This week, FloTrack will introduce you to all six Bowerman finalists ahead of Friday's Bowerman Awards, which will crown one male and one female as the best track and field athletes in the NCAA for the 2017 season. You can watch the awards ceremony live from Phoenix on FloTrack here.

ATHLETE: Raevyn Rogers
YEAR: JUNIOR
COLLEGE: University of Oregon
EVENT: Mid-Distance

NCAA ACCOLADES IN 2017:

- Broke the 27-year-old NCAA record in the 800m with a stunning 1:59.10 at Mt. SAC Relays; Suzy Favor's previous record had stood at 1:59.11 since 1990
- Was untouchable in the 800m at the collegiate level, winning NCAA Division I indoor and outdoor titles and the Pac-12 title
- Helped Oregon break the 13-year-old NCAA record in the 4x400m by splitting 49.77 on the anchor leg for a winning time of 3:23.13; her split was the sixth-fastest in meet history
- Helped Oregon break the collegiate record in the sprint medley relay (3:30.05) with a 2:02.44 split

Why She Will Win: Not only is Rogers utterly dominant in her chosen event, the 800m, she is the definition of a clutch performer. When the Oregon Ducks were 8.2 points down from Georgia with one event remaining in the NCAA DI Outdoor Championships, their only option to win the team title and secure the first-ever women's triple crown — NCAA DI XC, indoor and outdoor team titles — was to emerge victorious from the 4x400m relay. No easy task when you have USC, the indoor collegiate record holders, next to you in the blocks. But the Ducks did it, and especially thanks to a gutsy anchor from Rogers, whose 49.77 anchor split overpowered the Trojans' Kendall Ellis, who later made the U.S. world team in the 400m. Did we mention it's the sixth-fastest split of all time at NCAAs? And Rogers is technically a half-miler? Anyone who was at this year's championships in Eugene will remember this moment for eternity. 

Rogers also has history on her side, as the 2014 Bowerman Award went to Laura Roesler — another 800m specialist from the University of Oregon. Of three nominations, Duck women have won twice (Roesler and Jenna Prandini).

Why She Won't Win: The most compelling reason I can see for the vote not going Rogers' way is if voters want to select a field event athlete for the first time in award history. 

The award is supposed to be based on athletes' collegiate seasons, not what they do over the summer, but the fact remains that both Maggie Ewen and Keturah Orji made the world team for USATF while Rogers did not. As with men's finalist Christian Coleman, Rogers opted out of her final year of NCAA eligibility to go pro, so some voters may be salty about that.

Watch Oregon and USC battle in the 4x400m at the NCAA DI Outdoor Championships, with a monster 49.77 decision-making anchor by Raevyn Rogers: