The University of Akron Athletics
Barber tabbed to the 2015 Bowerman Preseason Watch List
January 07 | Track & Field
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2015 BOWERMAN PRESEASON WATCH LIST RELEASE
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Akron junior pole vaulter Shawn Barber (Kingwood, Texas), who became the school's first male individual NCAA Champion in the pole vault in 2014, has been named to the 2015 Bowerman Preseason Men's Watch List, the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on Wednesday.
Barber became the first athlete in Mid-American Conference history to be named to the 10-person list for the men or women with his selection this past spring. The Bowerman Trophy, which was first awarded in 2009, is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the most outstanding male and female collegiate track and field athletes in the nation.
"It is a great honor for Shawn and for the University of Akron," Zips' head track and field coach Dennis Mitchell commented. "He very much deserves this. He has done some exciting things to get this kind of attention. It will be fun to watch him this year."
This past weekend, Barber established a new career-high mark of 19-3 (5.87 meters) to win the Texas Expo Vault competition. The jump surpassed his own Canadian National Record and previous career-best mark of 18-10.25 (5.75m) set at the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 15, 2014, which propelled Barber to become the Zips' fourth individual national champion overall and the third from the track and field program.
Competing as an unattached jumper at the meet, Barber eclipsed the old collegiate indoor pole vault record of 19-2.25 (5.85 meters) set by Jacob Davis of Texas on March 6, 1999, in Indianapolis, Ind.
Barber received mention for The Bowerman Watch List as a true freshman in 2013.
Texas A&M sprinter Deon Lendore and Oregon mid-distance runner Laura Roesler are the reigning winners of The Bowerman, which is named for legendary Oregon track & field and cross country coach Bill Bowerman.
Lendore ran in eight 400 meter finals in 2014, winning them all and going 1-0 in the 200 to boot. His 45.03 was the fastest indoor time in the world last year, and his 44.36 outdoors led the NCAA. In addition to indoor and outdoor national titles in the 400, the junior anchored the winning 4×400 meter relay and the runner-up 4×100 at outdoor nationals.
Roesler was similarly untouchable in 2014. The Duck senior won six out of the seven collegiate 800 meter finals–including the indoor and outdoor NCAA championships–she entered last season.
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 five 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.
The Bowerman Men's Watch List
Devon Allen, So., Hurdles, Oregon
Shawn Barber, Jr., Pole Vault, Akron
Trayvon Bromell, So., Sprints, Baylor
Edward Cheserek, So., Distance, Oregon
Ryan Crouser, Sr., Throws, Texas
Marquis Dendy, Sr., Jumps, Florida
Dedric Dukes, Sr., Sprints, Florida
Deon Lendore, Sr., Sprints, Texas A&M
Brandon McBride, Jr., Distance, Mississippi State
Anthony Rotich, Sr., Distance, UTEP
Also receiving votes: Johannes Hock, Jr., Combined Events, Texas; Andrew Irwin, Sr., Pole Vault, Arkansas; Hayden Reed, So., Throws, Alabama; Michael Stigler, Sr., Hurdles, Kansas.
