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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan Named to The Bowerman Watch List May Update
5/8/2025 | Track and Field
NEW ORLEANS – Ole Miss track & field junior and three-time reigning NCAA shot put champion Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan has landed a spot on a sixth 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 sixth 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.
Three weeks ago at Florida's Tom Jones Memorial, Robinson-O'Hagan set a then NCAA-lead in the men's shot put with a heave of 20.75m/68-1. That throw now ranks second nationally and continues to lead the East Region. In the men's hammer, Robinson-O'Hagan matched his career-best and the school record he set at the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials last summer with a blast of 74.54m/244-7. That mark currently leads the SEC, ranks sixth in the NCAA and seventh in the United States.
His performances from that weekend isolate him as the lone collegian and one of two throwers worldwide this year to break 69 feet in the shot put and 240 feet in the hammer (when including his indoor shot put mark).
Two months ago at the NCAA Indoor Championships, Robinson-O'Hagan secured his third consecutive national title in the shot put (20.49m/67-02.75), while also taking fifth in a stacked weight throw competition (24.09m/79-00.75). Those finishes each earned All-America status and contributed 14 NCAA points to the Rebel men's 20-point total and tie for 10th-place overall, which was the second-best indoor finish in Ole Miss men's history.
Robinson-O'Hagan was also named SEC Indoor Field Athlete of the Year and won a share of the SEC Cliff Harper Trophy after his second consecutive sweep of the weight and shot titles. His 20 points helped propel the Rebel men to a tie for third place at the conference meet – tied for the best in Ole Miss men's history indoors.
A native of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, Robinson-O'Hagan is one of only 10 athletes in Division I history to win at least three shot put crowns in a row across the indoor and outdoor seasons, only the second three-peat by an SEC athlete alongside South Carolina's Brad Snyder (1998 indoor, '98 outdoor, '99 indoor).
He finished undefeated in the shot put among collegiate competitors this indoor season, and has not lost to a fellow collegian overall since last April and indoors since last January. His career-best throw of 21.11m/69-03.25 from earlier this indoor season ranks him 21st in collegiate history, as well as second-best in SEC history. His SEC-winning weight throw blast of 24.35m/79-10.75 ranks him 13th in collegiate history – pushing his combined career-bests to 45.46m – trailing only North Dakota State's Payton Otterdahl from 2019 (45.92m).
As a sophomore in 2024, Robinson-O'Hagan became the youngest to sweep the NCAA men's shot put titles indoors and outdoors since 1989, as well as the fourth-youngest to do so all-time. Overall last season, 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 now three national titles, 10 All-America awards and 47 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.
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., May 21 (women) and Thurs., May 22 (men).
Ole Miss has the weekend off to prepare for the 2025 SEC Outdoor Championships, held this season at the University of Kentucky on May 15-17.
The Bowerman 2025
Men's Watch List – May 8, 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)
* Watch List career debuts
Also receiving votes:
Kanyinsola Ajayi, Auburn (Sprints)
Jordan Anthony, Arkansas (Sprints)
Makanakaishe Charamba, Auburn (Sprints)
Nathan Green, Washington (Mid-Distance)
Garrett Kaalund, Southern California (Sprints)
Carli Makarawu, Kentucky (Sprints)
Gary Martin, Virginia (Mid-Distance/Distance)
Tinoda Matsatsa, Georgetown (Mid-Distance/Distance)
Ralford Mullings, Oklahoma (Throws)
Auhmad Robinson, Texas A&M (Sprints)
Daniel Reynolds, Wyoming (Throws)
Kendrick Smallwood, Texas (Sprints/Hurdles)
Keyshawn Strachan, Nebraska (Javelin)
Parker Wolfe, North Carolina (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 Wed., May 21 (women) and Thurs., May 22 (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 sixth 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.
Three weeks ago at Florida's Tom Jones Memorial, Robinson-O'Hagan set a then NCAA-lead in the men's shot put with a heave of 20.75m/68-1. That throw now ranks second nationally and continues to lead the East Region. In the men's hammer, Robinson-O'Hagan matched his career-best and the school record he set at the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials last summer with a blast of 74.54m/244-7. That mark currently leads the SEC, ranks sixth in the NCAA and seventh in the United States.
His performances from that weekend isolate him as the lone collegian and one of two throwers worldwide this year to break 69 feet in the shot put and 240 feet in the hammer (when including his indoor shot put mark).
Two months ago at the NCAA Indoor Championships, Robinson-O'Hagan secured his third consecutive national title in the shot put (20.49m/67-02.75), while also taking fifth in a stacked weight throw competition (24.09m/79-00.75). Those finishes each earned All-America status and contributed 14 NCAA points to the Rebel men's 20-point total and tie for 10th-place overall, which was the second-best indoor finish in Ole Miss men's history.
Robinson-O'Hagan was also named SEC Indoor Field Athlete of the Year and won a share of the SEC Cliff Harper Trophy after his second consecutive sweep of the weight and shot titles. His 20 points helped propel the Rebel men to a tie for third place at the conference meet – tied for the best in Ole Miss men's history indoors.
A native of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, Robinson-O'Hagan is one of only 10 athletes in Division I history to win at least three shot put crowns in a row across the indoor and outdoor seasons, only the second three-peat by an SEC athlete alongside South Carolina's Brad Snyder (1998 indoor, '98 outdoor, '99 indoor).
He finished undefeated in the shot put among collegiate competitors this indoor season, and has not lost to a fellow collegian overall since last April and indoors since last January. His career-best throw of 21.11m/69-03.25 from earlier this indoor season ranks him 21st in collegiate history, as well as second-best in SEC history. His SEC-winning weight throw blast of 24.35m/79-10.75 ranks him 13th in collegiate history – pushing his combined career-bests to 45.46m – trailing only North Dakota State's Payton Otterdahl from 2019 (45.92m).
As a sophomore in 2024, Robinson-O'Hagan became the youngest to sweep the NCAA men's shot put titles indoors and outdoors since 1989, as well as the fourth-youngest to do so all-time. Overall last season, 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 now three national titles, 10 All-America awards and 47 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.
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., May 21 (women) and Thurs., May 22 (men).
Ole Miss has the weekend off to prepare for the 2025 SEC Outdoor Championships, held this season at the University of Kentucky on May 15-17.
The Bowerman 2025
Men's Watch List – May 8, 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)
* Watch List career debuts
Also receiving votes:
Kanyinsola Ajayi, Auburn (Sprints)
Jordan Anthony, Arkansas (Sprints)
Makanakaishe Charamba, Auburn (Sprints)
Nathan Green, Washington (Mid-Distance)
Garrett Kaalund, Southern California (Sprints)
Carli Makarawu, Kentucky (Sprints)
Gary Martin, Virginia (Mid-Distance/Distance)
Tinoda Matsatsa, Georgetown (Mid-Distance/Distance)
Ralford Mullings, Oklahoma (Throws)
Auhmad Robinson, Texas A&M (Sprints)
Daniel Reynolds, Wyoming (Throws)
Kendrick Smallwood, Texas (Sprints/Hurdles)
Keyshawn Strachan, Nebraska (Javelin)
Parker Wolfe, North Carolina (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 Wed., May 21 (women) and Thurs., May 22 (men).
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