Geoffrey Kirwa Makes Bowerman Watch List Debut
May 08, 2025 | Track & Field
Louisville is one of two schools to have multiple athletes on the latest watch list for The Bowerman.
NEW ORLEANS, La. – University of Louisville men's track & field freshman Geoffrey Kirwa has been added to the Men's Pre-Outdoor Conference Championships Watch List for The Bowerman, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Thursday.
The freshman becomes the first male and second student-athlete in program history to be included on a watch list for the award that honors the top male and female athlete in collegiate track & field every year.
Kirwa joins Jayden Ulrich on the Pre-Outdoor Conference Championships Watch List, making Louisville one of only two schools to have multiple athletes on the latest update to the watch list.
The award considers athletes' performances during the NCAA indoor track & field and outdoor track & field seasons with the performance window running from December 1 of the preceding year through the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the year in which the award is given.
The freshman established himself as one of the best steeplers in NCAA history in his collegiate debut in the 3000m steeplechase at the Bryan Clay Invitational on April 16, blazing to a time of 8:13.89 that moved him up to second in the NCAA record books, behind only Henry Rono's record of 8:05.4 that has stood since 1978.
The time also shattered the Louisville program record by roughly 11 seconds, broke the ACC conference record by over seven seconds, and set a new Bryan Clay Invitational meet record by over 10 seconds.
In addition to his NCAA-leading time in the steeplechase, Kirwa also currently ranks inside the top 25 nationally thus far this season in the 5000m with his program-record time of 13:30.83 that came at the Stanford Invitational on April 4.
Along with the pair of school records set during the outdoor season, Kirwa also broke the indoor program record in the mile at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational on February 1 with a time of 4:00.58. He also set two indoor freshman records with a 5000m time of 13:46.14 at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener on December 7 and a 3000m time of 8:09.16 at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational on February 14.
The full list of names on the Men's Pre-Outdoor Conference Championships Watch List can be found below. The next watch list is scheduled to be released on Thursday, May 21.
Three finalists for The Bowerman will be selected in late June following the conclusion of the NCAA Outdoor Championships, and the winners will be announced in December.
THE BOWERMAN – MEN'S PRE-OUTDOOR CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS WATCH LIST (May 7, 2025)
Mykolas Alekna, California (Discus)
Nathaniel Ezekiel, Baylor (Sprints/Hurdles)
Ishmael Kipkurui, New Mexico (Distance)
Geoffrey Kirwa, Louisville (Steeple/Distance)
Angelos Mantzouranis, Minnesota (Hammer/Throws)
Liam Murphy, Villanova (Mid-Distance/Distance)
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan, Ole Miss (Throws)
Habtom Samuel, New Mexico (Distance)
Ethan Strand, North Carolina (Mid-Distance/Distance)
Ja'Kobe Tharp, Auburn (Hurdles)
ABOUT THE BOWERMAN
The Bowerman, which debuted in 2009 and is named after former University of Oregon coach Bill Bowerman, is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the most outstanding male and female athlete in NCAA and NAIA track & field.
The first two winners of the Bowerman were Jenny (Barringer) Simpson and Galen Rupp, whose careers combined for three Olympic and three World Championships medals, including a gold in the Worlds by Simpson.
Past winners also include two-time Olympic decathlon gold medalist and five-time World Champion Ashton Eaton (2010), 2016 Olympic gold medalist and 2013 100-meter hurdles World Champion Brianna Rollins (2013), three-time World Champion 110-meter/60-meter hurdler Grant Holloway (2019) and 2021 Olympic and 2022 World Championships 800-meter gold medalist Athing Mu (2021).
As of August 2024, 22 winners of The Bowerman have won 21 Olympic medals – including 11 gold medals – 24 World Championships, 12 Indoor World Championships and 60 total World Championship medals.
Bill Bowerman served the sport of track & field in numerous ways. His leadership as president of the USTFCCCA's predecessor organization, the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association, and his contributions to NCAA track & 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 freshman becomes the first male and second student-athlete in program history to be included on a watch list for the award that honors the top male and female athlete in collegiate track & field every year.
Kirwa joins Jayden Ulrich on the Pre-Outdoor Conference Championships Watch List, making Louisville one of only two schools to have multiple athletes on the latest update to the watch list.
The award considers athletes' performances during the NCAA indoor track & field and outdoor track & field seasons with the performance window running from December 1 of the preceding year through the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the year in which the award is given.
The freshman established himself as one of the best steeplers in NCAA history in his collegiate debut in the 3000m steeplechase at the Bryan Clay Invitational on April 16, blazing to a time of 8:13.89 that moved him up to second in the NCAA record books, behind only Henry Rono's record of 8:05.4 that has stood since 1978.
The time also shattered the Louisville program record by roughly 11 seconds, broke the ACC conference record by over seven seconds, and set a new Bryan Clay Invitational meet record by over 10 seconds.
In addition to his NCAA-leading time in the steeplechase, Kirwa also currently ranks inside the top 25 nationally thus far this season in the 5000m with his program-record time of 13:30.83 that came at the Stanford Invitational on April 4.
Along with the pair of school records set during the outdoor season, Kirwa also broke the indoor program record in the mile at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational on February 1 with a time of 4:00.58. He also set two indoor freshman records with a 5000m time of 13:46.14 at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener on December 7 and a 3000m time of 8:09.16 at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational on February 14.
The full list of names on the Men's Pre-Outdoor Conference Championships Watch List can be found below. The next watch list is scheduled to be released on Thursday, May 21.
Three finalists for The Bowerman will be selected in late June following the conclusion of the NCAA Outdoor Championships, and the winners will be announced in December.
THE BOWERMAN – MEN'S PRE-OUTDOOR CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS WATCH LIST (May 7, 2025)
Mykolas Alekna, California (Discus)
Nathaniel Ezekiel, Baylor (Sprints/Hurdles)
Ishmael Kipkurui, New Mexico (Distance)
Geoffrey Kirwa, Louisville (Steeple/Distance)
Angelos Mantzouranis, Minnesota (Hammer/Throws)
Liam Murphy, Villanova (Mid-Distance/Distance)
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan, Ole Miss (Throws)
Habtom Samuel, New Mexico (Distance)
Ethan Strand, North Carolina (Mid-Distance/Distance)
Ja'Kobe Tharp, Auburn (Hurdles)
ABOUT THE BOWERMAN
The Bowerman, which debuted in 2009 and is named after former University of Oregon coach Bill Bowerman, is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the most outstanding male and female athlete in NCAA and NAIA track & field.
The first two winners of the Bowerman were Jenny (Barringer) Simpson and Galen Rupp, whose careers combined for three Olympic and three World Championships medals, including a gold in the Worlds by Simpson.
Past winners also include two-time Olympic decathlon gold medalist and five-time World Champion Ashton Eaton (2010), 2016 Olympic gold medalist and 2013 100-meter hurdles World Champion Brianna Rollins (2013), three-time World Champion 110-meter/60-meter hurdler Grant Holloway (2019) and 2021 Olympic and 2022 World Championships 800-meter gold medalist Athing Mu (2021).
As of August 2024, 22 winners of The Bowerman have won 21 Olympic medals – including 11 gold medals – 24 World Championships, 12 Indoor World Championships and 60 total World Championship medals.
Bill Bowerman served the sport of track & field in numerous ways. His leadership as president of the USTFCCCA's predecessor organization, the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association, and his contributions to NCAA track & 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.
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