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New Names Appear on Post-NCAA Indoor Women’s Watch for The Bowerman

Brooks promoted to top ten for second time this season, Gardner, Gipson, McCall added to watch for first time

March 15, 2012

NEW ORLEANS – Following last weekend’s NCAA Indoor Championships, The Bowerman Women’s Watch List Committee has made adjustments to the award’s list of ten to watch. Oklahoma’s Tia Brooks was promoted to the watch list for her second appearance of the year while Oregon’s English Gardner, TCU’s Whitney Gipson, and Southern Illinois’ Jeneva McCall are now on the watch list for the first time in their careers.

Last weekend, Brooks won the NCAA shot put title with best mark by a collegian since 2004. Gardner won the national 60-meter title with the fourth-fastest time in collegiate history. Gipson equaled the collegiate record in the long jump in winning her first national crown. And, McCall took top honors at the NCAA meet in the weight throw and was second nationally in the shot put.

In addition, Georgetown’s Emily Infeld and Iowa State’s Betsy Saina was added to the “also receiving mention” list in this update.

THE BOWERMAN OFFICIAL WATCH LIST, 2012 WOMEN

(updated March 15, 2012, listed in alphabetical order, always ten names)

(P) – Promoted from the “also receiving mention” list

(N) – new to either list

QUICKLY – The Watch List

Brigetta Barrett, Arizona – Barrett completed a perfect indoor season in the high jump, winning all five contests in which she was entered, including the NCAA Championships where she won for the second-straight year. Barrett is the first to win back-to-back indoor high jump crowns since Georgia Tech’s Chaunte Howard (2004-05).

Barrett’s season’s best in the event occurred when she cleared 6-5½ (1.97m) on the way to winning the Razorback Invitational’s event in January. The leap was just one centimeter (half inch) from the collegiate record set in 2009 by Destinee Hooker. Barrett took attempts at the collegiate record at both the Razorback and NCAA meets. Barrett finished No. 3 on the world on the performer’s list for the 2012 season. Barrett also won the MPSF title with a clear of 6-4 (1.93m). Barrett made eight clearances at 6-2 (1.88m) or above during the indoor season.

Tia Brooks, Oklahoma – Brooks won the NCAA shot put title with a fantastic series that included three throws over 60 feet and the best in round five that sailed to 62-4 (19.00m). The mark places Brooks second on the all-time collegiate indoor performers list and was the best throw by a collegian since 2004. Brooks also claimed the Big 12 title in the shot with a mark of 60-6¾ (18.46m).

Kimberlyn Duncan, LSU – Duncan notched her second-consecutive NCAA indoor title in the 200 meters with a 2012 world-best time of 22.74. Duncan became the first to win back-to-back national indoor crowns in the event since LSU’s Muna Lee (2002-03). Duncan also claimed an eighth-place finish at the national championships in the 60 meters.

Duncan won the 200-meter title and finished as runner-up in the 60 meters at the SEC Championships. Duncan notched sub-23.25 times in the 200 on seven occasions. Duncan won 200-meter titles at the Tyson Invitational and New Balance Collegiate Invitational and has now won 14-straight finals in the 200. In the 60 meters, Duncan had a season best of 7.26, carded in a runner-up Tyson Invite performance.

English Gardner, Oregon – Gardner won the NCAA 60-meter title with a 2012 collegiate-best time of 7.12. In the meet’s preliminary, Gardner matched her then-collegiate-leading time of 7.17. Gardner’s 7.12 places her third on the all-time collegiate performers list in the event, behind only Lakya Brookins and Angela Williams (7.09). Gardner ran 7.20 or better in the 60 on four occasions during the 2012 indoor season.

Whitney Gipson, TCU – Gipson had a breakthrough performance at the NCAA Indoor Championships where she won the long jump with a collegiate-record-equaling best of 22-8 (6.91m). Gipson tied the 2002 collegiate record set by Auburn’s Elva Goulbourne in the championships’ fifth round and finished the season No. 4 on the world’s indoor performance list. In addition, Gipson had a total of three jumps of 6.20 meters (20-8) and four over 20 feet in the series at the NCAA meet. Gipson was also impressive at the Mountain West Championships where she won with a leap of 21-10¾ (6.67m) and notched three jumps over 6.50 meters (21-3¾).

Christina Manning, Ohio State – Manning won the NCAA indoor title in the 60 hurdles with a blazing time of 7.91, the fourth-best performance in collegiate history. Along with a 7.98 clocking in the national preliminary, Manning ended the season with four-straight sub-eight-second performances. Manning also placed fifth at the national championships in the 60 meters.

Manning also captured the 60 meter-60 hurdle double at the Big Ten Championships during the indoor campaign where she clocked her season best in the 60 dash of 7.23. On five occasions this season, Manning has notched times of 8.07 or better in the hurdles. The time of 7.23 in the 60 dash places Manning in the top five among all collegiate performers this year in that event as well.

Jeneva McCall, Southern Illinois – McCall won the NCAA indoor title in the weight throw and finished as the meet’s runner-up in the shot put. McCall moved to No. 4 on the all-time collegiate performers list this season with the weight with a season’s best of 77-11½ (23.76m). McCall recorded, at least, the top 15 throws among all collegians with the weight, showing a complete dominance of the event in the 2012 indoor season. McCall notched a personal best of 58-11½ (17.97m) in the shot put for the second-place national finish.

Sheila Reid, Villanova – Has yet to compete.

Tina Sutej, Arkansas – Sutej topped her own collegiate record in the pole vault at the SEC Indoor Championships with a clearance of 14-11 (4.55m) to win her fifth-consecutive overall conference title in the event. Sutej won six meets during the indoor season, which includes a second-straight national title, continuing her indoor winning streak that now spans 13 meets and dates back to beginning of the 2011 season.

Brianne Theisen, Oregon – Theisen capped off her indoor season with a third-straight NCAA crown in the pentathlon (4,536). Theisen joined Arizona State’s Jacquelyn Johnson (2006-07-08) as the only three-time champions in the event. Earlier in the season at the Texas A&M Challenge in January, Theisen broke her own collegiate record in the pentathlon for the third time with a tally of 4,555. In that event’s high jump portion, Theisen cleared 6-2 (1.88m) in the high jump and finished the season tied for second among all collegians with that mark. Theisen’s 4,555 also broke the Canadian record of 4,550 that was set in 1982.

At the MPSF Championships, Theisen performed in individual events, scoring 22 points with a victory in the 400 meters, a second-place in the 60 hurdles, and fifth-place showing in the long jump.

ALSO RECEIVING MENTION

(D) – Demoted from the watch list

(N) – new to either list

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.

Florida State’s Ngoni Makusha and Texas A&M’s Jessica Beard are the reigning winners of The Bowerman, which is named for legendary Oregon track & field and cross country coach Bill Bowerman.

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.

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Tom Lewis

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

Communications Manager

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