas – Winner of the Razorback Invitational long jump with world- and collegiate-leading jump of 26-7 (8.10m). Also recorded ancillary mark of 26-3½ (8.01m) in the event’s first round. He placed second at the Razorback in the 60 meters with a 6.74 time in the finals. He has a season best in the 60 of 6.72, ranking in the top 25 in the NCAA .

Leonard Korir, Iona – Winner of the 3000 meters at BU’s Terrier Classic by nearly two seconds with a 7:54.59 showing. Won the Mile at Saturday Night at the Races.

Lawi Lalang, Arizona – Won the invitational Mile at the Razorback Invitational by over five seconds, clocking 3:55.09 for the fastest world and collegiate time of the year. The time posted was only seven hundredths of a second off the collegiate record (3:55.02) and placd Lalang in the all-time collegiate top three in the event.

Tony McQuay, Florida – Has yet to compete.

Maurice Mitchell, Florida State – Has yet to compete.

Gunnar Nixon, Arkansas – At just over 19 years old, the Arkansas frosh won the heptathlon at the Razorback Invitational with 6,022 points. He is not only fifth on the all-time collegiate performers list, but he also topped the world junior record set in 1989 by Germany’s Michael Kohnle (5,953) with the score.

ALSO RECEIVING MENTION

(D) – Demoted from the watch list
(N) – new to either list

ABOUT THE BOWERMAN

The Bowerman, which debuted in 2009, is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the most outstanding male and female collegiate track & field athletes in the nation.

Florida State’s Ngoni Makusha and Texas A&M’s Jessica Beard are the reigning winners of The Bowerman, which is named for legendary Oregon track & field and cross country coach Bill Bowerman.

Bowerman served the sport of track and field in numerous ways. His leadership in the USTFCCCA’s predecessor organization, the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association, and his contributions to NCAA track and field and the running community as a whole are among his many lasting legacies.

For more information on The Bowerman, the award, the trophy, and Bill Bowerman himself, visit TheBowerman.org.

ABOUT THE USTFCCCA

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is a non-profit professional organization representing cross country and track & field coaches of all levels. The organization represents over 8,000 coaching members encompassing 94% of all NCAA track & field programs (DI, DII, and DIII) and includes members representing the NAIA as well as a number of state high school coaches associations. The USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track & 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 & field.

Kimberlyn Duncan of LSU and Tina Sutej of Arkansas were finalists for The Bowerman in 2011 and are among the stellar returnees to the watch list. In addition, Arizona’s Brigetta Barrett, Colorado’s Emma Coburn, Oregon’s Jordan Hasay, Villanova’s Sheila Reid, and Oregon’s Brianne Theisen – semifinalists in 2011 – are on the preseason watch. Theisen was also a semifinalist in 2010.

Landing on the watch list for the first time are Southern Miss’ Tori Bowie, Oregon’s Anne Kesselring, and Arizona’s Julie Labonte.

LSU’s Semoy Hackett is on the “also receiving mention” list. Hackett was a preseason watchlister in 2011 and a semifinalist while at Lincoln (Mo.) in 2010.

THE BOWERMAN OFFICIAL WATCH LIST, PRESEASON 2012 WOMEN

(updated January 12, 2012, listed in alphabetical order)

QUICKLY – The Watch List

Brigetta Barrett, Arizona – Semifinalist in 2011. Barrett claimed NCAA high jump titles in both the indoor and outdoor seasons in 2011 to join six others that have accomplished the same feat (most recently, Texas’ Destinee Hooker in 2009). Barrett cleared six feet or more in each of her 11 competitions and notched an all-around personal best of 6-4 (1.93m) to win the Pac-10 title. Barrett won 10 of 11 meet crowns in the high jump during both indoor and outdoor 2011 seasons.

Tori Bowie, Southern Miss – In 2011, Bowie swept NCAA long jump titles. At the outdoor championships, Bowie claimed a career-best leap of 21-9½ (6.64m) in taking the crown, needing the final jump to retake the lead from Oklahoma’s Ti’Anca Mock. Bowie was the indoor champion after posting a jump of 21-4¾ (6.52m) in the event’s final.

Emma Coburn, Colorado – Semifinalist in 2011. Coburn won the NCAA’s 3000-meter steeplechase title in 2011 with a wire-to-wire victory, clocking 9:41.14 which bettered the field by more than six seconds. Coburn was undefeated in the steeplechase during the season and clocked a 9:40.51 personal best to win the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational race – a mark that ranks sixth among collegians all-time. Coburn also finished eighth at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the mile.

