Jan. 9, 2018
NEW ORLEANS ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Auburn track and field sprinter Nathon Allen is one of 10 members on the initial The Bowerman Men's Preseason Watch List the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on Tuesday.
The Bowerman is collegiate track and field's highest honor and is awarded each year to the top male and female collegiate athletes in the sport of NCAA Track and Field.
"It's definitely exciting and an honor to be associated with The Bowerman any time of year, whether it's the beginning of the year or the end of the year," Auburn track and field head coach Ralph Spry said. "It's a testament to Nathon Allen and what he did last year, and he's being recognized as a potential guy to be in the mix this year. He knows that he has to take care of business and his focus is going to be trying to be the best that he can be, and those other things will take care of themselves. It's great for Nathon, great for Auburn track and field and great for Auburn University to have him plugged into that group this early."
Allen, a sophomore from Spanish Town, Jamaica, had a sensational freshman season on the Plains, culminating with a pair of First Team All-American honors in the 400m and 4x100m Relay at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships.
Allen finished runner-up in the 400m at both the NCAA Outdoor Championships and the SEC Championships, the latter of which in a time of 44.52, the third-fastest mark in school history. He won three 400m events for the season and holds two of the three fastest times in school history.
Allen also competed in the 400m at the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London where he was the top collegiate finisher with a fifth-place finish in the 400m final. He ran a blistering 44.19 in the semifinal, establishing a new school record in the discipline.
Semifinalists for The Bowerman will be announced June 13th (Women) and 14th (Men) with finalists named a week later. The award will be presented at the 2018 USTFCCCA Convention in December in San Antonio, Texas.
The Bowerman 2018 Men's Preseason Watch List
Nathon Allen, Auburn
KeAndre Bates, Florida
Cameron Burrell, Houston
Isaiah Harris, Penn State
Grant Holloway, Florida
Josh Kerr, New Mexico
Justyn Knight, Syracuse
John Kyriazis, Texas A&M
Kemar Mowatt, Arkansas
Chris Nilsen, South Dakota