The Bowerman: 2024 Men’s Post-Outdoor Conference Championships Watch List

NEW ORLEANS — Conference Championships Weekend left its mark on the Men’s Watch List for The Bowerman.

Two new faces were added, which combined with three stalwarts from the preseason edition and five holdovers from other previous installments, gives us the ten athletes who comprise the Post-Outdoor Conference Championships Watch List: Romaine Beckford of Arkansas, Christopher Morales Williams of Georgia, Leo Neugebauer of Texas, Tarsis Orogot of Alabama, Wayne Pinnock of Arkansas, Chris Robinson of Alabama, Colin Sahlman of Northern Arizona, Ja’Kobe Tharp of Auburn, Sam Whitmarsh of Texas A&M and Nico Young of Northern Arizona.

The Bowerman will be awarded in December at the annual USTFCCCA Convention in Orlando, Florida.

Beckford, who hails from Portland, Jamaica, recently won the high jump title at the SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships with a clearance of 2.22m (7-3¼). During the indoor season, Beckford successfully defended his NCAA title in the high jump with a PR clearance of 2.27m (7-5¼). Beckford scaled 2.25m (7-4½) on three different occasions under a roof.

Morales Williams, who hails from Vaughan, Ontario, continued his undefeated season over 400 meters with a victory at the SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 44.05. His mark, which is now the sixth-fastest in collegiate history, took down a seven-year-old meet record formerly held by 2017 The Bowerman finalist Fred Kerley. During the indoor season, CMW registered an all-time world best in the 400 of 44.49 to win the SEC title and later won the NCAA crown in 44.67. 

Neugebauer, who hails from Leinfeldene-Echterdingen, Germany, won the long jump at the Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championships with a leap of 7.77m (25-6). Prior to topping the podium in Waco, Texas, Neugebauer left his mark on the collegiate record book in – what else, but the combined events? Neugebauer amassed 8708 points in the decathlon at the Texas Relays for the third-best total in collegiate history, which came several weeks after winning the heptathlon at the NCAA Indoor Championships with an all-time top-10 total.

Orogot, who hails from Soroti, Uganda, made headlines at the SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships with his 19.75 winner over 200 meters. That rocketed the Alabama standout all the way up to No. 3 in collegiate history behind Walter Dix and 2019 The Bowerman finalist Divine Oduduru. That was the second time this season that Orogot went 19.90 or faster this outdoor season, with his first coming back in mid-April at the Tom Jones Memorial. During the indoor season, Orogot finished fourth in the 200-meter final at the NCAA Championships.

Pinnock, who hails from Kingston, Jamaica, soared to the long jump title at the SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships with a wind-legal mark of 8.09m (26-6½). He spanned 7.88m (25-10¼) on his first attempt, which would have been enough to win the competition by three inches, but he added the other for good measure. Earlier this season, Pinnock flew a wind-aided 8.44m (27-8¼) at the LSU Invitational and then back in March, won the NCAA title with a PR of 8.40m (27-6¾) that equaled both the Jamaican national record and the fifth-best performer on the all-time collegiate chart (Carey McCleod, a former teammate, shares those accolades).  

Robinson, who hails from Tallahassee, Florida, galloped to 400-meter-hurdle gold at the SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 48.43. Earlier this season, Robinson threw down a 47.95 PR at the Tom Jones Memorial that made him the sixth-fastest performer in collegiate history and was the fastest time recorded by a collegian before May. Indoors, Robinson finished third in the 400 meters at the SEC Championships and didn’t make it to the final of the ensuing NCAA Championships in Boston.

Sahlman, who hails from Camarillo, California, doubled up on titles at the Big Sky Outdoor Track & Field Championships with victories in both the 800 meters and 1500 meters. The Northern Arizona standout certainly left his mark on the collegiate record book this season, clocking two all-time top-5 marks in the 1500 meters: 3:33.96 at the Bryan Clay Invitational for the second fastest; 3:34.64 at the Occidental Invitational for the fourth-fastest. Back in March, Sahlman was sixth in the final of the mile at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Tharp, who hails from Basking Ridge, New Jersey, etched his name into the hurdling record book at the SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships. He took top individual honors in 13.18, which shattered a 46-year-old American U20 record formerly held by Renaldo Nehemiah. That is also the second-fastest mark ever turned in by a U20 athlete in world history.

Whitmarsh, who hails from Lake Jackson, Texas, rolled to the 800-meter title at the SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 1:45.27. Two months earlier, Whitmarsh clocked 1:44.46 over the same distance at the LSU Battle on the Bayou that made him the seventh-fastest performer in collegiate history. Whitmarsh has also added a 1500-meter PR this season and anchored Texas AM to victory in the College Men’s 4×800 Championship of America.

Young, who hails from Camarillo, California, tuned up for the NCAA postseason by competing in a trio of events at the Big Sky Outdoor Track & Field Championships: 800 meters, 1500 meters, and 5000 meters. The Northern Arizona standout has continued to demonstrate extraordinary range across the board this year, setting a pair of collegiate records and adding several all-time top-5 marks to the ledger as well. Young notched collegiate records in the indoor 5000 (12:57.14) and 10,000 (26:52.72), while his 3:34.56 PR in the 1500 is the third-fastest mark and his 7:37.73 PR over 3000 meters sits fourth. Back in March, Young doubled up on distance titles at the NCAA Indoor Championships and set a meet record in the 3000 meters of 7:41.01.

Seven men received votes for The Bowerman Watch List, but not enough to land on it this time: Graham Blanks of Harvard, Luke Houser of Washington, Terrence Jones of Texas Tech, Godson Oghenebrume of LSU, Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan of Ole Miss, Claudio Romero of LSU and Parker Wolfe of North Carolina.

The next Men’s Watch List will be released on May 30.