Kimberlyn Duncan, LSU – A 2011 finalist for The Bowerman. Duncan swept the NCAA’s 200-meter titles in 2011 and, in both seasons, notched world-leading times. Duncan became the sixth woman in NCAA Division I history and the first since Auburn’s Kerron Stewart in 2007 to sweep 200-meter titles in the same season. Indoors, Duncan won the SEC title in 22.78 for the world’s best time of the season. Outdoors, Duncan was undefeated in the 200 meters and clocked a low-altitude collegiate record (and the third-best overall) with a 22.24 run. Duncan was also the NCAA’s 100-meter runner-up and anchored the Lady Tigers to an NCAA title in the 4×100 (42.64).

Jordan Hasay, Oregon – Semifinalist in 2011. Hasay won NCAA indoor titles in the mile and 3000 meters in 2011, becoming the fifth overall and the first since Northern Arizona’s Johanna Nilsson (2006) to claim such a double. Hasay also led the Ducks to a runner-up finish in the distance medley relay at the national indoor meet. Outdoors, Hasay finished fourth nationally in the 5000 meters and eighth in the 1500 meters.

Anne Kesselring, Oregon – In 2011, Kesselring took the NCAA 800-meter outdoor title as a sophomore, posting a career-best 2:02.15 to outdistance Oklahoma State frosh Natalja Piliusina by just one hundredth of a second. At the NCAA indoor championships, she scored in the mile (fourth) and distance medley relay (second).

Julie Labonte, Arizona – Last year, Labonte established herself as the top shot putter in the nation as a sophomore, sweeping NCAA titles and lasting the season without being defeated by a collegian. At the NCAA outdoor meet, Labonte won with a career-best put of 60-1 (18.31m). Labonte was the MPSF indoor champ and Pac-10 outdoor champ with the shot for the second-year in a row in 2011.

Sheila Reid, Villanova – Semifinalist in 2011. Reid tallied three NCAA crowns and five Big East titles during the 2011 track & field seasons. Outdoors, Reid became the first woman in Division I history to the NCAA’s 1500 and 5000 in the same championship. Indoors, Reid anchored the Wildcats to the NCAA crown in the DMR and was second nationally in the 3000 meters. In the Big East, Reid would also win the 1500-5000 double outdoors and was a three-time titlist indoors with wins in the 1000 meters, 4×800, and DMR. In cross country – which is not considered for The Bowerman – Reid has won two-consecutive individual NCAA titles and is only the fifth in the history of Division I to do so back-to-back.

Tina Sutej, Arkansas – A 2011 finalist for The Bowerman. Sutej set new collegiate records with the pole vault both indoors and outdoors in 2011. Indoors, Sutej would reach a best of 14-10¾ (4.54m) to set the new all-time collegiate best in winning the SEC crown and would go on to win the NCAA title. Outdoors, Sutej again won the SEC league title with a collegiate-record vault – a clearance of 15-1½ (4.61m). Overall, Sutej collected 13-straight meet victories before finishing runner-up at the NCAA outdoor meet, but tied the championship-meet record with Oregon’s Melissa Gergel who took the crown on virtue of misses.

Brianne Theisen, Oregon – Semifinalist in 2010 and 2011. Theisen twice set the collegiate record in the pentathlon in the 2011 indoor season and won her second-straight NCAA crown in the event. Her score of 4,540 bettered her previous all-time collegiate best mark of 4,507 set in January at the UW Invitational and ranked among the world’s top five in the event for the season. Theisen also scored at the NCAA indoor meet for the second-straight year as a member of Oregon’s 4×400 relay team. Outdoors, Theisen did not compete as a result of injury.

ALSO RECEIVING MENTION

ABOUT THE BOWERMAN

The Bowerman, which debuted in 2009, is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the most outstanding male and female collegiate track & field athletes in the nation.

Florida State’s Ngoni Makusha and Texas A&M’s Jessica Beard are the reigning winners of The Bowerman, which is named for legendary Oregon track & field and cross country coach Bill Bowerman.

Bowerman served the sport of track and field in numerous ways. His leadership in the USTFCCCA’s predecessor organization, the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association, and his contributions to NCAA track and field and the running community as a whole are among his many lasting legacies.

For more information on The Bowerman, the award, the trophy, and Bill Bowerman himself, visit TheBowerman.org.

ABOUT THE USTFCCCA

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is a non-profit professional organization representing cross country and track & field coaches of all levels. The organization represents over 8,000 coaching members encompassing 94% of all NCAA track & field programs (DI, DII, and DIII) and includes members representing the NAIA as well as a number of state high school coaches associations. The USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track & 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 & field.

