One New Addition to the April Bowerman Women’s Watch List

NEW ORLEANS – This outdoor track & field season’s first The Bowerman Women’s Watch List was announced Wednesday, featuring plenty of familiar faces.

Nine of the ten women who appeared on the post-NCAA Indoor Championships edition last month repeated in the latest version released by The Bowerman Watch List Committee. Only Michigan hurdler Cindy Ofili managed to join the 10-woman list of contenders for collegiate track & field’s highest individual honor.

She joined Felicia Brown (Tennessee), Akela Jones (Kansas State), Shamier Little (Texas A&M), former Bowerman Finalist Courtney Okolo (Texas), Keturah Orji (Georgia), former Finalist Demi Payne (Stephen F. Austin), Raevyn Rogers (Oregon), Molly Seidel (Notre Dame) and Kendell Williams (Georgia).

Receiving votes outside the top 10 were Kaela Edwards (Oklahoma State), Hannah Cunliffe (Oregon), DeAnna Price (Southern Illinois), Jaide Stepter (Southern California), and Raven Saunders (Mississippi).

Ofili, who won the NCAA Indoor title in the 60-meter hurdles, made this month’s top-10 by virtue of her quick 12.66 to win the Mt. SAC Relays 100-meter hurdles crown this past weekend. Hers is the third-fastest time ever run by a collegian in the month of April, boding well for her success down the road.

The Mt. SAC Relays also provided a stage for Kansas State’s Jones to make heptathlon history. Her 6,307-point performance stands as tied for the sixth-best score in collegiate history, and tied as the third-best score ever posted prior to the NCAA Championships. En route to that score she high jumped 1.95m (6-4¾), good for the 2016 college lead, the best-ever mark in a collegiate heptathlon and a share of the No. 8 spot on the all-time college performers list in the event.

Tennessee’s Brown also turned in a strong showing this past weekend, albeit on the opposite coast at Florida State. After claiming the NCAA Indoor title at 200 meters last month, she made her 2016 outdoor debut in the event in a college-leading 20.55.

Most the other finalists have either so far had comparatively quieter outdoor campaigns in the early going, have yet to compete in their signature events (Okolo) or have yet to compete at all this spring (Orji, Seidel).

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 Jenna Prandini and Florida’s Marquis Dendy 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 2015 World Champion high jumper Derek Drouin (2013).

In total, the winners from the award’s first five years have won four Olympic Medals, 10 World Championships (indoors and outdoors) and 19 World Championships medals. When considering finalists for the award, 18 individuals have earned a combined eight Olympic medals, 19 World Championship titles (indoors and outdoors) and 38 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.