NEW ORLEANS – Texas A&M track & field's Tyra Gittens and Athing Mu have been named to The Bowerman Watch List, announced Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Â
The Bowerman is given annually by the USTFCCCA to the nation's top male and female collegiate athletes.
Â
The Aggies are two of the 10 selections named to The Bowerman Watch List. Texas A&M is one of four schools to have multiple student-athletes named to the list, which includes Texas (Julien Alfred and Chanel Brissett), Texas Tech (Monae' Nichols and Rush Usoro) and USC (Angie Annelus and Twanisha Terry). Anna Hall from Georgia and Tonea Marshall from LSU complete the initial watch list.
Â
Gittens, a redshirt junior, makes her debut on the list. The multi-athlete leads the nation in the pentathlon (4,612) and high jump (1.91m/6-3.25), she is also ranked No. 3 in the long jump (6.62m/21-8.75). On Jan. 29, Gittens wowed track & field fans across the nation winning the Texas Tech Invitational pentathlon with 4,612 points. She became the third best performer in collegiate history in the event while recording the fifth best high jump (1.91m/6-3.25) clearance all-time during a pentathlon.
Â
She has been named the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week once this season (Feb. 2).
Â
Mu is the only freshman on the initial docket. The Trenton, New Jersey, native, ranks No. 1 in the NCAA in the 400m (50.52) and 800m (2:01.07), her 400m time also leads the world according to World Athletics. In her Aggie debut, she set the American U20 800m record while becoming the fifth fastest all-time collegian in the event. In her second meet, she broke a 40-year-old collegiate record in the 600m with a time of 1:25.80. Mu clocked a 400m split of 50.03 to anchor the Aggies to a 3:31.09 finish at the Texas Tech Invitational, the second fastest 4x400m time in the nation this season.
Â
Most recently, Mu broke the World U20 indoor 400m, pending ratification, with a time of 50.52. The time broke 2011 Bowerman winner Jessica Beard's 10-year-old school record of 50.79 and she became the fourth-fastest American and fourth-fastest collegian of all-time.
Â
The speedster has been named the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week twice this season (Jan. 26 and Feb. 9).
Â
Gittens and Mu move Texas A&M's all-time female athlete count on the watch list to 13, only Oregon has had more to date with 15.
Â
The Bowerman men's watch list will be announced Thursday, Feb. 11 at 3 p.m. CT.
Â
The Bowerman is given annually by the USTFCCCA to the nation's top male and female collegiate athletes.
Â
The Aggies are two of the 10 selections named to The Bowerman Watch List. Texas A&M is one of four schools to have multiple student-athletes named to the list, which includes Texas (Julien Alfred and Chanel Brissett), Texas Tech (Monae' Nichols and Rush Usoro) and USC (Angie Annelus and Twanisha Terry). Anna Hall from Georgia and Tonea Marshall from LSU complete the initial watch list.
Â
Gittens, a redshirt junior, makes her debut on the list. The multi-athlete leads the nation in the pentathlon (4,612) and high jump (1.91m/6-3.25), she is also ranked No. 3 in the long jump (6.62m/21-8.75). On Jan. 29, Gittens wowed track & field fans across the nation winning the Texas Tech Invitational pentathlon with 4,612 points. She became the third best performer in collegiate history in the event while recording the fifth best high jump (1.91m/6-3.25) clearance all-time during a pentathlon.
Â
She has been named the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week once this season (Feb. 2).
Â
Mu is the only freshman on the initial docket. The Trenton, New Jersey, native, ranks No. 1 in the NCAA in the 400m (50.52) and 800m (2:01.07), her 400m time also leads the world according to World Athletics. In her Aggie debut, she set the American U20 800m record while becoming the fifth fastest all-time collegian in the event. In her second meet, she broke a 40-year-old collegiate record in the 600m with a time of 1:25.80. Mu clocked a 400m split of 50.03 to anchor the Aggies to a 3:31.09 finish at the Texas Tech Invitational, the second fastest 4x400m time in the nation this season.
Â
Most recently, Mu broke the World U20 indoor 400m, pending ratification, with a time of 50.52. The time broke 2011 Bowerman winner Jessica Beard's 10-year-old school record of 50.79 and she became the fourth-fastest American and fourth-fastest collegian of all-time.
Â
The speedster has been named the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week twice this season (Jan. 26 and Feb. 9).
Â
Gittens and Mu move Texas A&M's all-time female athlete count on the watch list to 13, only Oregon has had more to date with 15.
Â
The Bowerman men's watch list will be announced Thursday, Feb. 11 at 3 p.m. CT.