The three finalists from 2011 – Makusha, Washington State’s Jeshua Anderson, and Florida’s Christian Taylor – are no longer collegians.

Virginia’s Robby Andrews, Iona’s Leonard Korir, and Florida State’s Maurice Mitchell rejoins the watch list after being named semifinalists in 2011. Florida’s Jeff Demps was a semifinalist for the award in 2010. BYU’s Miles Batty and Texas’ Marquise Goodwin had time on the watch list in 2011. Duke’s Curtis Beach, Arizona’s Lawi Lalang, Florida’s Tony McQuay, and Illinois’ Andrew Riley are first time members of the watch list.

THE BOWERMAN OFFICIAL WATCH LIST, PRESEASON 2012 MEN

(updated January 11, 2012, listed in alphabetical order)

QUICKLY – The Watch List

Robby Andrews, Virginia – In 2011, won first NCAA outdoor 800-meter title with a memorable, come-from-behind 200-meter sprint to the finish. Sitting in last place at the 600-meter mark, Andrews used a 26.44-second final close to pass the entire field to grab the tape from UC Irvine’s Charles Jock by only four hundredths of a second. Final time at the NCAA meet of 1:44.71 equaled the best collegiate mark of the year (Cory Primm, UCLA). 

Miles Batty, BYU – In 2011, Batty spurred BYU’s run to the podium for a third-place team finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships with national titles in the mile and as anchor of the squad’s DMR team. Batty was one of two to finish the national mile final in sub-four fashion as he topped Tulsa’s Chris O’Hare for the national crown with a 3:59.49 clocking. Batty, the day previous, led the Cougars to their first national crown in the DMR since 1978, holding off fast closing Indiana and Minnesota, with a 3:56.14, 1600-meter anchor split. Outdoors, Batty was seventh at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the mile.

Curtis Beach, Duke – An up-and-comer in the combined events, Beach placed runner-up at the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the decathlon with 8,084 points. Beach was only the second person in the world born in the 1990s to score over 8,000 points last year (Thomas van der Plaetsen, Belgium).

Jeff Demps, Florida – In 2011, Demps claimed his second-straight NCAA indoor 60-meter title with a personal-best run in the finals of 6.53 seconds. Demps became the first back-to-back NCAA indoor short-sprint champ since DaBryan Blanton of Oklahoma in 2004 and 2005. Outdoors, Demps qualified for the final site of the NCAA Championship in the 100 meters and 4×100 relay. He was a member of the SEC champion 4×100 team outdoors as well.

Marquise Goodwin, Texas – The junior won the NCAA outdoor long jump title as a freshman in 2010. In 2011, he swept Big 12 long jump titles and leaped to a personal best 26-9¾ (8.17m).

Leonard Korir, Iona – Indoor 5000-meter and outdoor 10,000-meter NCAA champion in 2011. Split a 56.18 final lap to claim the outdoor national title. Also finished third outdoors nationally in the 5000 and sixth indoors at 3000 meters. In clocking 27:29.40 in the 10k at Stanford’s Payton Jordan Invitational in May, he moved to second all-time in collegiate history in the event (Sam Chelanga, 27:08.39, 2010)

Lawi Lalang, Arizona – Had one of the most dominant cross country seasons in NCAA history in 2011. As a freshman, Lalang had a perfect season, going six-for-six in races. He won the NCAA cross country crown by 13 seconds and would win every race by an average of 20.5 seconds which included the Pac-12 title and NCAA West regional crown. [NOTE: But, remember, cross country not considered in determining the award winner]. On the track in 2011, Lalang was the national runner-up in the 5000 meters.

Tony McQuay, Florida – McQuay was the NCAA’s runner-up in the 400 meters at last year’s national outdoor championships. Indoors, McQuay was a national qualifier in both the 200 and 400 meters, and scored a seventh-place spot in the 400 despite injuring himself in the 200-meter preliminaries the previous day. Most impressive was his gold-medal performance at the USATF Championships in the 400 where he fought off a bevy of pros, including 2004 Olympic gold medalist Jeremy Wariner, to take national title in 44.68.

Maurice Mitchell, Florida State – In 2011, Mitchell was the NCAA outdoor 200-meter champion in a wind-aided 19.99 and third-leg of Florida State’s national champion 4×100-meter relay team. He was national runner-up indoors in the 200 and was only bested by Oklahoma’s Mookie Salaam who took the title by two thousandths of a second in a different section. Placed third at the NCAA meet indoors in the 60 and outdoors in the 100 meters. And, he did not lose a 200-meter race in 13 tries during the indoor and outdoor seasons.

