Bowerman Awards 2013

A&M's Humphreys Joins Final The Bowerman Men's Watch List

A&M's Humphreys Joins Final The Bowerman Men's Watch List

May 29, 2013 by FloTrack Staff
A&M's Humphreys Joins Final The Bowerman Men's Watch List
NEW ORLEANS – With NCAA Prelims rounds now complete, the NCAA Finals are fast approaching and will be stacked with members of the final The Bowerman Watch List for the men, which was released Wednesday by the Watch List Committee.

Courtesy: Tom Lewis, USTFCCCA


Due to the nature of qualifying for the NCAA Finals, some Watch List members had a chance to shine at the Prelims — namely sprinters and throwers — while others had to forgo aiming for their best times/marks and make sure they qualified, including vertical jumpers and distance runners.

Among those who shined this weekend was Texas A&M javelin thrower Sam Humphreys, who makes his first career appearance on the Watch List after becoming the No. 7 collegiate performer in the event’s history with a top-qualifying mark of 268-8 (81.90m).

Mississippi’s Isiah Young also boosted his stock after becoming the first sub-10 collegian at 100 meters this season with a top-qualifying time of 9.99 (+0.3m/s).

With his 16th appearance on the Watch List, Arizona’s Lawi Lalang moved into a tie for second all-time with Washington State’s Jeshua Anderson. Kansas State’s Erik Kynard, making his 10th showing on the Watch List, joins Lalang as one of just six men who have appeared double-digit times. Right behind Kynard with nine career appearances is high jump rival Derek Drouin of Indiana.

The NCAA Finals will be held June 5-8 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., after which the 10 The Bowerman men’s semifinalists will be announced Monday, June 17.

The Bowerman Official Watch List, Pre-NCAA Finals 2013

(Updated May 29, 2013. Listed in alphabetical order by last name.)

NAME YEAR SCHOOL EVENTS HOMETOWN
Ryan Crouser SO Texas Throws Gresham, Ore.
Derek Drouin RS SR Indiana Jumps/Cmb. Events Corunna, Ontario
Diego Estrada SR Northern Arizona Distance Salinas, Calif.
Johannes Hock FR Texas Combined Events Cologne, Germany
Sam Humphreys SR Texas A&M Throws Laredo, Texas
Erik Kynard SR Kansas State High Jump Toledo, Ohio
Lawi Lalang JR Arizona Distance Eldoret, Kenya
Bryshon Nellum RS SR Southern California Sprints Los Angeles, Calif.
Julian Wruck RS JR UCLA Throws Brisbane, Australia
Isiah Young SR Mississippi Sprints Junction City, Kan.

 

QUICKLY – THE WATCH LIST

Ryan Crouser, Texas


Courtesy: TexasSports.com

Prelims: Was the top NCAA Finals qualifier from the West Prelims and the No. 2 qualifier overall in the shot put with a mark of 62-11¼ (19.18m) and was the No. 4 West qualifier and No. 9 overall qualifier in the discus with a mark of 189-9 (57.84m).

This Season: Claimed the Big 12 Shot put title with a collegiate-leading mark of 69-2½ (21.09m) — best in Division I by more than five-and-a-half feet — and finished third in the discus (181-10/55.42m). Has not lost in three shot put competitions this outdoor season. Is currently ranked No. 12 in the discus at 194-6 (59.28m) with a performance from the Texas Relays.

 

Derek Drouin, Indiana


Courtesy: IUHoosiers.com

Prelims: Is currently the world No. 2 in the high jump. Did not miss through three heights to 7-1½ (2.17m) to remain among the 12 from the East Prelims who qualified for the NCAA Finals.

This Season: Won the Big Ten high jump title with a clearance of 7-4¼ (2.24m), giving him four conference crowns outdoors and three more indoors for a career total of seven. Set the Penn Relays and Franklin Field records with a clearance of 7-7¾ (2.33m) at the Penn Relays. Won the high jump at the Polytan Invitational with a clearance of 7-7 (2.31m). Won the Texas Relays high jump with a collegiate-leading clearance of 7-6½ (2.30m) in his outdoor debut. Earned 2013 DI National Indoor Field Athlete of the Year honors. Won the NCAA Indoor title in the high jump with a No. 2 all-time collegiate mark and Canadian record of 7-8½ (2.35m) without missing through seven heights. Nearly cleared but missed on three attempts at a collegiate-record 7-9¾ (2.38m) at the Indoor Championships. Cleared a then-nation-leading 7-7¼ (2.32m) in the high jump at the Hoosier Hills Open, good for the tenth-best clearance in collegiate history. Set the all-time world-best in the heptathlon high jump with a clearance of 7-6½ (2.30m). Won the Big Ten title in the high jump with a mark of 7-5 (2.26m) and finished third in the heptathlon (5,817) with the eighth-best collegiate score this season. Has won his past seven indoor high jump events against collegians dating back to the 2011-12 season.

 

Diego Estrada, Northern Arizona


Courtesy: NAUAthletics.com

Prelims: /strong>Qualified for the NCAA Finals at 5000 meters with the third-fastest time at the West Prelims and the third-fastest time of either Prelim site at 13:46.90.

This Season: Won Big Sky titles at 1500 meters in 3:47.90 and 5000 meters in 14:26.73. Ran the second-fastest outdoor in-season 5000 in collegiate history with a 13:15.33 at the Payton Jordan Invitational, finishing third in a race filled with professionals and top collegians. Has shown great range in 2013, finishing fifth in his 2013 outdoor debut in the Stanford Invitational 10,000 with a 28:52.73 and seventh in the Mt. SAC Relays 1500 at 3:41.90. Was the NCAA runner-up in the indoor 5000 at 13:30.24 and finished fourth at 3000 meters in 7:49.53. Indoor Big Sky Champion in both the mile and at 3000 meters.

 

Johannes Hock, Texas


Courtesy: TexasSports.com

This Season: Is currently No. 4 in the world in the decathlon. Won the Big 12 Championships decathlon in his first collegiate decathlon competition with a score of 8,293, giving him the seventh-best score in collegiate history and making him the sixth-best individual performer. Won six of the ten components — shot put, discus, long jump, pole vault, 100 meters and 400 meters — and finished in the top three in all but the 1500. Finished sixth in the NCAA indoor heptathlon with a score of 5,873 and claimed the indoor Big 12 heptathlon title with a score of 5,858.

 

Sam Humphreys, Texas A&M


Courtesy: AggieAthletics.com

Prelims: Makes his first career Watch List appearance. Became the No. 7 performer in collegiate history in the javelin with a mark of 268-8 (81.90m) at the West Prelims that makes him the top qualifier for the NCAA Finals. Owns the top five throws of the 2013 collegiate season.

This Season: Has been the collegiate-leader all season after throwing a season-opening 267-1 (81.40m) at the Baldy Castillo Invitational that placed him No. 10 on the all-time collegiate list. Is undefeated in five javelin finals this season, including wins at the Texas Relays (257-9/78.57m) and the SEC Championships (257-1/78.36m).

 

Erik Kynard, Kansas State


Courtesy: KStateSports.com

Prelims: Is currently the world No. 1 in the high jump. Cleared four heights on four attempts en route to qualifying for the NCAA Finals with a final clearance of 7-1 (2.16m).

This Season: Won the Big 12 high jump title with a clearance of 7-6½ (2.30m), his third-straight title outdoors to add to three indoor Big 12 titles. Jumped 7-5 (2.26m) to win the Ward Haylett Invitational. Tied his career-best with a clearance of 7-8 (2.34m) in a win at the Mt. SAC Relays over former world champion Jesse Williams and Canada’s Michael Mason. Finished runner-up to Drouin at the Texas Relays high jump with a clearance of 7-5¼ (2.27m). Finished third on misses at the NCAA Indoor high jump with a mark of 7-6 (2.29m). Posted a then-collegiate-leading mark of 7-7¾ (2.33m) at the KSU Open, tying his indoor career-best and No. 3 all-time collegiate mark. Has won eight of his ten events this season and 27 of his past 231 event finals – indoors and outdoors – against collegians dating back to the 2010-11 season. Claimed the 2013 Big 12 high jump individual title with a mark of 7-7 (2.31m), defeating the field by more than five inches. Has cleared heights of 7-6 or higher in six of his ten events this season.

 

Lawi Lalang, Arizona


Courtesy: ArizonaWildcats.com

Prelims: Appears on The Bowerman Watch List for the 16th time, most among all active student-athletes and tied for second all-time. Is the top qualifier to the NCAA Finals at 5000 meters after running 13:41.87 at the West Prelims. Is the No. 3 qualifier and top qualifier from the West at 10,000 meters at 29:54.66.

This Season: Ran a collegiate-leading 3:38.53 to win the Pac-12 1500 title, and a 28:14.63 to win the 10,000 meters title in his event debut. Ranked No. 2 in the country at 10,000 meters. Also ran a 3:41.87 in the prelims of the Pac-12 1500 meters competition. Debuted (2013 outdoor) at the Arizona-Arizona State-Northern Arizona double dual with wins at 1500 meters in 3:41.52 and at 5000 in 13:40.85 by over a minute. Earned 2013 DI National Indoor Track Athlete of the Year honors. Completed an NCAA Indoor double championship in the mile and at 3000 meters, both of which were in meet-record fashion: 3:54.74 for the mile and 7:45.94 at 3000 meters. First to complete this double since Bernard Lagat of Washington State in 1999. Ran the third-fastest indoor mile in collegiate history when he finished fifth overall and second among collegians at the Millrose Games with a 3:54.56. Became the third-fastest performer in the 3000 in collegiate history when he clocked a solo 7:42.79 at the Razorback Invitational to win by 15 seconds over the then-No. 2 performer in DI.

 

Bryshon Nellum, USC


Courtesy: USCTrojans.com

Prelims: Qualified for the NCAA Finals 400 with the fourth-fastest time in the West at 45.97 in winning his quarterfinal heat, and is the fourth-fastest qualifier overall based on Prelims times. Also qualified tenth nationally and fifth in the West at 200 meters in 20.58 (+0.6m/s).

This Season: Ran a collegiate-leading 44.76 at 400 meters and the second-fastest 200 in the country at 20.23 (+1.5m/s) to claim Pac-12 titles in both events. Both marks were Pac-12 Championships records, and his 400 mark is No. 3 in the world. He is the only collegian to run faster than 45.00 at 400 meters this season. Won both the 200 and 400 at the UCLA/USC dual meet, winning at 200 meters in a collegiate-leading 20.37 (+0.9). Won the Florida Relays 400 in a then-collegiate leading 45.54. Finished runner-up and tops among collegians in the Mt. SAC Relays 400 elite in 45.65.

 

Julian Wruck, UCLA


Courtesy: UCLABruins.com

Prelims: Now owns the top 25 collegiate throws of the 2013 outdoor season, five of the top 10 collegiate throws all-time, and three of the world’s top 10 throws of 2013. Is the top NCAA Finals qualifier in the discus after a throw of 209-10 (63.95m) at the West Prelims

This Season: Won the Pac-12 Championships discus throw with a mark of 214-7 (65.41m), and finished fifth in the shot put (55-9¾/17.01m).Currently ranked No. 2 in the world with three of the four best throws. Earned wins at the Mt. SAC Relays (211-9/64.55m), the UCSD Triton Invitational (216-3/65.92m) and the UCLA/USC Dual (214-3/65.31m). Won the discus in a dual against LSU/TCU with a mark of 216-8 (66.05m), which is the No. 6 throw in collegiate history. The week prior he launched a 216-7 (66.01m) at the Texas Relays, good for No. 7 all time, and a 215-10 (65.80m), then No. 10 all time.

 

Isiah Young, Mississippi


Courtesy: OleMissSports.com

Prelims: Became the first collegian and the sixth man in the world this year to go sub-10 at 100 meters this season at 9.99 (+0.3m/s), earning him top qualifier honors to the NCAA Finals. Was the No. 2 qualifier at 200 from the West Prelims and the No. 3 overall at 200 meters in 20.31 (+1.4m/s) after winning his quarterfinals heat.

This Season: Won the SEC 200 meters championship in a collegiate-leading 20.20 (+0.9m/s) over indoor 200 champ and former Watch Lister Ameer Webb of Texas A&M. Finished runner-up in the SEC 100 meters in 10.14 (+0.5m/s) after running the No. 2 qualifying time of 10.05w (+2.4m/s). Has run 10.14 or faster in five 100 meter races, including a win at the Drake Relays in 10.07w (+2.1m/s) and a wind-legal 10.09 (+1.2m/s) win at the Mississippi Open.

 

ALSO RECEIVING MENTION

NAME YEAR SCHOOL EVENTS HOMETOWN
Andrew Irwin SO Arkansas Pole Vault Mount Ida, Ark.
Eddie Lovett JR Florida Hurdles West Palm Beach, Fla.
Charles Silmon SR TCU Sprints Waco, Texas
Ameer Webb SR Texas A&M Sprints Tustin, Calif.

 

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.