The University of Mississippi Athletics
NCAA Champion Shey Taiwo Returns to Bowerman Women’s Watch List
3/23/2022 | Track and Field
Taiwo Won NCAA Weight Throw Title at Indoor National Meet
NEW ORLEANS – NCAA Champion and Ole Miss track & field All-American senior Shey Taiwo has returned to The Bowerman 2022 Women's Watch List in an update released on Wednesday afternoon.
The Bowerman – collegiate track & field's version of the Heisman Trophy – began in 2009 and is presented each year to the most outstanding male and female athletes in the nation. The trophy is named after famed Oregon head coach Bill Bowerman.
Taiwo – a native of South Holland, Illinois – is coming off one of the greatest overall seasons in the weight throw in collegiate and world history. Taiwo won the NCAA title in thrilling fashion, jumping from third to first on her sixth and final attempt at a massive PR of 25.55m/83-10, which fell one centimeter shy of the collegiate record set by Southern Illinois' Brittany Riley in 2007 (25.56m/83-10.25) and five centimeters shy of the world record set by Gwen Berry in 2017 (25.60m/84-0). Taiwo ended her indoor collegiate career as the No. 2 performer ever behind Riley and the third in world history behind Berry and Riley – all three of whom were coached by Ole Miss head coach Connie Price-Smith and throws coach John Smith.
That title was the first in the weight throw in Ole Miss history, but the depth of her greatness indoors this season was staggering. In total, she charted three of the top-six throws ever by a collegian, as well as four in the top-10, eight in the top-25, 14 in the top-50 and an incredible 19 of the top-100 throws ever in the NCAA. She is tied for the NCAA lead in career 25-meter throws with three (25.55m, 25.19m, 25.02m), and she set the NCAA record for best throw at that point of the indoor season on Jan. 21 (24.11m), Jan. 28 (25.02m) and Feb. 11 (25.19m).
The outdoor season should prove to be another excellent one for Taiwo as well, as she is the reigning NCAA runner-up in the hammer – setting up a must-watch battle between her and the reigning champion, collegiate record holder Camryn Rogers of California. Last season, Taiwo launched a 16-foot PR of 71.27m/233-10 to finish behind Rogers, pushing Taiwo to No. 9 in NCAA history and sixth-best in the history of the NCAA Outdoor meet. Taiwo used that performance to qualify for the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, where she finished 14th overall in the hammer.
In her storied Rebel career, Taiwo is a five-time All-American with 24 career NCAA points scored and 41 career SEC points scored. Taiwo was also the NCAA bronze medalist in the weight throw indoors last season. On a conference level, Taiwo's 41 career SEC points come from eight different scoring occasions, including an SEC title in the weight throw in 2020 and runner-up finishes in 2021 and 2022 to teammate and fellow All-American, Jasmine Mitchell.
This is Taiwo's second appearance on the Bowerman Watch List after making her first career sighting on Feb. 2. Taiwo is the second Rebel to ever be named to the Bowerman Watch List, joining two-time Olympian Raven Saunders, who made 15 total appearances and was a Bowerman finalist in 2016 and semifinalist in 2017.
Ole Miss track & field will host the first of its two home meets this weekend at the Ole Miss Classic, which is slated to run March 25-26 at the Ole Miss Track & Field Complex.
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 NCAA track & field athletes in the nation.
Past winners include two-time Olympic gold medalist, five-time World Champion and decathlon world-record holder Ashton Eaton (2010), two-time Olympic medalist Galen Rupp (2009), Olympic gold medalist and 2013 100-meter hurdles World Champion Brianna Rollins (2013), Olympic bronze medalist and 2011 IAAF World Champion at 1500 meters Jenny Simpson (2009) as well as two-time Olympic medalist in the high jump and 2015 World Champion Derek Drouin (2013).