Andrew Riley, Illinois – Riley owns NCAA high-hurdle championship titles both indoors and outdoors. In 2011, Riley was the indoor 60-meter hurdle champ which added to his 2010 outdoor 110-hurdle crown. Outside the collegiate season, Riley won the Jamaican national title in the 110 hurdles and placed 14th overall in the World Championships. Overall, Riley is a six-time Big Ten Champion.

ALSO RECEIVING MENTION

ABOUT THE BOWERMAN

The Bowerman, which debuted in 2009, is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the most outstanding male and female collegiate track & field athletes in the nation.

Florida State’s Ngoni Makusha and Texas A&M’s Jessica Beard are the reigning winners of The Bowerman, which is named for legendary Oregon track & field and cross country coach Bill Bowerman.

Bowerman served the sport of track and field in numerous ways. His leadership in the USTFCCCA’s predecessor organization, the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association, and his contributions to NCAA track and field and the running community as a whole are among his many lasting legacies.

For more information on The Bowerman, the award, the trophy, and Bill Bowerman himself, visit TheBowerman.org.

ABOUT THE USTFCCCA

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is a non-profit professional organization representing cross country and track & field coaches of all levels. The organization represents over 8,000 coaching members encompassing 94% of all NCAA track & field programs (DI, DII, and DIII) and includes members representing the NAIA as well as a number of state high school coaches associations. The USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track & 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 & field.

Beard (Euclid, Ohio) became the just the third female in NCAA Division I history, and first since 1999, to win both 400 national titles in the same year and run on both winning 4×400 relays at the NCAA Indoor and NCAA Outdoor Championships. Beard, a four-time Big 12 indoor 400-meter champ, recorded the world’s fastest time over the 400-meter distance indoors with a 50.79 clocking to win the national crown. Outdoors, Beard clocked 51.10 for the NCAA win and split 49.13 for the Aggies as anchor of the NCAA-winning 4×400 relay.

At the USATF Championships (not considered part of the collegiate season), Beard placed fourth in the 400 meters, running a season’s best 51.06 in the national final.

Makusha (Seke, Zimbabwe) won NCAA outdoor titles in the 100 meters and long jump, joining Carl Lewis, Jesse Owens, and Michigan’s DeHart Hubbard as only the fourth man in NCAA Division I history to claim such a double at a single championship. Makusha also claimed the NCAA long jump title during the indoor season, becoming the first since 2006 to sweep the event’s two titles (Arturs Abolins, Nebraska). The Seminole notched a third NCAA outdoor championship title as second-leg of 4×100-meter relay. In addition, Makusha clocked 9.97 to win the ACC outdoor 100-meter crown, and he also swept league titles in the long jump.

Makusha’s run of 9.89 in the NCAA’s 100-meter final broke the 1996 collegiate- and championship-meet record of 9.92 set by UCLA’s Ato Bolden, is the Zimbabwean national record, and places Makusha is the world’s top six in the event this year.

In the long jump, Makusha’s NCAA-winning mark of 27-6¾ (8.40m) was also a new Zimbabwean national record.

Makusha announced shortly after the NCAA Championships that he had decided to forgo his senior season of eligibility and had elected to turn professional. Makusha was the first man in ACC history to be a Bowerman finalist and now the league’s first Bowerman winner.

Watch more video of Bowerman Awards & USTFCCCA Convention on flotrack.org

THE BOWERMAN WINNERS

MEN

2011: Ngoni Makusha, Florida State
2010: Ashton Eaton, Oregon
2009: Galen Rupp, Oregon

WOMEN

2011: Jessica Beard, Texas A&M
2010: Queen Harrison, Virginia Tech
2009: Jenny Barringer, Colorado

ABOUT THE BOWERMAN

The Bowerman, which debuted in 2009, is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the most outstanding male and female collegiate track & field athletes in the nation. Oregon’s Ashton Eaton and Virginia Tech’s Queen Harrison are the reigning winners of The Bowerman, which is named for legendary Oregon track & field and cross country coach Bill Bowerman.

Bowerman served the sport of track and field in numerous ways. His leadership in the USTFCCCA’s predecessor organization, the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association, and his contributions to NCAA track and field and the running community as a whole are among his many lasting legacies.

For more information on The Bowerman, the award, the trophy, and Bill Bowerman himself, visit TheBowerman.org.

ABOUT THE USTFCCCA

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is a non-profit professional organization representing cross country and track & field coaches of all levels. The organization represents over 8,000 coaching members encompassing 94% of all NCAA track & field programs (DI, DII, and DIII) and includes members representing the NAIA as well as a number of state high school coaches associations. The USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track & 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 & field.

