Kendra Harrison on Pre-Outdoor Bowerman Watch List

March 21, 2015 –

LEXINGTON, Ky. – An NCAA Championship with a time that made her the third fastest 60-meter hurdler in collegiate history landed Kendra Harrison on the latest addition of the Bowerman Trophy Watch List, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced.

Harrison won the 60 meter hurdles at the NCAA Indoor Championships last weekend. She ran a time of 7.87 seconds, making her the third fastest hurdler in collegiate history.

The time also broke the Tyson Track Center record, which is considered one of the world’s fastest indoor facilities.

Harrison also showed too-class speed at the NCAA Championships, running down Texas’s Courtney Okolo – the NCAA 400m Champion – on the third leg of the 4x400m relay. Harrison split 52.35 to Okolo’s 52.88.

Two weeks earlier, Harrison opened with a SEC Championship in the hurdles, and also ran a leg on Kentucky’s runner-up 4×400 meter relay at the SEC meet.

Harrison is a four-time SEC Champion and two-time NCAA Medalist.

The Bowerman Trophy is awarded annually to the most outstanding individual athlete in collegiate track and field.

Harrison will look to bolster her Bowerman Award during the upcoming outdoor season. She is the reigning SEC Gold Medalist in the SEC 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles as well as the NCAA 400m Hurdles Silver Medalist.

The Bowerman, which debuted in 2009, is presented annually by the USTFCCCA and considered the most prestigious individual award in collegiate track and field.

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 four years have won three Olympic Medals, two World Championships and six World Championships medals. When considering finalists for the award, 13 individuals have earned a combined seven Olympic medals, four World Championships and 17 World Championships medals.

Former Oregon head coach and Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman, who the award is named for, 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.