The Bowerman Men’s 2013 Preseason Watch List Announced

January 9, 2013

NEW ORLEANS – As the main portion of the indoor track & field schedule is set to get underway, so too is the competition for the Bowerman, an award bestowed to collegiate track & field’s top male and female athletes of the year, with the men’s preseason watch list announced by the Bowerman Watch List Committee.

All three finalists from 2012 – winner Cam Levins of Southern Utah, Illinois’ Andrew Riley and Florida’s Tony McQuay – are no longer collegians, opening up the award to a new crop of exceptional potential award winners.

Two semifinalists from a year ago return to the watch list in Illinois State javelin thrower Tim Glover and Kansas State high jumper Erik Kynard.

Though Arizona distance runner Lawi Lalang has never been named a semifinalist, his presence on this list gives him nine career appearances, most among active student-athletes and tied for fifth all-time.

Duke combined athlete Curtis Beach appeared on the watch list in 2012, as did high jumper Derek Druin of Indiana in 2011.

Auburn sprinter Harry Adams, Arizona State thrower Jordan Clarke, Florida jumper Omar Craddock, Texas Tech distance runner Kennedy Kithuka, and Virginia Tech thrower Alexander Ziegler all make their first appearances on the Bowerman watch list.

The women’s preseason watch list will be released Thursday.

THE BOWERMAN OFFICIAL WATCH LIST, PRESEASON 2013 MEN
(Updated January 9, 2013. Listed in alphabetical order by last name)

NAME	YEAR	SCHOOL	EVENTS	HOMETOWN
Harry Adams	SR	Auburn	Sprints	Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Curtis Beach	RS JR	Duke	Combined Events	Albuquerque, N.M.
Jordan Clarke	RS SR	Arizona State	Throws	Anchorage, Ala.
Omar Craddock	JR	Florida	Jumps	Killeen, Texas
Derek Drouin	RS SR	Indiana	Jumps/Cmb. Events	Corunna, Ontario
Tim Glover	SR	Illinois State	Javelin	Normal, Ill.
Kennedy Kithuka	JR	Texas Tech	Distance	Thika, Kenya
Erik Kynard	SR	Kansas State	High Jump	Toledo, Ohio
Lawi Lalang	JR	Arizona	Distance	Eldoret, Kenya
Alexander Ziegler	SR	Virginia Tech	Throws	Dischingen, Germany

 

QUICKLY – The Watch List

Harry Adams, Auburn – Finished runner-up in the 100 meters at the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Championships, recording a 2012 collegiate-best 9.96 in the semifinals. His time of 9.96 made him the fifth-fastest American in 2012 and the 14th-fastest in the world, and he was the only collegian to run the 100 in fewer than ten seconds. Won the 200 meters at the Miami Hurricane Alumni Invitational earlier in the season in 20.10, making him the fastest collegian in the event. The mark put him third among Americans and 10th in the world in 2012.

Curtis Beach, Duke – Won the heptathlon at the 2012 Indoor National Championships with a school-record score of 6,138, which ranked as the fourth-best heptathlon score in the world in 2012 and the third-best all-time collegiate score. Clinched a comeback victory in the event by running a heptathlon all-time world best 2:23.63 in the 1000 meters. Earned outdoor All-America honors in the 800 and the long jump. Was Duke’s top indoor performer in five events, and its top outdoor performer in six events. Competed in the 2012 U.S. Olympics Team Trials in the decathlon, finishing 11th.

Jordan Clarke, Arizona State – Has won three consecutive NCAA shot put championships with outdoor titles in 2011 and 2012 and an indoor title in 2012. Won the NCAA indoor title with a career-best throw of 68-5¼ (20.86m) on his final attempt, giving him not only the title but the best mark by a collegian during the collegiate season. The mark made him the ninth-best American in the event in 2012. Won the 2012 NCAA outdoor title by more than two feet with a career-best mark of 66-11¼ (20.40m).

Omar Craddock, Florida – Won 2012 NCAA triple jump individual championships both indoors and outdoors. Won the indoor title with a mark of 54-11½ (16.75m), which made him the top collegian and the fifth-best American of 2012. Won the outdoor triple jump with a wind-aided mark of 55-6¼ (16.92m). Is a three-time indoor All-American and a two-time outdoor All-American in the triple jump. Finished fourth in the triple jump at the 2012 U.S. Olympics Team Trials, narrowly missing an Olympic berth.