WATCH LIVE HERE:

The men’s finalists for The Bowerman are Jeshua Anderson (Washington State), Ngoni Makusha (Florida State), and Christian Taylor (Florida). Women’s finalists are Jessica Beard (Texas A&M), Kimberlyn Duncan (LSU), and Tina Sutej (Arkansas).

Reigning women’s winner of The Bowerman Queen Harrison (Virginia Tech) will be among the night’s special guests.

Track & field commentator Lewis Johnson (Universal Sports, NBC Sports, ESPN) will host the evening’s events.

Flotrack will webcast the ceremony and, for the first time, an hour-long preview show beforehand. Coverage begins at 6 p.m., central, with the “Flotrack Red Carpet Show at The Bowerman” hosted by Ryan Fenton and Alex Lohr and will feature a behind-the-scenes look at the USTFCCCA Convention and the ceremony.

Online Live Webcast Schedule

(all times central, Flotrack.org and USTFCCCA.org)

ABOUT THE BOWERMAN

The Bowerman, which debuted in 2009, is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the most outstanding male and female collegiate track & field athletes in the nation. Oregon’s Ashton Eaton and Virginia Tech’s Queen Harrison are the reigning winners of The Bowerman, which is named for legendary Oregon track & field and cross country coach Bill Bowerman.

Bowerman served the sport of track and field in numerous ways. His leadership in the USTFCCCA’s predecessor organization, the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association, and his contributions to NCAA track and field and the running community as a whole are among his many lasting legacies.

For more information on The Bowerman, the award, the trophy, and Bill Bowerman himself, visit TheBowerman.org.

ABOUT THE USTFCCCA

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is a non-profit professional organization representing cross country and track & field coaches of all levels. The organization represents over 8,000 coaching members encompassing 94% of all NCAA track & field programs (DI, DII, and DIII) and includes members representing the NAIA as well as a number of state high school coaches associations. The USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track & 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 & field.

NEW ORLEANS – In the most highly-participated fan voting to date, Florida State’s Ngoni Makusha and Texas A&M’s Jessica Beard were the top earners in online balloting for collegiate track & field’s most coveted award – The Bowerman. With nearly 83,000 total fan votes cast since August 1st, a record by over three times, the duo earned one first-place vote apiece towards the award’s final vote tally. The winners of The Bowerman, determined by this fan vote and paper balloting, will be announced in December.

Makusha earned 42 percent of the votes with 17,562 of the total 41,683 responses on the men’s ballot. Washington State’s Jeshua Anderson will earn a second-place vote as he carded 30 percent (12,680) of the fan vote while Florida’s Christian Taylor (27 percent, 11,441) will have a third-place vote. For the first time in the award’s history, all three finalists earned over 10,000 fan votes. In the previous two years, no male had tallied more than 4,000 fan votes.

Anderson held the lead in the balloting until Makusha earned a one-day record 3,664 votes on Thursday, August 11. From that point, Makusha remained the frontrunner.

On the women’s ballot, Beard notched 49 percent of the tally with 20,301 of the 41,266 votes. LSU’s Kimberlyn Duncan earned a second-place vote with 42 percent of the vote (17,192), and Arkansas’ Tina Sutej was third with nine percent (3,773). Beard is the first in The Bowerman history to earn over 20,000 fan votes.

Duncan and Beard went back-and-forth throughout the over two weeks of online voting. But, in the last two days, Beard earned over 9,600 votes to reclaim and hold the lead.

There was no doubt that the continuing growth of social media coupled with the increased knowledge of the award propelled the vote total skyward. A total of 82,949 selections were made in this year’s fan vote compared to 27,000 picks in 2010 and 20,000 in 2009.

Nearly 10,000 visits to The Bowerman website (TheBowerman.org) over the 16-day period came as a referral from Facebook. NewZimbabwe.com was the second-highest referral followed by TexAgs.com, AggieAthletics.com, TigerDroppings.com, and GatorZone.com.

While over 81 percent of visits to The Bowerman site came from the United States, Zimbabwe had the second-most hits among all countries. The United Kingdom, South Africa, and Canada fell next in line. Among the U.S. states, Texas claimed the most visitors with over 32 percent, followed by Washington (12 percent), Florida (9 percent), Georgia (8 percent), and Louisiana (5 percent). College Station, Texas claimed the most visits by city as over 12 percent (6,351) of the visits came from the home of Texas A&M.

Paper balloting by The Bowerman Advisory Board, past winners, selected media personnel, statisticians, and collegiate administrators, along with this fan vote will help select a winner. An independent accounting firm will collect, tabulate, and certify the final results and will keep the result secret until the envelope is opened during the award ceremony in December.

