Pre-NCAA Indoor Championships Edition of The Bowerman Men’s Watch List Adds McLeod

NEW ORLEANS– Nine of the ten men from last month’s Watch List for The Bowerman Trophy, collegiate track & field’s highest individual honor, remained in the final grouping of Bowerman hopefuls before next weekend’s NCAA Division I Indoor Championships.

The Watch List, which featured eight men who also appeared on the preseason edition, was announced Wednesday by the Bowerman Watch List Committee.

Next weekend’s NCAA Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on March 13-14 conclude the collegiate indoor season, which is taken into consideration for Bowerman hopefuls along with the collegiate outdoor season through the NCAA Championships in June. Cross country is not included.

Arkansas hurdler Omar McLeod replaced his fellow SEC sprinter Dedric Dukes on the ten-man list. McLeod already had an NCAA championship in his trophy case, but won his first SEC title in the 60 meter hurdles on Saturday. He did so in just 7.49 seconds, tying him for the second fastest performer in college history.

Wisconsin’s Michael Lihrman and Akron’s Shawn Barber have ravaged the record books all winter. Lihrman broke his own Division I record in his final tuneup before Big Tens, then broke the overall NCAA record when he launched the 35-pound ball 25.58m (83-11.25) to win his second straight conference championship.

Like Lihrman, Barber hasn’t lost this year. He broke the college record on consecutive weekends, first clearing 5.88m (19-3.5) at Akron and then 5.90m (19-4.25) at Arkansas. Per his TFRRS profile, Barber has only no-heighted once in his college career–a stunningly consistent stretch in the notoriously volatile pole vault.

Ryan Crouser (Texas, shot put) and Marquis Dendy (Florida, long/triple jump) both won their event at their conference championships; Crouser is the NCAA leader in the shot, while Dendy has the nation’s best mark in the triple jump and is only a centimeter shy of No. 1 in the long jump

Reigning Bowerman winner Deon Lendore of Texas A&M went down with injury in the 400 prelims at the SEC championships, but is currently entered in the event for next weekend’s NCAA meet.

Baylor’s Trayvon Bromell and UTEP’s Anthony Rotich both suffered defeats at their conference championships, but the committee recognized that their respective specialties are missing from the indoor program. Outdoors, Bromell is the reigning 100m champion, while Rotich is the two-time defending champ in the steeplechase.

Edward Cheserek of Oregon and Brandon McBride of Mississippi State are both undefeated in open events this season. McBride will attempt to defend his indoor 800 meter national title, while Cheserek is abdicating his throne as king of the 5k in favor of a points-rich mile/3k/DMR triple at NCAAs.

Also receiving votes were distance runner Eric Jenkins of Oregon and sprinters Najee Glass and Dedric Dukes of Florida. Jenkins is the college leader in the 3k and 5k, while Glass has the nation’s top time at 400 meters.

The next men’s Watch List will be released on Wednesday, March 18; the women’s Watch List will be released tomorrow.

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 Laura Roesler and Texas A&M’s Deon Lendore are the reigning winners of The Bowerman, which is named for legendary Oregon track & field and cross country coach Bill Bowerman.

Past winners include Olympic gold medalist, World Champion and decathlon world-record holder Ashton Eaton (2010), 10,000-meter Olympic silver medalist Galen Rupp (2009), 2011 IAAF World Champion at 1500 meters Jenny Simpson (2009), 2013 100-meter hurdles World Champion Brianna Rollins (2013) and 2012 Olympic high jump bronze medalist Derek Drouin (2013).

In total, the winners from the award’s first five years have won three Olympic Medals, two World Championships and six World Championships medals. When considering finalists for the award, 13 individuals have earned a combined seven Olympic medals, four World Championships and 17 World Championships medals.

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.