The Bowerman: 2022 Women’s Watch List Update #4

NEW ORLEANS – Two athletes make their debut as the Mid-Outdoor version of The Bowerman Women’s Watch List was released Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

The 10 on the Watch List are Tyra Gittens of Texas, Anna Hall of Florida, Jasmine Moore of Florida, Favour Ofili of LSU, Camryn Rogers of California, Grace Stark of Florida, Abby Steiner of Kentucky, Jorinde van Klinken of Arizona State, Courtney Wayment of BYU and Charokee Young of Texas A&M.

For Ofili and Young, it’s a first-ever inclusion on the Watch List for programs who are no strangers to The Bowerman. Meanwhile, Florida’s trio of Hall, Moore and Stark make a third-straight appearance; the only program with more threesomes on the same women’s Watch List is Oregon with 10.

Gittens, who hails from Saint Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, won a jump in each of her outdoor meets thus far this year – two in the long jump and one in the high jump. Her high jump was a notable one, soaring 1.95m (6-4¾), the best-ever in a dual meet, which just happened to be against her former school, Texas A&M. Her long jump victories came at the Texas Relays (6.82mw/22-4½w) and Mt. SAC Relays (6.69m/21-11½). A finalist for The Bowerman last year, she is the career active leader among women’s Watch List appearances with 11. 

Hall, who hails from Highland Ranch, Colorado, followed up her NCAA Indoor pentathlon title with a big heptathlon win at the Texas Relays. If the score of 6412 – No. 4 collegian all-time – wasn’t big enough it came with an impressive closing event, a 2:04.61 in the 800 that is the fastest ever by a collegian (and American) in a heptathlon. A week later on her home track at the Florida Relays, Hall. made her debut in the 400-meter hurdles at 55.35, which is second-fastest among collegians this year. This is Hall’s sixth career appearance on the Watch List.

Moore, who hails from Grand Prairie, Texas, waited until this past weekend to begin her outdoor triple jump season, winning the Tom Jones Memorial with a 14.07m (46-2) jump that leads the nation. She has traveled farther, of course, having gone a collegiate record 14.57m/47-9¾ this year indoors – only 2018 The Bowerman winner Keturah Orji has ever jumped farther with the outdoor CR of 14.62m/47-11¾. Moore, who swept the long jump and triple jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships, has an outdoor long jump best of 6.75m/22-1¾ this year. This is Moore’s fifth appearance on the Watch List.

Ofili, who hails from Port Harcourt, Nigeria, made quick work of collegiate history this past weekend. How quick? Try becoming the first woman to go sub-22 seconds over 200 meters within the confines of the collegiate season. Ofili stopped the clock at 21.96 to win the 200 at the Tom Jones Memorial this past weekend by 0.85 seconds. The Nigerian national record-holder has also added the 100 to her arsenal, setting collegiate PRs of 11.11 and 11.00 in the past three weeks. Indoors, Ofili was runner-up in the NCAA 200 while taking seventh in the 60. Ofili’s debut on the Watch List gives LSU 10 such appearances in joining Oregon, Texas A&M and Texas as programs with 10 or more athletes on the women’s Watch List.

Rogers, who hails from Richmond, British Columbia, keeps hammering away – literally. Her latest effort of 75.73m (248-5) nailed the collegiate record in the hammer throw at the Mt. SAC Relays. The previous collegiate best of 75.52m (247-9) was also held by Rogers, set in winning her second-straight NCAA hammer title last year. She owns the 13 farthest hammer efforts this year, and the four farthest all-time. Indoors she became =No. 10 collegian all-time in the weight throw at 24.06m (78-11¼) in finishing third at the NCAA Indoor Championships. A semifinalist for The Bowerman last year, Rogers now has seven career Watch List appearances.

Stark, who hails from White Lake, Michigan, is undefeated in the 100-meter hurdles this year. Her most recent victory – a 12.58 that makes her No. 10 all-time collegiately – came over a loaded field in the Tom Jones Memorial that had three collegians running 12.63 with legal wind or faster for the first time ever. Indoors, Stark equaled the collegiate record in the 60-meter hurdles while winning the NCAA Indoor Championships in 7.78, which matched the CR set by 2013 The Bowerman winner Brianna Rollins. She proved fast without hurdles as well, taking fourth in the 60 and owning a best of 7.10 (=No. 12 all-time collegiately). This is her fourth Watch List appearance.

Steiner, who hails from Dublin, Ohio, followed up a record-breaking indoor season with a pair of jaw-dropping outdoor performances, both at LSU’s Joe May Invitational. After running second leg on the winning 4×100 relay, Steiner rocketed her way to a 10.92 clocking, which makes her =No. 5 all-time. She followed with a 22.38 victory in the 200 for an outdoor PR as she won by 0.87 seconds – amazingly into the teeth of a headwind measured at 5.6 m/s (the fastest collegiate time ever into a headwind of 1.8 m/s or greater). Indoors, Steiner recorded the three fastest times ever by a collegian that includes an American record of 22.09 at the SEC Indoor Championships. She won the NCAA Indoor 200 and was runner-up in the 60, in which her 7.10 makes her =No. 12 all-time collegiately. This is her ninth career Watch List appearance.

van Klinken, who hails from Assen, The Netherlands, is the leading collegian in two events outdoors. Her shot put best of 18.05m (59-2¾) paces the event, although it is still below the 19.08m/62-7¼ she had in winning the NCAA Indoor title in March (which made her No. 6 all-time indoors as a collegian). She also has huge respect in the discus, owning the year’s top seven marks with a best of 63.38m (207-11) at the Mt. SAC Relays. She has thrown farther – 65.01m (213-4) in becoming No. 4 collegian all-time when she came from behind to win last year’s NCAA title. Last year she also had an exhibition effort of 70.22m/230-4, the farthest throw by a collegian regardless of conditions. A semifinalist for The Bowerman last year, van Klinken now has six career Watch List appearances.

Wayment, who hails from Layton, Utah, has shown her range of talent in a number of events. She won the steeplechase at last weekend’s Mt. SAC Relays in 9:26.88 – moving to No. 4 all-time collegian – and rates No. 2 this year in the 1500 at 4:12.81. Indoors she won the 5000 at the NCAA Championships and came back for a fifth-place finish in the 3000, an event she won in 2021. She moved to No. 7 all-time collegiately indoors at both events this year, the 3000 at 8:50.05 and 5000 at 15:15.46. Her steepling prowess includes the fastest time ever by a collegian on an all-dates basis with her 9:23.09 from last summer. She was a semifinalist for The Bowerman last year and now has seven career Watch List appearances.

Young, who hails from Kingston, Jamaica, has been on a tear in the 400 meters outdoors. Her first efforts came as part of strong Texas A&M performances at the Texas Relays – splits of 49.0 in the sprint medley and 48.98 in the 4×400 relays. A week later she started her first outdoor 400 in Texas A&M’s dual meet with Texas, clocking 50.00 to move to No. 5 all-time collegian with the fastest time ever in a collegiate dual meet. She moved up to No. 4 all-time with a 49.87 win at the Tom Jones Memorial. Young’s debut on the Watch List makes her the 14^th Aggie to be named to the Watch List all-time; the only program with more women is Oregon (16).

Three athletes received votes from The Bowerman Watch List Committee but fell outside the Top 10: Alia Armstrong of LSU, Lamara Distin of Texas A&M and Lisa Gunnarsson of LSU.

The next women’s Watch List is scheduled for May 4.