The award, in its third year of existence, will be presented in a ceremony at the USTFCCCA Convention on December 14 at the JW Marriott Hill Country, San Antonio, Texas. John Anderson, ESPN SportsCenter anchor and co-host of ABC’s Wipeout, will host the evening’s festivities for the second-straight year.

ABOUT THE BOWERMAN

The Bowerman, which debuted in 2009, is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the most outstanding male and female collegiate track & field athletes in the nation. Oregon’s Ashton Eaton and Virginia Tech’s Queen Harrison are the reigning winners of The Bowerman, which is named for legendary Oregon track & field and cross country coach Bill Bowerman.

Bowerman served the sport of track and field in numerous ways. His leadership in the USTFCCCA’s predecessor organization, the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association, and his contributions to NCAA track and field and the running community as a whole are among his many lasting legacies.

For more information on The Bowerman, the award, the trophy, and Bill Bowerman himself, visit TheBowerman.org.

ABOUT THE USTFCCCA

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is a non-profit professional organization representing cross country and track & field coaches of all levels. The organization represents over 8,000 coaching members encompassing 94% of all NCAA track & field programs (DI, DII, and DIII) and includes members representing the NAIA as well as a number of state high school coaches associations. The USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track & 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 & field.

Over 20,000 votes were cast in online fan voting in 2009 and over 27,000 selections were made in 2010.

Paper balloting by The Bowerman Advisory Board, past winners, selected media personnel, statisticians, and collegiate administrators, is also underway until later this month. An independent accounting firm will collect, tabulate, and certify final results and will keep the result secret until the envelope is opened in December.

The award, in its third year of existence, will be presented in a ceremony at the USTFCCCA Convention on December 14 at the JW Marriott Hill Country, San Antonio, Texas. John Anderson, ESPN SportsCenter anchor and co-host of ABC’s Wipeout, will host the evening’s festivities for the second-straight year.

THE BOWERMAN FINALISTS, 2011 MEN

Jeshua Anderson, Washington State
Anderson joined BYU’s Ralph Mann (1969-70-71) and Iowa State’s Danny Harris (1984-85-86) as the only three to win a third NCAA-championship title in the 400-meter hurdles. Anderson took the 2011 NCAA title in 48.56, over a half-second ahead of the rest of the field in the event’s finals. Anderson earned the season’s collegiate best and fifth-fastest all-time collegiate 400-hurdle time of 48.13 in winning a fourth-straight Pac-10 crown.

Ngoni Makusha, Florida State
Makusha won NCAA outdoor titles in the 100 meters and long jump, joining Carl Lewis, Jesse Owens, and Michigan’s DeHart Hubbard as only the fourth man in NCAA Division I history to claim such a double at a single championship. Makusha also claimed the NCAA long jump title during the indoor season, becoming the first since 2006 to sweep the event’s two titles (Arturs Abolins, Nebraska). The Seminole notched a third NCAA outdoor championship title as second-leg of 4×100-meter relay. In addition, Makusha clocked 9.97 to win the ACC outdoor 100-meter crown, and he also swept league titles in the long jump. Makusha’s run of 9.89 in the NCAA’s 100-meter final broke the 1996 collegiate- and championship-meet record of 9.92 set by UCLA’s Ato Bolden, is the Zimbabwean national record, and places Makusha is the world’s top six in the event this year. In the long jump, Makusha’s NCAA-winning mark of 27-6¾ (8.40m) is also a new Zimbabwean national record and places Makusha as the world’s No. 2 long jumper so far in 2011.

Christian Taylor, Florida
Taylor was the winner of the NCAA’s outdoor triple jump title with an all-time, all-conditions collegiate best mark of 58-4¾ (17.80m). The wind-aided title clincher came on the final attempt of a back-and-forth battle with teammate Will Claye. In the same competition, Taylor marked a wind-legal jump of 57-1 (17.40m) in the fourth round to claim the season’s collegiate best mark, current American-leading mark, and performance that places the Gator in the world’s top six so far in 2011. Taylor also finished second at the NCAA Championships indoors to Claye in the triple jump and qualified for both NCAA meets in the long jump. With Florida’s 4×100- and 4×400-meter relay teams, Taylor qualified for the national finals in both events outdoors. At the Penn Relays, Florida’s 4×100 squad finished second in the Championship of America race.

