The Bowerman: 2021 Women’s Mid-Outdoor Watch List

NEW ORLEANS – One new name and another collegiate record were added to the Women’s Mid-Outdoor Watch List for The Bowerman.

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released the latest Women’s Watch List on Wednesday, following a careful deliberation by The Bowerman Watch List Committee. Sixteen athletes received votes, with the top-10 comprising the Watch List.

The 2021 tally of collegiate records is now up to seven, with five athletes having a share of at least one.

The newest member of the Watch List is Tamara Clark of Alabama. She joins nine returning members: Tara Davis of Texas, Tyra Gittens of Texas A&M, Tonea Marshall of LSU, Aaliyah Miller of Baylor, Athing Mu of Texas A&M, Kemba Nelson of Oregon, Abby Steiner of Kentucky, Twanisha (TeeTee) Terry of Southern California and Ruth Usoro of Texas Tech.

Clark, who hails from High Point, North Carolina, is the third woman from Alabama to make The Bowerman Watch List and the first since 2017. She won the Florida Relays 200 meters in a PR 22.50 which leads the nation outdoors after an indoor best of 22.45 that ties her for No. 7 on the all-time collegiate list. She was second at the NCAA Indoor in the 200 and fourth in 60. In the 100 she has clocked 11.07.

Davis, who hails from Agoura Hills, California, added the outdoor collegiate record in the long jump to match the indoor version. Her leap of 7.14m (23-5¼) to win the Texas Relays broke one the oldest records on the books, dating back more than 35 years to the legendary Jackie Joyner. Davis is now the first woman to hold the indoor and outdoor CRs at the same since another legend, Carol Lewis in 1984. Her two CRs give her two of the top three longest jumps on the combined indoor/outdoor all-time list.

Gittens, who hails from Nashville, Tennessee, competed in her first heptathlon in almost two years at the Texas A&M Team Invitational and moved to No. 7 all-time with a score of 6274 points. Last month set the CR in the indoor pentathlon with 4746 points and owns the nation’s best high jump of 1.93m (6-4).

Marshall, who hails from Arlington, Texas, made her 2021 collegiate debut memorable, winning the Texas Relays 100-meter hurdles in 12.75 to lead the nation. She also has a wind-aided 12.70 and leads off LSU’s 4×100 relay, fastest in the country at 42.87.

Miller, who hails from McKinney, Texas, has yet to compete outdoors in the 800 meters, but she’s added PRs in the 400 (53.87) and 1500 (4:23.73). Indoors she won her specialty at the NCAA with the No. 2 time in history at 2:00.69.

Mu, who hails from Trenton, New Jersey, added another event to her incredible season. The CR holder in 600 (1:25.80i) and 800 (1:59.10i) ran 4:16.06 to win the 1500 meters at the Texas-Texas A&M dual meet. That was a PR by more than 15 seconds. She anchored the Aggies’ 4×400 team with a 50.21 at the Texas A&M Team Invitational after clocking the world’s fastest-known split indoors at 49.54 in the NCAA Championships.

Nelson, who hails from Montego Bay, Jamaica, hasn’t cooled off much since a sizzling NCAA Indoor meet. The CR setter in the 60 meters at 7.05 has raced just once outdoors thus far, but that was an impressive 22.79 in the 200. Though the time was wind-aided, it came in a victory over the NCAA Indoor 400-meter champion.

Steiner, who hails from Dublin, Ohio, has only raced on relays thus far outdoors, running on Kentucky’s undefeated 4×100 and 4×400 teams. Indoors she tied the 200 CR of 22.38 in winning the NCAA title and has split 51.41 in the 4×4.

Terry, who hails from Miami, Florida, won the Florida Relays 100 in 11.08 to hold off Clark after anchoring USC’s winning 4×100 team. Indoors, she was second to Nelson in 60 meters, where her best of 7.09 ties her for No. 6 all-time among collegians. She is known by her nickname “TeeTee.”

Usoro, who hails from Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, added almost half a foot to her triple jump PR in winning the Masked Rider Open at 14.50m (47-7). The NCAA Indoor champ thus strengthened her hold at No. 2 on the all-time collegiate and gives her two of the top-5 all-time combining indoors and outdoors. In the long jump, she has added a 22-footer outdoors (6.76m/22-2¼) to her indoor best of 6.82m (22-4½).

Six athletes received votes from The Bowerman Watch List Committee, but fell just outside the top-10: Mercy Chelangat of Alabama, Anna Cockrell of Southern California, Anna Hall of Georgia, Marie-Therese Obst of Georgia, Camryn Rogers of California and Courtney Wayment of BYU.

The next Women’s Watch List is scheduled to be released on May 5.