Bill Bowerman served the sport of track and 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 and 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 Bowerman 2022
Women's Watch List – Update #3, March 23, 2022
*Rachel Baxter, Virginia Tech (Pole Vault)
Tyra Gittens, Texas (Combined Events)
Anna Hall, Florida (Combined Events)
Jasmine Moore, Florida (Jumps)
Camryn Rogers, California (Throws)
Grace Stark, Florida (Sprints/Hurdles)
Abby Steiner, Kentucky (Sprints)
Shey Taiwo, Ole Miss (Throws)
Jorinde van Klinken, Arizona State (Throws)
Courtney Wayment, BYU (Mid-Distance/Distance)
* watch list career debuts
Also receiving votes: Julien Alfred, Texas (Sprints); Anavia Battle, Ohio State (Sprints); Melissa Jefferson, Coastal Carolina (Sprints)
Taiwo Career-Bests
Weight Throw: 25.55m/83-10 (No. 2 NCAA history, No. 3 World history)
Hammer: 71.27m/233-10 (No. 9 NCAA history, No. 6 NCAA meet history, No. 2 Ole Miss history)
Discus: 51.05m/167-06 (No. 7 Ole Miss history)
Shot Put (Indoor): 15.05m/49-04.50 (No. 8 Ole Miss history)
Shot Put (Outdoor): 14.70m/48-02.75 (No. 9 Ole Miss history)
Taiwo Career Highlights
• 2022 NCAA Champion (weight throw)
• 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier (Hammer, 14th place)
• 2021 NCAA runner-up (Hammer)
• 2021 NCAA bronze medalist (weight throw)
• 2x SEC weight throw runner-up (2021, '22)
• 2020 SEC Champion (weight throw)
• 5x All-American
• 5x NCAA qualifier
• 8x SEC scorer
• 24 career NCAA points scored
• 41 career SEC points scored
• 3x SEC Women's Field Athlete of the Week
NCAA All-Time Top-10 • Women's Weight Throw
1. Brittany Riley (SIU) – 25.56m/83-10.25 – March 10, 2007
2. Shey Taiwo (Ole Miss) – 25.55m/83-10 – March 11, 2022
3. Jasmine Mitchell (Ole Miss) – 24.94m/81-10 – March 11, 2022
4. Annette Echikunwoke (Cincinnati) – 24.78m/81-03.75 – Feb. 16, 2018
5. Sade Olatoye (Ohio State) – 24.46m/80-3 – March 9, 2019
6. Kaitlyn Long (Minnesota) – 24.37m/79-11.50 – Feb. 24, 2018
7. Candice Scott (Florida) – 24.17m/79-03.75 – March 12, 2005
8. Janeah Stewart (Ole Miss) – 24.12m/79-01.75 – Feb. 10, 2018
9. Deenia McMiller (Memphis) – 24.08m/79-0 – Feb. 25, 2022
10. Camryn Rogers (California) – 24.06m/78-11.25 – March 11, 2022
10. Stamatia Scarvelis (Tennessee) – 24.06m/78-11.25 – Feb. 23, 2019
Shey Taiwo Throws Within All-Time NCAA Top-100 During 2022 Season
2. 25.55m/83-10 – March 11, 2022 (NCAA Championships)
4. 25.19m/82-07.75 – Feb. 11, 2022 (Music City Challenge)
6. 25.02m/82-1 – Jan. 28, 2022 (Indiana Relays)
10. 24.51m/80-5 – Feb. 11, 2022 (Music City Challenge)
15. 24.22m/79-05.50 – Feb. 11, 2022 (Music City Challenge)
16. 24.21m/79-05.25 – Jan. 28, 2022 (Indiana Relays)
24. 24.11m/79-01.25 – Jan. 21, 2022 (Vanderbilt Invitational)
32. 24.02m/78-09.75 – Jan. 28, 2022 (Indiana Relays)
35. 23.85m/78-3 – Jan. 28, 2022 (Indiana Relays)
38. 23.81m/78-01.50 – March 11, 2022 (NCAA Championships)
41. 23.71m/77-09.50 – Jan. 28, 2022 (Indiana Relays)
43. 23.70m/77-09.25 – Jan. 21, 2022 (Vanderbilt Invitational)
49. 23.60m/77-05.25 – Jan. 21, 2022 (Vanderbilt Invitational)
51. 23.55m/77-03.25 – Feb. 11, 2022 (Music City Challenge)
56. 23.49m/77-00.75 – Jan. 21, 2022 (Vanderbilt Invitational)
81. 23.21m/76-01.75 – Feb. 11, 2022 (Music City Challenge)
83. 23.18m/76-00.75 – Feb. 25, 2022 (SEC Championships)
93. 23.11m/75-10 – Feb. 25, 2022 (SEC Championships)
Other Throws Within NCAA All-Time Top-125
104. 23.04m/75-07.25 – Feb. 25, 2021 (SEC Championships)
110. 23.00m/75-05.50 – Feb. 25, 2022 (SEC Championships)
118. 22.94m/75-03.25 – Feb. 25, 2022 (SEC Championships)
119. 22.94m/75-03.25 – March 11, 2021 (NCAA Championships)
Taiwo Percentage of Top Throws on NCAA All-Time List
2022 SEASON
3 of top-6 (50%)
4 of top-10 (40%)
7 of top-17 (41.8%)
8 of top-24 (33.3%)
9 of top-32 (28.1%)
10 of top-35 (28.6%)
11 of top-38 (28.9%)
12 of top-41 (29.3%)
13 of top-43 (30.2%)
14 of top-49 (28.6%)
15 of top-51 (29.4%)
16 of top-56 (28.6%)
17 of top-81 (21.0%)
18 of top-83 (21.7%)
19 of top-93 (20.4%)
OVERALL
20 of top-104 (19.2%)
21 of top-110 (19.1%)
22 of top-118 (18.6%)
23 of top-119 (19.3%)
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
The Bowerman – collegiate track & field's version of the Heisman Trophy – began in 2009 and is presented each year to the most outstanding male and female athletes in the nation. The trophy is named after famed Oregon head coach Bill Bowerman.
