March Bowerman Women's Watch List Released

February 28, 2013

NEW ORLEANS – Three newcomers join a star-studded group of collegiate track & field student-athletes on the March edition of the women’s The Bowerman Watch List released Thursday by the Bowerman Watch List Committee.

Arkansas’ Regina George, Betsy Saina of Iowa State and Aurieyall Scott of UCF join the Watch List this week, marking each member of the trio’s first career apperance.

Far from new to the Watch List are reigning The Bowerman winner Kimberlyn Duncan of LSU and 2012 The Bowerman finalist Brigetta Barrett of Arizona. Duncan makes her 15th career appearance, tied for second-most all-time with Arkansas’ Tina Sutej and Florida State’s Kim Williams, while Barrett appears for the 13th time, fifth all-time.

The Watch Listers had quite the conference championship weekend, combining for a total haul of 17 individual/relay conference championships, and Watch Listers account for the collegiate lead in 10 events after the weekend. Makeba Alcide of Arkansas had the best weekend of them all, winning the SEC indoor pentathlon title with a collegiate record 4,569 points.

The pool of exceptional student-athletes from which Watch List selections are drawn is deep, as demonstrated by the fact that three of the "Also Receiving Mention" honorees combine for the collegiate lead in four events.

Listed below are brief synopses the Watch List selections’ credentials to this point in the indoor season.

THE BOWERMAN OFFICIAL WATCH LIST, MARCH 2013
(Updated February 27, 2013. Listed in alphabetical order by last name.)

NAME YEAR SCHOOL EVENTS HOMETOWN
Makeba Alcide SR Arkansas Combined Events Castries, St. Lucia
Brigetta Barrett SR Arizona High Jump Wappingers Falls, N.Y.
Tia Brooks RS SR Oklahoma Throws Grand Rapids, Mich.
Kimberlyn Duncan SR LSU Sprints Katy, Texas
English Gardner JR Oregon Sprints Voorhees, N.J.
Regina George SR Arkansas Sprints Chicago, Ill.
Andrea Geubelle SR Kansas Jumps University Place, Wash.
Brianna Rollins RS JR Clemson Hurdles Miami, Fla.
Betsy Saina RS SR Iowa State Distance Eldoret, Kenya
Aurieyall Scott JR UCF Sprints Greenbelt, Md.



QUICKLY – THE WATCH LIST
MAKEBA ALCIDE, ARKANSAS
This Season: Won the SEC Championships indoor pentathlon with a collegiate-record 4,569 points, giving her two of the top seven scores in collegiate history. Her record surpassed Oregon’s two-time NCAA indoor pentathlon champion and 2012 Bowerman Finalist Brianne Theisen’s previous record of 4,555 set last season. Set career bests in three of the five components (20-2 (6.15m) in the long jump; 8.35 in the 60 hurdles; 2:16.37 in the 800) and an indoor PR in the shot put at 40-5 (12.32m). Earlier this season recorded the seventh-best pentathlon score in collegiate history with a 4,464 at the Razorback Invitational. Leads all collegians in the pentathlon by more than 350 points. Ranked fourth in DI in the open high jump with a mark of 6-2¼ (1.89m).

BRIGETTA BARRETT, ARIZONA
This Season: Has won 24 of 25 high jump events – indoors and outdoors – against collegians dating back to the beginning of the 2012 indoor season, and is undefeated indoors. Cleared a collegiate-leading 6-3¼ (1.91m) in her season debut at the Razorback Invitational. Won the MPSF high jump title with a clearance of 6-2 (1.88m). Finished runner-up in the Millrose Games high jump at 6-1½ (1.87m).

TIA BROOKS, OKLAHOMA
This Season: Has won ten of 11 shot put events dating back to the 2012 indoor season. Launched a mark of 61-6¾ (18.76m) in her season debut at the J.D. Martin Invitational, giving her the collegiate lead and making her the only collegiate woman to surpass 60 feet. Owns the top 11 collegiate throws of 2013, and leads the nation by more than three feet. Claimed the Big 12 title in the shot put with a winning mark of 60-9¼ (18.52m), but each of her four legal throws would have won the event.

KIMBERLYN DUNCAN, LSU
This Season: Tied for second all-time with 15 Watch List appearances. Won 19 of her past 20 finals in the 200 against collegians, edged out only once by fellow Watch Lister Aurieyall Scott of UCF by .04 at the Razorback Invitational. Reclaimed 2013′s fastest collegiate time at 200 meters with her SEC Championship-winning 22.54, placing her fifth on the all-time indoor collegiate performers list and giving her the sixth-fastest time in indoor college history. Unbeaten in finals at 60 meters this season with an SEC Championship and the nation’s second-fastest time at 7.16.