Derek Drouin, Indiana – Bronze medalist for Canada in the high jump in a three-way tie at the 2012 London Olympics, giving the Canadians their first men’s medal since 1996 and the first jumping medal since 1976. Has won three NCAA high jump individual championships, and most recently finished runner-up at the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Won indoor high jump titles in 2010 and 2011, in addition to an outdoor title in 2011. Is a five-time Big Ten Champion in the high jump. His clearance of 7-7 (2.31m) at the 2012 Big Ten Outdoor Championships tied him as the 12th-best jumper in the world in 2012.

Tim Glover, Illinois State – Was a Bowerman semifinalist in 2012. Won both the 2011 and 2012 NCAA javelin individual championships. Threw a career-best 268-0 (81.70m) at the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Championships to make him the fourth-best American javelin thrower of 2012 and the mark was the best by a collegian during the collegiate season. Was named the 2012 USTFCCCA Male Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year. Won a gold medal in the javelin at the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Under-23 championships in 2012, and finished sixth at the 2012 U.S. Olympics Team Trials.

Kennedy Kithuka, Texas Tech – Won the 2012 NCAA DI Cross Country Championship in his first season at Texas Tech after transferring from Wayland Baptist University. Went undefeated in seven meets in 2012 en route to Big 12 and Mountain Regional championships and set four course records, including a 28:31.3 at the NCAA National Championship Meet at the E.P. Tom Sawyer Park in Louisville, Ky. Became the first individual men’s cross country champion in Texas Tech history. Claimed 11 individual NAIA National Championships in three track & field seasons and two cross country seasons at Wayland Baptist.

Erik Kynard, Kansas State – Bowerman semifinalist in 2012. Silver medalist for the United States in the high jump at the 2012 London Olympics. Won back-to-back NCAA outdoor high jump championships in 2011 and 2012. His winning mark of 7-8 (2.34m) at the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Championships made him the second-best American in the event in 2012, and the seventh-best in the world. Has won five consecutive events against collegians and 19 of his past 23. He is a four-time Big 12 Champion in the high jump.

Lawi Lalang, Arizona – Appears on the Bowerman Watchlist for the ninth time, most among all active student-athletes and fifth all-time. Won three individual championships during the 2011-2012 academic year, including the individual 2011 NCAA Cross Country Championship and the 2012 indoor 3000 and 5000 meter titles. Set the collegiate record in the 5000 with a 13:08.28 at the 2012 Millrose Games, and set school records in the 1500, the mile, the 3000 and the 5000. Earned back-to-back Pac-10/12 1500 titles and MPSF 3000 titles in 2011 and 2012. Earned fist-team All-America honors in the 5000 in both 2011 and 2012, and second-team honors in the 1500.

Alexander Ziegler, Virginia Tech – Won the NCAA hammer throw title back-to-back in 2011 and 2012. Launched a personal-best mark of 248-7 (75.78m) at the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Championships to claim the title. Won the 2011 title on his last attempt with a season-best throw of 237-7 (72.69), and finished runner-up in his freshman season in 2010. Has earned All-American honors in each of his six seasons as a Hokie, with indoor All-American finishes in the weight throw from 2010-2012.

ALSO RECEIVING MENTION

NAME	YEAR	SCHOOL	EVENTS	HOMETOWN
Andrew Bayer	RS SR	Indiana	Distance	Leo, Ind.
Mike Berry	JR	Oregon	Sprints	Seattle, Wash.
Diego Estrada	JR	Northern Arizona	Distance	Salinas, Calif.
Andrew Irwin	SO	Arkansas	Pole Vault	Mount Ida, Ark.
Jack Whitt	SR	Oral Roberts	Pole Vault	Norman, Okla.
Chad Wright	JR	Nebraska	Throws	Kingston, Jamaica

 

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.

Southern Utah’s Cam Levins and LSU’s Kimberlyn Duncan 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 and decathlon world-record holder Ashton Eaton (2010), 10,000-meter Olympic silver medalist Galen Rupp (2009), and 2011 IAAF World Champion at 1500 meters, Jenny Simpson (2009).

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.

ABOUT THE USTFCCCA

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is a non-profit professional organization representing cross country and track & field coaches of all levels. The organization represents over 8,000 coaching members encompassing 94% of all NCAA track & field programs (DI, DII, and DIII) and includes members representing the NAIA as well as a number of state high school coaches associations. The USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track & field coaches, providing a leadership structure to assist the needs of a diverse membership, serving as a lobbyist for coaches’ interests, and working as a liaison between the various stakeholders in the sports of cross country and track & field.