Taiwo – a native of South Holland, Illinois – is coming off one of the greatest overall seasons in the weight throw in collegiate and world history. Taiwo won the NCAA title in thrilling fashion, jumping from third to first on her sixth and final attempt at a massive PR of 25.55m/83-10, which fell one centimeter shy of the collegiate record set by Southern Illinois' Brittany Riley in 2007 (25.56m/83-10.25) and five centimeters shy of the world record set by Gwen Berry in 2017 (25.60m/84-0). Taiwo ended her indoor collegiate career as the No. 2 performer ever behind Riley and the third in world history behind Berry and Riley – all three of whom were coached by Ole Miss head coach Connie Price-Smith and throws coach John Smith.
That title was the first in the weight throw in Ole Miss history, but the depth of her greatness indoors this season was staggering. In total, she charted three of the top-six throws ever by a collegian, as well as four in the top-10, eight in the top-25, 14 in the top-50 and an incredible 19 of the top-100 throws ever in the NCAA. She is tied for the NCAA lead in career 25-meter throws with three (25.55m, 25.19m, 25.02m), and she set the NCAA record for best throw at that point of the indoor season on Jan. 21 (24.11m), Jan. 28 (25.02m) and Feb. 11 (25.19m).
The outdoor season should prove to be another excellent one for Taiwo as well, as she is the reigning NCAA runner-up in the hammer – setting up a must-watch battle between her and the reigning champion, collegiate record holder Camryn Rogers of California. Last season, Taiwo launched a 16-foot PR of 71.27m/233-10 to finish behind Rogers, pushing Taiwo to No. 9 in NCAA history and sixth-best in the history of the NCAA Outdoor meet. Taiwo used that performance to qualify for the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, where she finished 14th overall in the hammer.
In her storied Rebel career, Taiwo is a five-time All-American with 24 career NCAA points scored and 41 career SEC points scored. Taiwo was also the NCAA bronze medalist in the weight throw indoors last season. On a conference level, Taiwo's 41 career SEC points come from eight different scoring occasions, including an SEC title in the weight throw in 2020 and runner-up finishes in 2021 and 2022 to teammate and fellow All-American, Jasmine Mitchell.
This is Taiwo's second appearance on the Bowerman Watch List after making her first career sighting on Feb. 2. Taiwo is the second Rebel to ever be named to the Bowerman Watch List, joining two-time Olympian Raven Saunders, who made 15 total appearances and was a Bowerman finalist in 2016 and semifinalist in 2017.
Ole Miss track & field will host the first of its two home meets this weekend at the Ole Miss Classic, which is slated to run March 25-26 at the Ole Miss Track & Field Complex.
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 NCAA track & field athletes in the nation.
Past winners include two-time Olympic gold medalist, five-time World Champion and decathlon world-record holder Ashton Eaton (2010), two-time Olympic medalist Galen Rupp (2009), Olympic gold medalist and 2013 100-meter hurdles World Champion Brianna Rollins (2013), Olympic bronze medalist and 2011 IAAF World Champion at 1500 meters Jenny Simpson (2009) as well as two-time Olympic medalist in the high jump and 2015 World Champion Derek Drouin (2013).
