Women’s Finalists Announced for The Bowerman 2017

NEW ORLEANS – Women’s finalists for The Bowerman were announced Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Arizona State’s Maggie Ewen, Georgia’s Keturah Orji and Oregon’s Raevyn Rogers were chosen by The Bowerman Advisory Board as the most outstanding female athletes during the 2017 collegiate track & field campaign.

The Bowerman Advisory Board is an 11-person panel of track & field experts from around the nation who selected the finalists based on performances recorded during the 2017 indoor and outdoor track & field seasons. Only performances through the conclusion of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships were eligible for consideration.

Ewen, Orji and Rogers will be feted on Friday, December 15 at the annual USTFCCCA Convention in Phoenix, Arizona, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa and one of them will take home the highest individual honor in collegiate track & field that night.

CLICK HERE to read more about Maggie Ewen.

CLICK HERE to read more about Keturah Orji.

CLICK HERE to read more about Raevyn Rogers.

Fan voting for The Bowerman opens Thursday, June 22 following the release of the men’s finalists.

WINNER SELECTION PROCESS

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 (11 members)
• Select media personnel, statisticians, and collegiate administrators
• Galen Rupp, 2009 men’s winner of The Bowerman
• Ashton Eaton, 2010 men’s winner of The Bowerman
• Ngoni Makusha, 2011 men’s winner of The Bowerman
• Cam Levins, 2012 men’s winner of The Bowerman
• Derek Drouin, 2013 men’s winner of The Bowerman
• Deon Lendore, 2014 men’s winner of The Bowerman
• Marquis Dendy, 2015 men’s winner of The Bowerman
• Jarrion Lawson, 2016 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
• Jessica Beard, 2011 women’s winner of The Bowerman
• Kimberlyn Duncan, 2012 women’s winner of The Bowerman
• Brianna Rollins, 2013 women’s winner of The Bowerman
• Laura Roesler, 2014 women’s winner of The Bowerman
• Jenna Prandini, 2015 women’s winner of The Bowerman
• Courtney Okolo, 2016 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)

THE BOWERMAN PAST FINALISTS & AWARD HISTORY

MEN

2009
Winner: Galen Rupp, Oregon
Finalist: Ashton Eaton, Oregon
Finalist: German Fernandez, Oklahoma State

2010
Winner: Ashton Eaton, Oregon
Finalist: Andrew Wheating, Oregon
Finalist: Ryan Whiting, Arizona State

2011
Winner: Ngoni Makusha, Florida State
Finalist: Jeshua Anderson, Washington State
Finalist: Christian Taylor, Florida

2012
Winner: Cam Levins, Southern Utah
Finalist: Tony McQuay, Florida
Finalist: Andrew Riley, Illinois

2013
Winner: Derek Drouin, Indiana
Finalist: Lawi Lalang, Arizona
Finalist: Julian Wruck, UCLA

2014
Winner: Deon Lendore, Texas A&M
Finalist: Edward Cheserek, Oregon
Finalist: Lawi Lalang, Arizona

2015
Winner: Marquis Dendy, Florida
Finalist: Shawn Barber, Akron
Finalist: Edward Cheserek, Oregon

2016
Winner: Jarrion Lawson, Arkansas
Finalist: Donavan Brazier, Texas A&M
Finalist: Edward Cheserek, Oregon

WOMEN

2009
Winner: Jenny Barringer, Colorado
Finalist: Destinee Hooker, Texas
Finalist: Porscha Lucas, Texas A&M

2010
Winner: Queen Harrison, Virginia Tech
Finalist: Lisa Koll, Iowa State
Finalist: Blessing Okagbare, UTEP

2011
Winner: Jessica Beard, Texas A&M
Finalist: Kimberlyn Duncan, LSU
Finalist: Tina Sutej, Arkansas

2012
Winner: Kimberlyn Duncan, LSU
Finalist: Brigetta Barrett, Arizona
Finalist: Brianne Theisen, Oregon

2013
Winner: Brianna Rollins, Clemson
Finalist: Brigetta Barrett, Arizona
Finalist: Kori Carter, Stanford

2014
Winner: Laura Roesler, Oregon
Finalist: Sharika Nelvis, Arkansas State
Finalist: Courtney Okolo, Texas

2015
Winner: Jenna Prandini, Oregon
Finalist: Kendra Harrison, Kentucky
Finalist: Demi Payne, Stephen F. Austin

2016
Winner: Courtney Okolo, Texas
Finalist: Keturah Orji, Georgia
Finalist: Raven Saunders, Ole Miss

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.

Past winners include two-time Olympic gold medalist, five-time World Champion and decathlon world-record holder Ashton Eaton (2010), two-time Olympic medalist Galen Rupp (2009), Olympic bronze medalist and 2011 IAAF World Champion at 1500 meters Jenny Simpson (2009), Olympic gold medalist and 2013 100-meter hurdles World Champion Brianna Rollins (2013) as well as two-time Olympic medalist in the high jump and 2015 World Champion Derek Drouin (2013).

Bill 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 9,000 coaching members encompassing 94% of all NCAA track & field programs (DI, DII, and DIII) and includes members representing the NAIA, NJCAA 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.