THE BOWERMAN FINALISTS, 2011 WOMEN

Jessica Beard, Texas A&M
Beard became the just the third female in NCAA Division I history, and first since 1999, to win both 400 national titles in the same year and run on both winning 4×400 relays at the NCAA Indoor and NCAA Outdoor Championships. Beard, a four-time Big 12 indoor 400-meter champ, recorded the world’s fastest time over the 400-meter distance indoors with a 50.79 clocking to win the national crown. Outdoors, Beard clocked 51.10 for the NCAA win and split 49.13 for the Aggies as anchor of the NCAA-winning 4×400 relay.

Kimberlyn Duncan, LSU
Duncan swept the NCAA’s 200-meter titles in 2011 and, in both seasons, notched world-leading times. Duncan became the sixth woman in NCAA Division I history and the first since Auburn’s Kerron Stewart in 2007 to sweep 200-meter titles in the same season. Indoors, Duncan won the SEC title in 22.78 for the world’s best time of the season. Outdoors, Duncan was undefeated in the 200 meters and clocked a low-altitude all-time collegiate best (and the third-best overall) with a 22.24 run. Duncan was also the NCAA’s 100-meter runner-up and anchored the Lady Tigers to an NCAA title in the 4×100 (42.64).

Tina Sutej, Arkansas
Sutej set new collegiate records with the pole vault both indoors and outdoors in 2011. Indoors, Sutej would reach a best of 14-10¾ (4.54m) to set the new all-time collegiate best in winning the SEC crown and would go on to win the NCAA title. Outdoors, Sutej again won the SEC league title with a collegiate-record vault – a clearance of 15-1½ (4.61m). Overall, Sutej collected 13-straight meet victories before finishing runner-up at the NCAA outdoor meet where she tied the championship-meet record with Oregon’s Melissa Gergel who took the crown on virtue of misses.

WINNER SELECTION PROCESS

The next step in selecting a winner will be carried out in the next months with voting. The Bowerman Voters will receive ballots listing each of the finalists and must rank them by first, second and third choice. First-place votes will receive three points, second place will notch two, and third will receive one point. The finalist with the highest point total will be declared the winner.

The Bowerman Voters consist of:

• The Bowerman Advisory Board, media personnel, statisticians, collegiate administrators
• Galen Rupp, 2009 men’s winner of The Bowerman
• Ashton Eaton, 2010 men’s winner of The Bowerman
• Jenny (Barringer) Simpson, 2009 women’s winner of The Bowerman
• Queen Harrison, 2010 women’s winner of The Bowerman
• Online voting by the public will constitute one collective vote (ranking of choices will be made by order of total single votes)
• Online voting by USTFCCCA members will constitute one collective vote (ranking of choices will be made by order of total single votes)

Paper balloting will conclude in August while online voting will begin on Monday, August 1 and will last until Tuesday, August 16. An independent accounting firm will collect, tabulate, and certify final results and will keep the result secret until the envelope is opened in December.

ABOUT THE BOWERMAN

The Bowerman, which debuted in 2009, is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the most outstanding male and female collegiate track & field athletes in the nation. Oregon’s Ashton Eaton and Virginia Tech’s Queen Harrison are the reigning winners of The Bowerman, which is named for legendary Oregon track & field and cross country coach Bill Bowerman.

Bowerman served the sport of track and field in numerous ways. His leadership in the USTFCCCA’s predecessor organization, the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association, and his contributions to NCAA track and field and the running community as a whole are among his many lasting legacies.

For more information on The Bowerman, the award, the trophy, and Bill Bowerman himself, visit TheBowerman.org.

ABOUT THE USTFCCCA

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is a non-profit professional organization representing cross country and track & field coaches of all levels. The organization represents over 8,000 coaching members encompassing 94% of all NCAA track & field programs (DI, DII, and DIII) and includes members representing the NAIA as well as a number of state high school coaches associations. The USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track & 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 & field.

Finalists were chosen by the ten-person Bowerman Advisory Board based on performances recorded during the indoor and outdoor 2011 track & field seasons. Only performances through the conclusion of the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships are used in consideration.

The award, in its third year of existence, will be presented in a ceremony at the USTFCCCA Convention on December 14 at the JW Marriott Hill Country, San Antonio, Texas. John Anderson, ESPN SportsCenter anchor and co-host of ABC’s Wipeout, will host the evening’s festivities for the second-straight year. The men’s finalists are Jeshua Anderson (Washington State), Ngoni Makusha (Florida State), and Christian Taylor (Florida)

THE BOWERMAN FINALISTS, 2011 WOMEN

Jessica Beard, Texas A&M
Senior, Sprints, Euclid, Ohio (Euclid HS)
Season Review PDF

Beard became the just the third female in NCAA Division I history, and first since 1999, to win both 400 national titles in the same year and run on both winning 4×400 relays at the NCAA Indoor and NCAA Outdoor Championships. Beard, a four-time Big 12 indoor 400-meter champ, recorded the world’s fastest time over the 400-meter distance indoors with a 50.79 clocking to win the national crown. Outdoors, Beard clocked 51.10 for the NCAA win and split 49.13 for the Aggies as anchor of the NCAA-winning 4×400 relay.