Bill Bowerman served the sport of track and 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 and 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 Bowerman 2022
Women's Watch List – Update #3, March 23, 2022
*Rachel Baxter, Virginia Tech (Pole Vault)
Tyra Gittens, Texas (Combined Events)
Anna Hall, Florida (Combined Events)
Jasmine Moore, Florida (Jumps)
Camryn Rogers, California (Throws)
Grace Stark, Florida (Sprints/Hurdles)
Abby Steiner, Kentucky (Sprints)
Shey Taiwo, Ole Miss (Throws)
Jorinde van Klinken, Arizona State (Throws)
Courtney Wayment, BYU (Mid-Distance/Distance)
* watch list career debuts
Also receiving votes: Julien Alfred, Texas (Sprints); Anavia Battle, Ohio State (Sprints); Melissa Jefferson, Coastal Carolina (Sprints)
Taiwo Career-Bests
Weight Throw: 25.55m/83-10 (No. 2 NCAA history, No. 3 World history)
Hammer: 71.27m/233-10 (No. 9 NCAA history, No. 6 NCAA meet history, No. 2 Ole Miss history)
Discus: 51.05m/167-06 (No. 7 Ole Miss history)
Shot Put (Indoor): 15.05m/49-04.50 (No. 8 Ole Miss history)
Shot Put (Outdoor): 14.70m/48-02.75 (No. 9 Ole Miss history)
Taiwo Career Highlights
• 2022 NCAA Champion (weight throw)
• 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier (Hammer, 14th place)
• 2021 NCAA runner-up (Hammer)
• 2021 NCAA bronze medalist (weight throw)
• 2x SEC weight throw runner-up (2021, '22)
• 2020 SEC Champion (weight throw)
• 5x All-American
• 5x NCAA qualifier
• 8x SEC scorer
• 24 career NCAA points scored
• 41 career SEC points scored
• 3x SEC Women's Field Athlete of the Week
NCAA All-Time Top-10 • Women's Weight Throw
1. Brittany Riley (SIU) – 25.56m/83-10.25 – March 10, 2007
2. Shey Taiwo (Ole Miss) – 25.55m/83-10 – March 11, 2022
3. Jasmine Mitchell (Ole Miss) – 24.94m/81-10 – March 11, 2022
4. Annette Echikunwoke (Cincinnati) – 24.78m/81-03.75 – Feb. 16, 2018
5. Sade Olatoye (Ohio State) – 24.46m/80-3 – March 9, 2019
6. Kaitlyn Long (Minnesota) – 24.37m/79-11.50 – Feb. 24, 2018
7. Candice Scott (Florida) – 24.17m/79-03.75 – March 12, 2005
8. Janeah Stewart (Ole Miss) – 24.12m/79-01.75 – Feb. 10, 2018
9. Deenia McMiller (Memphis) – 24.08m/79-0 – Feb. 25, 2022
10. Camryn Rogers (California) – 24.06m/78-11.25 – March 11, 2022
10. Stamatia Scarvelis (Tennessee) – 24.06m/78-11.25 – Feb. 23, 2019
Shey Taiwo Throws Within All-Time NCAA Top-100 During 2022 Season
2. 25.55m/83-10 – March 11, 2022 (NCAA Championships)
4. 25.19m/82-07.75 – Feb. 11, 2022 (Music City Challenge)
6. 25.02m/82-1 – Jan. 28, 2022 (Indiana Relays)
10. 24.51m/80-5 – Feb. 11, 2022 (Music City Challenge)
15. 24.22m/79-05.50 – Feb. 11, 2022 (Music City Challenge)
16. 24.21m/79-05.25 – Jan. 28, 2022 (Indiana Relays)
24. 24.11m/79-01.25 – Jan. 21, 2022 (Vanderbilt Invitational)
32. 24.02m/78-09.75 – Jan. 28, 2022 (Indiana Relays)
35. 23.85m/78-3 – Jan. 28, 2022 (Indiana Relays)
38. 23.81m/78-01.50 – March 11, 2022 (NCAA Championships)
41. 23.71m/77-09.50 – Jan. 28, 2022 (Indiana Relays)
43. 23.70m/77-09.25 – Jan. 21, 2022 (Vanderbilt Invitational)
49. 23.60m/77-05.25 – Jan. 21, 2022 (Vanderbilt Invitational)
51. 23.55m/77-03.25 – Feb. 11, 2022 (Music City Challenge)
56. 23.49m/77-00.75 – Jan. 21, 2022 (Vanderbilt Invitational)
81. 23.21m/76-01.75 – Feb. 11, 2022 (Music City Challenge)
83. 23.18m/76-00.75 – Feb. 25, 2022 (SEC Championships)
93. 23.11m/75-10 – Feb. 25, 2022 (SEC Championships)
Other Throws Within NCAA All-Time Top-125
104. 23.04m/75-07.25 – Feb. 25, 2021 (SEC Championships)
110. 23.00m/75-05.50 – Feb. 25, 2022 (SEC Championships)
118. 22.94m/75-03.25 – Feb. 25, 2022 (SEC Championships)
119. 22.94m/75-03.25 – March 11, 2021 (NCAA Championships)
Taiwo Percentage of Top Throws on NCAA All-Time List
2022 SEASON
3 of top-6 (50%)
4 of top-10 (40%)
7 of top-17 (41.8%)
8 of top-24 (33.3%)
9 of top-32 (28.1%)
10 of top-35 (28.6%)
11 of top-38 (28.9%)
12 of top-41 (29.3%)
13 of top-43 (30.2%)
14 of top-49 (28.6%)
15 of top-51 (29.4%)
16 of top-56 (28.6%)
17 of top-81 (21.0%)
18 of top-83 (21.7%)
19 of top-93 (20.4%)
OVERALL
20 of top-104 (19.2%)
21 of top-110 (19.1%)
22 of top-118 (18.6%)
23 of top-119 (19.3%)
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
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