The University of Mississippi Athletics
Track & Field’s Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan Named to The Bowerman Watch List March Update
3/6/2025 | Track and Field
NEW ORLEANS – Ole Miss track & field junior and reigning NCAA shot put champion Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan has landed a spot on a third consecutive watch list for The Bowerman for 2025.
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.
This is the third watch list appearance for Robinson-O'Hagan, who was a semifinalist for The Bowerman in 2024 following a spectacular sophomore campaign that saw him sweep the NCAA men's shot put titles. Robinson O'Hagan is the first Ole Miss men's thrower to make the watch list, and only the fourth in Rebel men's history overall alongside Olympians Ricky Robertson (2012), Isiah Young (2013) and Sam Kendricks.
Recently named the USTFCCCA Co-National Athlete of the Week, Robinson-O'Hagan is fresh off a dominant performance at the SEC Indoor Championships last weekend – repeating as SEC Champion in both the shot put and weight throw to win a share of the SEC Cliff Harper Trophy. His career-best performance in the weight throw broke both the SEC meet record and facility record at 24.35m/79-10.75. That blast ranks second in SEC history, 13th-best in collegiate history, and fourth in the NCAA rankings this season. Robinson-O'Hagan currently leads the NCAA in the shot put indoors at 21.11m/69-03.25, which ranks him 12th worldwide and third in the United States this season.
Robinson-O'Hagan – a native of Woonsocket, Rhode Island – became only the 17th individual in NCAA Division I history to sweep the men's shot put indoors and outdoors last season, the youngest to do so since 1989 and the fourth-youngest to do so all-time. He won his outdoor title on what was then an outdoor school record 20.88m/68-6, and his indoor title on what was then an indoor school record blast of 21.05m/69-00.75 to become the first underclassman to win indoors since world record holder Ryan Crouser did so as a redshirt sophomore at Texas in 2014.
Overall in 2024, Robinson-O'Hagan claimed those two NCAA titles, four First-Team All-America awards, 26 NCAA points, four SEC titles and 40 points en route to sweeping the USTFCCCA South Region Men's Field Athlete of the Year and SEC Men's Field Athlete of the Year awards indoors and outdoors. He also claimed both the SEC Cliff Harper Trophy indoors and the SEC Commissioner's Trophy outdoors after scoring 20 points at each conference meet.
In less than three full seasons with the Rebels, Robinson-O'Hagan has laid waste to the Ole Miss record book, claiming top marks in the weight throw (24.35m/79-10.75) and shot put (21.11m/69-03.25) indoors, and the hammer (74.54m/244-7) and shot put (20.98m/68-10) outdoors. He already owns seven career SEC titles (four indoor), a whopping 84 career SEC points scored in addition to his two national titles, eight All-America awards and 33 NCAA points.
Robinson-O'Hagan is the only thrower in SEC history to sweep the men's weight throw and shot put indoors (doing so twice across 2024 and 2025), is one of only three in SEC history to sweep the men's shot put and hammer outdoors, one of two in SEC history to break 68 feet in the shot put in the same conference meet field series outdoors, one of only three collegians since 2015 to be at 20 meters in the shot put and 72 in the hammer and one of only two collegians ever at 79 feet in the weight throw and 69 feet in the shot put indoors.
He stands among rarefied air among men's indoor throwers all-time, currently ranking second in collegiate history at a combined indoor shot put (21.11m/69-03.25) and weight throw (24.35m/79-10.75) distance of 45.46m – trailing only North Dakota State's Payton Otterdahl from 2019 (45.92m).
Robinson-O'Hagan also made a name for himself at the U.S. Olympic Trials last summer as the youngest competitor to make both finals in the men's shot put and hammer. He finished eighth in the shot put at an Ole Miss outdoor school record 20.98m/68-10, and demolished his own record in the hammer by five feet at 74.54m/244-7. Robinson-O'Hagan ended the season ranked top-10 in both events by Track & Field News, sitting seventh in the hammer and eighth in the shot put.
The next Watch List update is scheduled for Wed., March, 26 (women) and Thurs., March 27 (men). Robinson-O'Hagan will lead the Ole Miss delegation at next week's NCAA Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach, Virginia on March 14-15
The Bowerman 2025
Men's Watch List – March 6, 2025
Mykolas Alekna, California (Discus)
Johnny Brackins, Jr., Southern California (Hurdles/Jumps)
*Nathaniel Ezekiel, Baylor (Sprints/Hurdles)
*Gary Martin, Virginia (Mid-Distance/Distance)
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan, Ole Miss (Throws)
Habtom Samuel, New Mexico (Distance)
*JC Stevenson, Southern California (Sprints/Jumps)
Ethan Strand, North Carolina (Mid-Distance/Distance)
Ja'Kobe Tharp, Auburn (Hurdles)
Parker Wolfe, North Carolina (Distance)
* Watch List career debuts
Also receiving votes:
Favour Ashe, Oregon (Sprints)
Makanakaishe Charamba, Auburn (Sprints)
Eli Kosiba, Grand Valley State (Jumps)
Tinoda Matsatsa, Georgetown (Mid-Distance/Distance)
Aidan McCarthy, Cal Poly (Mid-Distance)
Chinecherem Nnamdi, Baylor (Javelin)
Daniel Reynolds, Wyoming (Throws)
Jonathan Seremes, Missouri (Jumps)
Aleksandr Solovev, Texas A&M (Pole Vault)
Keyshawn Strachan, Nebraska (Javelin)
Sam Whitmarsh, Texas A&M (Mid-Distance)
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.
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 AWARD: The Bowerman is bestowed to collegiate track & field's top male and female athlete for the year. The Bowerman Advisory Board, and ultimately, The Bowerman Voters, are instructed to consider performances inclusively from the collegiate indoor track & field and outdoor track & field seasons only. Cross country results are not within this consideration. The current collective track & field season began on November 29, 2024 and will end on June 14, 2025.
HISTORY: The Bowerman was first awarded in 2009. The first official watch lists were announced in 2010. Last year's winners were Parker Valby of Florida and Leo Neugebauer of Texas.
ABOUT THE WATCH LIST CONSTRUCTION: Members of The Bowerman Advisory Board produce these watch lists by voting on their current top-10 "who's who" among collegiate track & field athletes. The "watch list" represents the group's consensus top 10 for that update. Those "receiving votes" are listed on at least one member's top 10 but did not garner enough votes to be listed in the consensus top 10. There are a total of eight watch lists during the season.
UP NEXT: The next update is scheduled to occur Wednesday, March 26 (women) and Thursday, March 27 (men).
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.
This is the third watch list appearance for Robinson-O'Hagan, who was a semifinalist for The Bowerman in 2024 following a spectacular sophomore campaign that saw him sweep the NCAA men's shot put titles. Robinson O'Hagan is the first Ole Miss men's thrower to make the watch list, and only the fourth in Rebel men's history overall alongside Olympians Ricky Robertson (2012), Isiah Young (2013) and Sam Kendricks.
Recently named the USTFCCCA Co-National Athlete of the Week, Robinson-O'Hagan is fresh off a dominant performance at the SEC Indoor Championships last weekend – repeating as SEC Champion in both the shot put and weight throw to win a share of the SEC Cliff Harper Trophy. His career-best performance in the weight throw broke both the SEC meet record and facility record at 24.35m/79-10.75. That blast ranks second in SEC history, 13th-best in collegiate history, and fourth in the NCAA rankings this season. Robinson-O'Hagan currently leads the NCAA in the shot put indoors at 21.11m/69-03.25, which ranks him 12th worldwide and third in the United States this season.
Robinson-O'Hagan – a native of Woonsocket, Rhode Island – became only the 17th individual in NCAA Division I history to sweep the men's shot put indoors and outdoors last season, the youngest to do so since 1989 and the fourth-youngest to do so all-time. He won his outdoor title on what was then an outdoor school record 20.88m/68-6, and his indoor title on what was then an indoor school record blast of 21.05m/69-00.75 to become the first underclassman to win indoors since world record holder Ryan Crouser did so as a redshirt sophomore at Texas in 2014.
Overall in 2024, Robinson-O'Hagan claimed those two NCAA titles, four First-Team All-America awards, 26 NCAA points, four SEC titles and 40 points en route to sweeping the USTFCCCA South Region Men's Field Athlete of the Year and SEC Men's Field Athlete of the Year awards indoors and outdoors. He also claimed both the SEC Cliff Harper Trophy indoors and the SEC Commissioner's Trophy outdoors after scoring 20 points at each conference meet.
In less than three full seasons with the Rebels, Robinson-O'Hagan has laid waste to the Ole Miss record book, claiming top marks in the weight throw (24.35m/79-10.75) and shot put (21.11m/69-03.25) indoors, and the hammer (74.54m/244-7) and shot put (20.98m/68-10) outdoors. He already owns seven career SEC titles (four indoor), a whopping 84 career SEC points scored in addition to his two national titles, eight All-America awards and 33 NCAA points.
Robinson-O'Hagan is the only thrower in SEC history to sweep the men's weight throw and shot put indoors (doing so twice across 2024 and 2025), is one of only three in SEC history to sweep the men's shot put and hammer outdoors, one of two in SEC history to break 68 feet in the shot put in the same conference meet field series outdoors, one of only three collegians since 2015 to be at 20 meters in the shot put and 72 in the hammer and one of only two collegians ever at 79 feet in the weight throw and 69 feet in the shot put indoors.
He stands among rarefied air among men's indoor throwers all-time, currently ranking second in collegiate history at a combined indoor shot put (21.11m/69-03.25) and weight throw (24.35m/79-10.75) distance of 45.46m – trailing only North Dakota State's Payton Otterdahl from 2019 (45.92m).
Robinson-O'Hagan also made a name for himself at the U.S. Olympic Trials last summer as the youngest competitor to make both finals in the men's shot put and hammer. He finished eighth in the shot put at an Ole Miss outdoor school record 20.98m/68-10, and demolished his own record in the hammer by five feet at 74.54m/244-7. Robinson-O'Hagan ended the season ranked top-10 in both events by Track & Field News, sitting seventh in the hammer and eighth in the shot put.
The next Watch List update is scheduled for Wed., March, 26 (women) and Thurs., March 27 (men). Robinson-O'Hagan will lead the Ole Miss delegation at next week's NCAA Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach, Virginia on March 14-15
The Bowerman 2025
Men's Watch List – March 6, 2025
Mykolas Alekna, California (Discus)
Johnny Brackins, Jr., Southern California (Hurdles/Jumps)
*Nathaniel Ezekiel, Baylor (Sprints/Hurdles)
*Gary Martin, Virginia (Mid-Distance/Distance)
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan, Ole Miss (Throws)
Habtom Samuel, New Mexico (Distance)
*JC Stevenson, Southern California (Sprints/Jumps)
Ethan Strand, North Carolina (Mid-Distance/Distance)
Ja'Kobe Tharp, Auburn (Hurdles)
Parker Wolfe, North Carolina (Distance)
* Watch List career debuts
Also receiving votes:
Favour Ashe, Oregon (Sprints)
Makanakaishe Charamba, Auburn (Sprints)
Eli Kosiba, Grand Valley State (Jumps)
Tinoda Matsatsa, Georgetown (Mid-Distance/Distance)
Aidan McCarthy, Cal Poly (Mid-Distance)
Chinecherem Nnamdi, Baylor (Javelin)
Daniel Reynolds, Wyoming (Throws)
Jonathan Seremes, Missouri (Jumps)
Aleksandr Solovev, Texas A&M (Pole Vault)
Keyshawn Strachan, Nebraska (Javelin)
Sam Whitmarsh, Texas A&M (Mid-Distance)
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.
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 AWARD: The Bowerman is bestowed to collegiate track & field's top male and female athlete for the year. The Bowerman Advisory Board, and ultimately, The Bowerman Voters, are instructed to consider performances inclusively from the collegiate indoor track & field and outdoor track & field seasons only. Cross country results are not within this consideration. The current collective track & field season began on November 29, 2024 and will end on June 14, 2025.
HISTORY: The Bowerman was first awarded in 2009. The first official watch lists were announced in 2010. Last year's winners were Parker Valby of Florida and Leo Neugebauer of Texas.
ABOUT THE WATCH LIST CONSTRUCTION: Members of The Bowerman Advisory Board produce these watch lists by voting on their current top-10 "who's who" among collegiate track & field athletes. The "watch list" represents the group's consensus top 10 for that update. Those "receiving votes" are listed on at least one member's top 10 but did not garner enough votes to be listed in the consensus top 10. There are a total of eight watch lists during the season.
UP NEXT: The next update is scheduled to occur Wednesday, March 26 (women) and Thursday, March 27 (men).
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