At the USATF Championships (not considered part of the collegiate season), Beard placed fourth in the 400 meters, running a season’s best 51.06 in the national final.

Beard joins Porscha Lucas (2009) as Aggies that have been named Bowerman finalists. The Big 12 has been represented by at least one women’s finalist in each of the three years of the award.

Kimberlyn Duncan, LSU
Sophomore, Sprints, Katy, Texas (Cypress Springs HS)
Season Review PDF

Duncan swept the NCAA’s 200-meter titles in 2011 and, in both seasons, notched world-leading times. Duncan became the sixth woman in NCAA Division I history and the first since Auburn’s Kerron Stewart in 2007 to sweep 200-meter titles in the same season. Indoors, Duncan won the SEC title in 22.78 for the world’s best time of the season. Outdoors, Duncan was undefeated in the 200 meters and clocked a low-altitude all-time collegiate best (and the third-best overall) with a 22.24 run. Duncan was also the NCAA’s 100-meter runner-up and anchored the Lady Tigers to an NCAA title in the 4×100 (42.64).

At the USATF Championships (not considered part of the collegiate season), Duncan placed fifth in the 200 meters, clocking a 22.35 in the event’s final.

Duncan is the first from LSU to be named a Bowerman finalist. Duncan, Sutej, and men’s finalist Christian Taylor compose the first class of SEC athletes to be a finalist for The Bowerman.

Tina Šutej, Arkansas
Junior, Pole Vault, Ljubljana, Slovenia (Gimnazija Bezigrad)
Season Review PDF

Sutej set new collegiate records with the pole vault both indoors and outdoors in 2011. Indoors, Sutej would reach a best of 14-10¾ (4.54m) to set the new all-time collegiate best in winning the SEC crown and would go on to win the NCAA title. Outdoors, Sutej again won the SEC league title with a collegiate-record vault – a clearance of 15-1½ (4.61m). Overall, Sutej collected 13-straight meet victories before finishing runner-up at the NCAA outdoor meet where she tied the championship-meet record with Oregon’s Melissa Gergel who took the crown on virtue of misses.

Sutej is the first Arkansas athlete to be a finalist for The Bowerman.

WINNER SELECTION PROCESS

The next step in selecting a winner will be carried out in the next months with voting. The Bowerman Voters will receive ballots listing each of the finalists and must rank them by first, second and third choice. First-place votes will receive three points, second place will notch two, and third will receive one point. The finalist with the highest point total will be declared the winner.

The Bowerman Voters consist of:

• The Bowerman Advisory Board, media personnel, statisticians, collegiate administrators
• Galen Rupp, 2009 men’s winner of The Bowerman
• Ashton Eaton, 2010 men’s winner of The Bowerman
• Jenny (Barringer) Simpson, 2009 women’s winner of The Bowerman
• Queen Harrison, 2010 women’s winner of The Bowerman
• Online voting by the public will constitute one collective vote (ranking of choices will be made by order of total single votes)
• Online voting by USTFCCCA members will constitute one collective vote (ranking of choices will be made by order of total single votes)

Paper balloting will conclude in August while online voting will begin on Monday, August 1 and will last until Tuesday, August 16. An independent accounting firm will collect, tabulate, and certify final results and will keep the result secret until the envelope is opened in December.

ABOUT THE BOWERMAN

The Bowerman, which debuted in 2009, is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the most outstanding male and female collegiate track & field athletes in the nation. Oregon’s Ashton Eaton and Virginia Tech’s Queen Harrison are the reigning winners of The Bowerman, which is named for legendary Oregon track & field and cross country coach Bill Bowerman.

Bowerman served the sport of track and field in numerous ways. His leadership in the USTFCCCA’s predecessor organization, the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association, and his contributions to NCAA track and field and the running community as a whole are among his many lasting legacies.

For more information on The Bowerman, the award, the trophy, and Bill Bowerman himself, visit TheBowerman.org.

ABOUT THE USTFCCCA

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is a non-profit professional organization representing cross country and track & field coaches of all levels. The organization represents over 8,000 coaching members encompassing 94% of all NCAA track & field programs (DI, DII, and DIII) and includes members representing the NAIA as well as a number of state high school coaches associations. The USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track & 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 & field.