The Bowerman: 2024 Men’s Semifinalists

NEW ORLEANS – From thousands to ten.

And from these ten will be three.

Men’s semifinalists for The Bowerman were selected by The Bowerman Watch List Committee – and announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association – after the conclusion of the 2024 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Three finalists for collegiate track & field’s highest individual honors will be picked from this ten-man list: Romaine Beckford of Arkansas, Jordan Davis of Southern Connecticut State, Caleb Dean of Texas Tech, Christopher Morales Williams of Georgia, Leo Neugebauer of Texas, Wayne Pinnock of Arkansas, Tarik Robinson O’Hagan of Ole Miss, Habtom Samuel of New Mexico, Parker Wolfe of North Carolina and Nico Young of Northern Arizona.

Those ten athletes combined to win 16 NCAA titles, set four collegiate records and register a slew of all-time top-10 marks in the collegiate record books during the 2024 track & field cycle.

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

Beckford, who hails from Portmore, Jamaica, capped an undefeated year with a second consecutive sweep of the NCAA indoor-outdoor high jump titles. The Arkansas standout soared to the NCAA outdoor crown with a clearance of 2.26m (7-5). That was the third time that Beckford topped 2.26m (7-5) or better in a competition this year. Beckford previously eclipsed the bar to win the Razorback Invitational in late January and also to win the event crown at the NCAA Indoor Championships in early March – both times equaling his PR of 2.27m (7-5¼).

Davis, who hails from Wallingford, Connecticut, burst onto the scene and proved to be the premier collegiate javelin thrower in 2024. It was back in March at the Texas Relays where the Southern Connecticut State standout launched the implement 83.77m (274-10) to become the fifth best performer in collegiate history. Davis wasn’t done there, though, as two months later, he’d reach 84.45m (277-1) in a winning effort at the NCAA DII Outdoor Championships to move up to fourth with the eighth best mark in collegiate history (That pushed his former PR down to tenth on the chart).

Dean, who hails from Hyattsville, Maryland, made history in becoming the second man in NCAA DI history to win national titles in both the 60-meter and 400-meter hurdles. That’s across a career – but Dean did so in one year. The Texas Tech standout took top honors in the 60-meter version back in March at the NCAA Indoor Championships when he ran 7.56, narrowly missing a PR. Fast forward to just a few weeks ago and Dean ripped around the track and over the hurdles at Hayward Field in 47.23 to become the second fastest performer in collegiate history behind 2018 The Bowerman finalist Rai Benjamin. That also gave Dean his third clocking of 48.05 or faster in 2024, which made him the only athlete in collegiate history to accomplish that feat (Benjamin only had two in 2018).

Morales Williams, who hails from Vaughan, Ontario, polished off an undefeated season over 400 meters with a victory at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The Georgia standout won the NCAA crown in 44.47, which was his seventh time under 45 seconds this year. CMW went a lot faster during the outdoor season, notably his 44.05 clocking to win the SEC title and move up to sixth on the all-time chart. Indoors, CMW made headlines at the SEC Championships, where he clocked an all-time world best of 44.49. He’d later add a 44.67 mark to win the NCAA title and make him the only athlete in collegiate history with two all-time top-5 marks indoors.

Neugebauer, who hails from Leinfeldene-Echterdingen, Germany, one-upped himself when it didn’t even seem possible. It was in Eugene, Oregon, where Neugebauer became just the seventh man in history to eclipse 8900 points in the decathlon with his 8961-point total. Included in that ten-event masterclass was decathlon discus world record 57.70m (189-4) and the highest Day 1 and Day 2 totals in collegiate history at 4685 points and 4276 points, respectively. Earlier in the season, Neugebauer put up 8708 points at the Texas Relays for what is now the fourth best total in collegiate history behind two of his own and Kyle Garland’s former CR of 8720. Under a roof, Neugebauer won the heptathlon at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a seven-event total of 6347 points, which vaulted him to fourth on the all-time collegiate chart.

Pinnock, who hails from Kingston, Jamaica, took an undefeated year into the NCAA Outdoor Championships in search of a second NCAA title in the long jump, but left emptyhanded. The Arkansas standout finished fifth in Track Town, USA, spanning 7.98m (26-2¼). Prior to the NCAA Championships, Pinnock swept the SEC crowns and topped the podium at the NCAA Indoor Championships. It was in Boston, where Pinnock soared 8.40m (27-6¼) to equal the Jamaican national record as well as the fifth best performer in collegiate history (Carey McLeod shares both accolades).

Robinson-O’Hagan, who hails from Woonsocket, Rhodes Island, swept the shot put slate clean at the NCAA Championships in 2024. The Ole Miss standout threw a 21.05m (69-0¾) PR to win the indoor crown and then put the shot 20.88m (68-6) for the outdoor version. He dazzled at both SEC Championships, becoming the first athlete in conference history to win both the men’s shot put and weight throw, and then doubled up in the shot put and hammer outdoors. With his monstrous throws indoors, Robinson-O’Hagan is one of just four throwers in collegiate history to surpass 23.46m (77-0) in the weight throw and 20.11m (66-0) in the shot put.

Samuel, who hails from Keren, Eretria, overcame a fall with 900 meters left to win the 10,000-meter title at the NCAA DI Outdoor Championships. He doubled back later to finish sixth in the 5000 meters. The New Mexico standout showcased his prowess in both of those events this season: first, he went 26:53.84 over 10,000 meters at The TEN to become the second fastest performer in collegiate history; then he traversed 5000 meters in 13:13.34 at the Bryan Clay Invitational to make him the seventh-fastest all-time among collegians. Samuel won four Mountain West titles in 2024 with victories in the 3000 and 5000 meters indoors, as well as the 1500 and 5000 meters outdoors.

Wolfe, who hails from Denver, Colorado, won his first NCAA title with a victory in the 5000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The North Carolina standout was no stranger to the podium in 2024, though: Wolfe finished runner-up in both the 3000 and 5000 meters at the NCAA Indoor Championships and won two ACC titles indoors and outdoors. Wolfe left his mark on the all-time chart, too, climbing to No. 3 in the 3000 meters at 7:37.41 and No. 9 in the indoor 5000 meters at 13:13.61.

Young, who hails from Camarillo, California, capped a sensational year with a runner-up finish in the 5000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The Northern Arizona standout already had two NCAA titles from his work indoors in the 3000 and 5000 meters – the latter of which included a meet record of 7:41.01. Young terrorized the record book in 2024, setting an absolute collegiate record in the 5000 meters of 12:57.14, becoming the first collegian to go sub-27 in the 10,000 meters with his 26:52.72 clocking at The TEN, and registering the fourth fastest effort in collegiate indoor history over 3000 meters of 7:37.73.

Finalists for The Bowerman will be announced on Tuesday, June 25.