February 5, 2015
NEW ORLEANS – To say January was an eventful month in women’s collegiate indoor track & field would be an understatement, and that was reflected in the first regular-season edition Watch List for The Bowerman Trophy, collegiate track & field’s highest individual honor.
The 10-woman list, announced Thursday by The Bowerman Watch List Committee, includes four new additions – plus a deep group of eight women who received votes but did not make the cut for the main Watch List.
The Bowerman Women’s Watch List – February
(Click student-athletes’ names for biographies & notes)
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Joining the list this month were current collegiate pole vault record holder Demi Payne of Stephen F. Austin, former collegiate pole vault record holder Sandi Morris of Arkansas, newly-minted U.S. Junior indoor triple jump record-holder Keturah Orji of Georgia, and Jasmine Todd of Oregon, who ran the fastest-ever 60 meters in the month of January by a collegian.
All but Todd made their first appearance on the Watch List. Todd was included once in 2014.
Keeping their spots on the Watch List, in order of career appearances, were: Georgia’s Kendell Williams(7), Texas A&M’s Shelbi Vaughan (6), 2014 Finalist Courtney Okolo of Texas (4), Alabama’s Remona Burchell (3), Clemson’s Natoya Goule (2), and Oregon’s Jenna Prandini (2).
Just missing the cut were two more Texas 400-meter women in Kendall Baisden and Ashley Spencer; LSU’s Tori Bliss; Texas A&M’s Kamaria Brown; Kentucky’s Dezerea Bryant; Florida’s Kyra Jefferson; Michigan State’s Leah O’Connor; and Kentucky’s Sha’Keela Saunders.
Spearheading the college T&F madness that was the month of January was the weekly assault on the collegiate pole vault record by Payne and Morris. The collegiate record fell to Morris on January 16 with a dramatic third-attempt clearance of 15-1½ (4.61m) in a dual meet against Texas, but was stripped from Morris just 17 hours later as Payne cleared 15-2¼ (4.63m) on her first attempt at Texas A&M the next day.
Payne then raised the bar to a whole new level the next weekend. One day following three unsuccessful attempts by Morris to set a new record at 4.64m, Payne surpassed her record twice (at altitude) in New Mexico on two consecutive first-try clearances at 15-3 (4.65m) and 15-7 (4.75m). Her final height moved her to No. 3 on the all-time U.S. Indoor list and No. 11 on the all-time world list.
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Both women attempted new collegiate heights againthis past weekend at separate meets, but both fell short at 4.76m. Morris finished with the superior winning height at 15-3 (4.65m), good for the No. 2 vault in collegiate history and the best-ever by a collegian not competing at altitude. Payne finished the weekend at 15-1¾ (4.62m).
Between the two of them, they now own the top six clearances in collegiate history.
The vault wasn’t the only event with its history being re-written, however. Georgia accounted for two historic performances in two separate events with pentathlete Kendell Williams and triple jumperKeturah Orji.
Already the collegiate record-holder and defending national champion in the pentathlon, Williams added another accomplishment to her resume with the No. 2 score in collegiate history at 4609 in a win at the Rod McCravy Invitational. That effort gave her the best score not achieved at altitude in collegiate history, and it was just the 10th score of 4600 points or greater in American history.
She showed that she’s already in championship form with PRs in the long jump and shot put, and near-PRs in the 60-meter hurdles and the high jump. She ranks in the top 10 among all collegians this year in the long jump, high jump and 60-meter hurdles.
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Orji has competed in her signature triple jump event just once as a Georgia Bulldog, but she’s already etched her name in the record books. Her McCravy-winning mark of 45-10½ (13.98m) in her debut put her at No. 9 on the all-time collegiate performers list. Only Kim Williams of Florida State has ever jumped farther as a collegian in the month of January.
The leap was also a U.S. Junior indoor record in the event, but that distinction will not factor into her candidacy for The Bowerman Trophy. In drawing historical context from performances to be considered for The Bowerman Trophy, marks should be evaluated in the context of collegiate and absolute achievements.
Joining her teammate Jenna Prandini on the Watch List as a dual 60-meters/long jump threat was Oregon’s Jasmine Todd. In winning the UW Indoor Preview 60 meters in 7.15 in her 2015 debut, Todd moved into a tie at No. 10 on the all-time collegiate list and recorded the fastest-ever time by a collegian in the month of January.
For a complete list of what the Watch List members have accomplished since the preseason edition of the list, check out their biographies here.
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 Laura Roesler and Texas A&M’s Deon Lendore 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 2012 Olympic high jump bronze medalist Derek Drouin (2013).
In total, the winners from the award’s first four years have won two Olympic Medals, two World Championships and six World Championships medals. When considering finalists for the award, 13 individuals have earned a combined six Olympic medals, four World Championships and 17 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.
Courtesy USTFCCCA
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