ENGLISH GARDNER, OREGON
This Season: Won the Millrose Games 60 in 7.19, defeating three Olympians in her season debut in the event. Claimed the MPSF title at 60 meters in 7.24, and ran a leg of the Ducks’ victorious 4×400 relay team. Is currently ranked third in a three-way tie at 60 meters. Has only lost once in 13 career finals between the indoor 60 and outdoor 100.

REGINA GEORGE, ARKANSAS
This Season: Ran a collegiate-leading 51.40 over 400 meters to claim the SEC Championship in the event, after running a then-nation-leading 51.47 in the prelims. Ranked the ninth-fastest collegian all-time at 400 meters indoors with her 51.40 effort. Owns the three fastest collegiate performances of 2012-13. Anchored the Arkansas 4×400 relay team to an SEC Championship in 3:29.60, the eighth-fastest time in indoor collegiate history. Is undefeated at 400 meters this season in four events and has won six of her past seven finals at 400 meters dating back to the beginning of the 2012 outdoor season. Ran a 23.00 over 200 meters during an SEC Championships prelim, giving her the fifth-fastest collegiate time this season.

ANDREA GEUBELLE, KANSAS
This Season: Is the undefeated collegiate leader in the long jump this season in three events, including wins at the Big 12 Championships and the Armory Collegiate Invitational where she posted a collegiate-leading jump of 22-11½, just a quarter inch shy of placing her among the top 10 collegians all-time. Extended her streak of triple jump victories against collegians to 12 of the past 14 dating back to the 2012 indoor season with an individual title in the Big 12 triple jump, recording a mark of 44-3¼ (13.49m). She is currently ranked second as one of two jumpers to surpass 45 feet with a 45-7¾ (13.91m) attempt at the Tyson Invitational.

BRIANNA ROLLINS, CLEMSON
This Season: Broke the all-time collegiate record in the 60 hurdles in her season debut, scorching to a 7.78 and becoming the first collegiate woman to dip under 7.80. Beat the previous record of 7.84 held by USC’s Virginia Powell since 2006. Has won nine of 10 60 hurdles finals dating back to her individual national championship in 2011. Owns five of the six fastest times in the nation this season – all but one faster than 8.00 – and is the only collegian to run faster than 8.00. Claimed the ACC title in the 60 hurdles by nearly a quarter of a second with a 7.90 in the finals. Also ranked ninth in the nation at 200 meters with a winning time of 23.22 at the Armory Collegiate Invitational.

BETSY SAINA, IOWA STATE
This Season: Is undefeated in six individual finals in the mile, 3000 and 5000 during the indoor season, including a collegiate-leading 15:21.66 over 5000 meters at the Iowa State Classic – the fifth-fastest all-conditions time in indoor collegiate history. Claimed Big 12 individual titles in the mile, 3000 and 5000. Ranked fourth in the nation at 3000 meters in 9:04.57. Won the 2012 DI NCAA Cross Country individual championship, the Midwest Region individual title and the Big 12 Championships individual crown during the cross country season, winning four of five races and finishing runner-up in the other.

AURIEYALL SCOTT, UCF
This Season: Snapped reigning The Bowerman winner Kimberlyn Duncan’s winning streak of 18 consecutive wins against collegians at 200 meters, defeating her by a slim .04 margin at the Tyson Invitational in a then-nation-leading time of 22.68. Won Conference USA individual championships at 60 and 200 meters to go along with a title in the 4×400 relay, claiming the 60 in a collegiate-leading 7.13, placing her in a tie for fourth all-time among collegiate performers and giving her a share of the fifth-fastest time in collegiate history. Is undefeated in five finals this season at both 60 and 200 meters.

ALSO RECEIVING MENTION
NAME YEAR SCHOOL EVENTS HOMETOWN
Emma Coburn SR Colorado Distance Crested Butte, Colo.
Abbey D’Agostino JR Dartmouth Distance Topsfield, Mass.
Felisha Johnson SR Indiana State Throws Indianapolis, Ind.
Georganne Moline SR Arizona Hurdles Phoenix, Ariz.
Emily Sisson JR Providence Distance Chesterfield, Mo.
Ashley Spencer SO Illinois Sprints Indianapolis, Ind.



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.




U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association
1100 Poydras Street, Suite 1750
New Orleans, LA 70163

Contact: Kyle Terwillegar
Communications Assistant
kyle@ustfccca.org
(504) 599-8905













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Kyle Terwillegar

U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association

Communications Assistant

1100 Poydras St., Suite 1750

New Orleans, LA 70163

(O) 504-599-8905 (F) 504-599-8909

Email: kyle@ustfccca.org

Follow Us: twitter.com/USTFCCCA