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Sammy Watson - Bowerman preseasonSammy Watson - Bowerman preseason
Errol Anderson
Track and Field

Aggie freshman Sammy Watson named to The Bowerman preseason watch list

NEW ORLEANS – An Aggie freshman is among the list of 10 athletes on The Bowerman 2018 women's preseason watch list. Sammy Watson (Rochester, New York), who set a Texas A&M school record in her debut race as an Aggie in December, is one of two freshmen to be named to The Bowerman preseason watch list.

NEW ORLEANS – An Aggie freshman is among the list of 10 athletes on The Bowerman 2018 women's preseason watch list. Sammy Watson (Rochester, New York), who set a Texas A&M school record in her debut race as an Aggie in December, is one of two freshmen to be named to The Bowerman preseason watch list.

The Bowerman women's preseason watch list includes eight athletes from the talent-rich SEC. Joining Watson from the SEC are Mikiah Brisco (LSU), Mady Fagan (Georgia), Lexi Jacobus (Arkansas), freshman Sydney McLaughlin (Kentucky), Keturah Orji (Georgia), Raven Saunders (Mississippi), and Karissa Schweizer (Missouri). Also named were Maggie Ewen (Arizona State) and Ariana Washington (Oregon).
 
Watson and McLaughlin become the first freshmen in the history of The Bowerman to be named to the women's preseason watch list. At 18 years old, Watson is also the youngest, by age, to be named to the watch list.
 
In the Reveille Invitational held in December, Watson posted a time of 2:42.12 in the 1,000m which ranks seventh on the collegiate indoor all-time list and bettered the Texas A&M school record of 2:43.15 set last season by Jasmine Fray. Watson's career best time of 2:40.72 set as a senior in high school during the 2017 season is slightly better than the current collegiate record of 2:40.79, which was also set in 2017.
 
Career best times by Watson from her high school career include 52.69 (400m), 1:27.13 (600m indoors), 2:00.65 (800m), 4:22.09 (1,500m) and 4:47.49 (mile indoors). In the 800m, her 2:00.65 ranks third all-time in high school and she also produced five of the top 10 all-time performances.
 
During the 2017 indoor season, Watson established national high school records at 600m (1:27.13), 800m (2:01.78) and 1,000m (2:40.72 A). The 800m mark is also the U.S. Junior record.
 
In 2015, Watson anchored the Rush-Henrietta high school sprint medley to an indoor high school record of 3:52.68 as she supplied a 2:06.78 800m anchor leg. Outdoors, the Rush-Henrietta squad produced a high school record of 3:47.65 in the sprint medley with Watson clocking a 2:03.07 anchor leg at 800m.
 
International accolades for Watson include winning a World junior title in the 800m in 2016 while also running on the gold-medal 4x400 relay. In 2015, she was the World youth champion in the 800m.
 
On Tuesday, The Bowerman men's preseason watch list will be named. The Aggie men's and women's teams return to action this weekend as Texas A&M hosts the Ted Nelson Invitational meets on Friday and Saturday.