The Bowerman to Make National TV Debut Tonight

The Bowerman to Make National TV Debut Tonight

March 23, 2016  

Follow @TheBowerman

NEW ORLEANS – For the first time in its history, The Bowerman Award – collegiate track & field’s highest individual honor – will be getting a national television audience.
Following a two-hour replay of the 2016 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships on ESPNU Wednesday night at 10pm ET, The Bowerman will make its national television debut at midnight ET with an abridged 30-minute replay of the 2015 Awards Show from December’s USTFCCCA Convention.
The show, which can also be viewed online via WatchESPN, is hosted by fan-favorite ESPN SportsCenter anchor John Anderson.
“Broadcasting The Bowerman to a national audience on ESPNU is significant not only because it adds another track & field programming option for existing fans of the sport, but also because it is an opportunity to showcase our best-of-the-best to new potential fans,” USTFCCCA CEO Sam Seemes said.
“These young men and women featured Wednesday night are among the fastest, strongest, and most talented athletes on the entire planet. That speaks to the quality of The Bowerman itself and also to the world-class competition taking place in collegiate track & field as a whole.”
This year’s presentation of The Bowerman Awards to Florida’s Marquis Dendy and Oregon’s Jenna Prandini marked the seventh year of the award.
Dendy emerged victorious over Shawn Barber of Akron and Edward Cheserek of Oregon, while Prandini prevailed among a class of women’s finalists that included Kendra Harrison of Kentucky and Demi Payne of Stephen F. Austin.
Dendy and Prandini joined the ranks of Bowerman winners that include numerous Olympic and World Champions. The iconic trophy has previously been hoisted by the likes of:

• “The World’s Greatest Athlete” Ashton Eaton, the Olympic decathlon champion and world record-holder and five-time World Champion between the indoor heptathlon and outdoor decathlon
• Olympic 10,000-meter silver medalist Galen Rupp
• World Champion 1500-meter runner Jenny (Barringer) Simpson
• World Champion 100-meter hurdler Brianna Rollins
• Olympic high jump bronze medalist Derek Drouin

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.