COLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M Track and Field’s Devin Dixon was named to The Bowerman preseason watch list, announced Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Dixon is one of 10 selections named to the Bowerman watch list, which includes four athletes from the SEC. Joining Dixon from the league are Johannes Erm, Georgia (Combined Events), Quincy Hall, South Carolina (Sprints/Hurdles) and JuVaughn Harrison, LSU (Jumps).
“Devin is a very talented athlete that everyone tends to get pidgeon holed as a half-miler, but he has run the fastest indoor 400 meters in the world,” track and field head coach Pat Henry said. “We know what his goals are this year and he looks to have a great season ahead of him. We can’t wait to see what he is able to accomplish this season. Devin is a real team guy, he knows he has to run fast, but it is more about his contribution to the team.”
Dixon is no stranger to The Bowerman watch list after earning inclusion on four occasions last season. Tuesday’s appearance marked the 59th all-time for an Aggie to a watch list, the second most of any school in the country.
The A&M senior became the third fastest American man ever indoors at 80m and the fastest American collegian ever with his 1:45.27 at the Texas Tech Classic in Lubbock in January of 2019. The record time bested Donovan Brazier’s school-record (1:45.93) set in 2016 at the A&M 11-Team Invitational at the Gilliam Indoor Track.
“It is an honor to be on the preseason watch list and a big reminder of the target on my back for this season not just in the 800 but in track and field,” Dixon said. “This is a reminder of where I am starting the season and where I need to be. The Bowerman is a fantastic achievement, but not my main focus this season. My main goal is to stay healthy, run fast times, bring a championship to Aggieland and get ready for the Olympic trials.”
Last year, Dixon was named South Central Region Track Athlete of the Year after he set a career best of 1:44.76 to complete sweep of SEC 800m titles for the second consecutive year. His outdoor 800m times ranks second on A&M’s all-time list, 12th on collegiate all-time list and eighth among U.S. collegians. In winning the SEC 800m title by over two seconds, he bettered the conference meet record of 1:45.27 set by South Carolina’s Otukile Lekote in 2002.
The title marked his third SEC Outdoor 800m title as he joined a trio of athletes that have claimed three or more outdoor conference titles in the 800 – Mark Everett of Florida (four titles), Jose Parrilla of Tennessee (four titles), and Seneca Lassiter of Arkansas (three titles in four-year span).
The Bowerman is given annually by the USTFCCCA to the top male collegiate athlete and to the top female collegiate athlete in the sport of NCAA track & field. The watch list will be updated seven times throughout the indoor and outdoor seasons prior to the semifinals being announced in the third week of June and finalists the week after.
The Bowerman Presason Watch List
Trey Cunningham, Florida State (Hurdles)
Devin Dixon, Texas A&M (Mid-Distance/Relays)
Gleb Dudarev, Kansas (Throws)
Johannes Erm, Georgia (Combined Events)
Quincy Hall, South Carolina (Sprints/Hurdles)
JuVaughn Harrison, LSU (Jumps)
Oliver Hoare, Wisconsin (Mid-Distance)
Chengetayi Mapaya, TCU (Jumps)
Chris Nilsen, South Dakota (Pole Vault)
Trevor Stewart, North Carolina A&T (Sprints)
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics