The University of Akron Athletics
Barber selected to final Bowerman Award Watch List of 2015
June 03 | Track & Field
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RAISING THE BARBER WEBSITE | BOWERMAN FINAL WATCH LIST RELEASE
NEW ORLEANS, La. - In the midst of the final stretch of a stellar campaign for the Akron track and field team, two-time NCAA Champion junior pole vaulter Shawn Barber (Kingwood, Texas) was among those included on the final 10-member Watch List for The Bowerman Award, the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced.
After the NCAA Championship, June 10-13, the Bowerman Watch List Committee will announce 10 semifinalists on June 22. Another vote will be held to whittle the field down to three finalists, who will be revealed in July.
Perform has been an understatement for Barber this season as he has won 16 of the 18 competitions he has competed in, including winning outdoor titles at the Drake, Mt. Sac and Texas Relays, respectively, and owns three of the top-four jumps in the world this spring.
This past weekend he shared top honors at the NCAA East Preliminary Round surpassing 17-2.75 (5.25m) to earn a spot at next week's NCAA Championship in Eugene, Ore., where he looks to earn his first-ever outdoor national title.
Earlier in the month he persevered through rainy conditions to capture his third consecutive Mid-American Conference outdoor championship on May 16 with a meet-record jump of 18-6.50 (5.65m).
Barber has been a force this spring capturing titles seven times, including posting a then world-leading outdoor mark in 2015 en route to setting a new school-, meet and Canadian National record eclipsing 19-4.75 (5.91m) to win the pole vault invitational at the Longhorn Invitational on May 2.
One of his biggest triumphs of the campaign came at the Drake Relays where he battled Sam Kendricks down to the wire before sharing top honors with a jump of 19-1 (5.82m). The mark surpassed the previous Drake Relays' record jump set by Mark Hollis in 2007, while in the process snapping a streak of 13 consecutive wins in the pole vault by world record holder and 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Renaud Lavillenie from France.
Barber owns 16 triumphs this season, having won the Texas Expo Vault, Jan. 3, Akron Pole Vault Convention, Jan. 9, in the Zips' dual meet victory past Kent State on Jan. 16, Armory Track Invitational, Jan. 31, Akron Invitational, Feb. 7, Tyson Invitational, Feb. 14, Zips Invitational, Feb. 20, the MAC Championship, Feb. 28, NCAA Championship, March 13, Texas Relays, March 28, the Northeast Ohio Quad on April 3, Mt. Sac Relays, April 17, Drake Relays, April 25, the Longhorn Invitational on May 2, the MAC Championship, May 16 and the NCAA East Preliminary Round.
He capped his indoor campaign in style capturing his second consecutive NCAA title with a collegiate- and meet-record jump of 19-4.75 (5.91m) at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship in Fayetteville, Ark. His winning clearance on his final attempt broke not only his own collegiate record but also set a new NCAA Championship meet standard besting Jacob Davis' record of 19-2.25 (5.85m) set in 1999.
He was one of only two collegians to surpass 19-0 feet this season trailing only Lavillenie on the 2015 world leaderboard.
Barber captured his third consecutive Mid-American Conference Indoor title with a jump of 19-0.25 (5.80m) on Feb. 28 in Mount Pleasant, Mich., a mark that shattered his own league meet record.
Barber began the month of February stealing the show at the Akron Invitational with a jump of 19-3.5 (5.88m) that broke the all-time collegiate indoor pole vault record of 19-2.25 (5.85m) set by Jacob Davis of Texas on March 6, 1999 in Indianapolis, Ind. The mark also shattered Barber's Stile Athletics Field House record set at the Akron Pole Vault Convention on Jan. 10, as well as his own Canadian National record (19-3) set at the Texas Expo Vault on Jan. 3.
A week later at the Tyson Invitational on Feb. 14, Barber again set a new school and collegiate record in the pole vault, surpassing 19-4.25 (5.90m) to win his sixth competition of the season. Barber cleared the height on his second attempt after passing at 19-0.25 (5.80m) and 19-2.25 (5.85m).
He then eclipsed 19-0.25 (5.80m) to win the Zips Invitational, Feb. 20.
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 a year ago. 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.
Barber received mention for The Bowerman Watch List as a true freshman in 2013.
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 Final Men's Watch List
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
Deon Lendore, Sr., Sprints, Texas A&M
Conor McCullough, Sr., Throws, USC
Omar McLeod, So., Hurdles, Arkansas
Michael Stigler, Sr., Hurdles, Kansas
Maicel Ulbo, Jr., Multis, Georgia
Also receiving votes: Rodney Brown, Sr., Throws, LSU; Andre De Grasse, Jr., Sprints, USC; JaCorian Duffield, Sr., High Jump, Texas Tech; Eric Jenkins, Sr., Distance, Oregon.
