The Bowerman: 2025 Men’s Pre-Outdoor Conference Championships Watch List

NEW ORLEANS – A record 24 athletes received votes from The Bowerman Advisory Board for the 2025 Men’s Pre-Outdoor Conference Championships Watch List.

Only ten can be on the Watch List at a time, though.

Mykolas Alekna of California, Nathaniel Ezekiel of Baylor, Ishmael Kipkurui of New Mexico, Geoffrey Kirwa of Louisville, Angelos Mantzouranis of Minnesota, Liam Murphy of Villanova, Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan of Ole Miss, Habtom Samuel of New Mexico, Ethan Strand of North Carolina, and Ja’Kobe Tharp of Auburn comprise the dectet this go-round. Together, these ten athletes have combined to win four NCAA titles and set six collegiate records since the start of the indoor season.

Alekna, who hails from Vilnius, Lithuania, has continued his stellar season after breaking the world record in the discus with his 75.56m (247-10) heave last month at the Oklahoma Throws Series World Invitational. The California standout returned to his record-setting roots at the Big Meet this past weekend. It was at that very meet two years ago where Alekna shattered the collegiate record in the discus at 71.00m (232-11). Alekna sent two throws farther than that this year: 71.29m (233-11) for the third best in collegiate history; 71.06m (233-1) for the fourth.

Ezekiel, who hails from Delta State, Nigeria, has been busy since mid-April. The Baylor standout made his outdoor debut at the Michael Johnson Invitational, where he went 48.99 in the 400-meter hurdles and anchored the Bears to a season best 3:06.75 in the 4×400 relay. Ezekiel then covered 400 meters without the hurdles in 44.75 and 45.09 in back-to-back weeks. During the indoor season, the Baylor standout finished runner-up in the 400 meters by 0.01 seconds at the 2025 NCAA DI Indoor Championships. Earlier in the season, Ezekiel set an all-conditions PR in the 400 with his 44.74 winner at the Big 12 Indoor Championships.

Kipkurui, who hails from Baringo County, Kenya, hasn’t slowed down after setting the CR in the 10,000 meters with his 26:50.21 PR at the Sound Running Ten. The New Mexico standout then turned his attention to 5000 meters and went 13:09.24 at the Bryan Clay Invitational to become the fourth fastest man in collegiate history. During the indoor season, Kipkurui finished seventh in the final of the 5000 and then placed 14th in the 3000 meters.

Kirwa, who hails from Kapsabet, Kenya, turned the collegiate track & field world on its head when he moved up to No. 2 on the all-time chart in the steeplechase with his 8:13.89 marker at the Bryan Clay Invitational. The Louisville standout has pedigree in the event, though: he went 8:22.54 two years ago at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial Meeting in Hungary.

Mantzouranis, who hails from Greece, let the hammer fly at the Meet of the UnSaintly. By the time the implement landed – if it has landed – the Minnesota standout found himself at No. 3 on the all-time collegiate chart with the farthest throw by a collegian since 2002, and as the first Minnesota male athlete to ever earn a spot on The Bowerman Watch List. You probably want to know the mark, right? Try 78.61m (257-11). Mantzouranis also hit 77.30m (253-7) or better on three other throws, including a 77.82m (255-3) howitzer in Round 3.

Murphy, who hails from Millstone, New Jersey, is still riding high after setting an absolute CR in the 1500 meters with his 3:33.02 effort at the Raleigh Relays in late March. The Villanova standout recently pulled double duty at the Penn Relays just a few weeks ago, anchoring the Wildcats to a runner-up finish in the distance medley relay and a fifth place finish in the 4xMile During the indoor season, Murphy finished fourth in the 3000 meters at the 2025 NCAA DI Indoor Championships. Murphy also clocked PR 13:10.42 over 5000 meters at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener.

Robinson-O’Hagan, who hails from Woonsocket, Rhode Island, made his outdoor debut at the Tom Jones Memorial in mid-April, winning event titles in both the hammer and shot put. The Ole Miss standout surged to No. 2 on the seasonal Descending Order List with his 20.75m (68-1) effort in the latter and hit PR 74.54m (244-7) in the former. During the indoor season, Robinson-O’Hagan reigned supreme in the shot put at the 2025 NCAA DI Indoor Championships. The Ole Miss standout wouldn’t be denied as he launched the implement 20.49m (67-2¾) to win by just more than one inch. Robinson-O’Hagan ended the indoor season with PRs of 21.11m (69-3¼) and 24.35m (79-10¾) in the shot put and weight throw, respectively. He is the reigning NCAA outdoor champion in the shot put.

Samuel, who hails from Keren, Eritrea, shattered the collegiate record in the 5000 meters with his 13:05.87 effort at the Bryan Clay Invitational. That came just a few weeks after the New Mexico standout once again showcased his prowess over 10,000 meters at the Sound Running Ten. He went PR 26:51.06, but that mark doesn’t count toward the collegiate record book since he wore a uniform that wasn’t representing the institution. During the indoor season, Samuel set PRs in a trio of events, namely the 5000 meters at 13:04.92. Samuel finished runner-up in the 5000 meters at the NCAA DI Indoor Championships and was seventh in the 3000 meters.

Strand, who hails from Vestavia, Alabama, threw down a 3:33.22 scorcher over 1500 meters at the Duke Twilight this past weekend to move up to No. 2 on the all-time collegiate chart behind Murphy. That should have been expected from the North Carolina standout who is the only man in collegiate history to hold CRs in both the mile and 3000 meters: 7:30.15 in the former at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener; 3:48.32 in the latter at the John Thomas Terrier Classic. Strand capped his indoor season with an NCAA title over 3000 meters.

Tharp, who hails from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, recently competed at the LSU Invitational, where he clocked a season best 13.35 in the 110-meter hurdles. During the indoor season, Tharp only got stronger in the 60-meter hurdles as the season progressed. He dropped his PR from 7.85 to 7.60 in his first meet, 7.60 to 7.53 in his second, 7.53 to 7.48 in his third to win the SEC title and then from 7.48 to 7.45 to win the NCAA title in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Fourteen athletes received votes from The Bowerman Advisory Board, but not enough to land on this prestigious chart: Kanyinsola Ajayi of Auburn, Jordan Anthony of Arkansas, Makanakaishe Charamba of Auburn, Nathan Green of Washington, Garrett Kaalund of Southern California, Carli Makarawu of Kentucky, Gary Martin of Virginia, Tinoda Matsatsa of Georgetown, Ralford Mullings of Oklahoma, Auhmad Robinson of Texas A&M, Daniel Reynolds of Wyoming, Kendrick Smallwood of Texas, Keyshawn Strachan of Nebraska, and Parker Wolfe of North Carolina.

All told, 47 athletes have landed on the Watch List this year, another record.