Mulllings Named Semifinalist for Prestigious The Bowerman

NORMAN – Oklahoma track and field junior and NCAA discus champion Ralford Mullings was named a semifinalist for the prestigious The Bowerman, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced Thursday. The honor is bestowed to collegiate track and field’s top male and female athlete for the year.

Semifinalists are determined by members of The Bowerman Advisory Board, who have produced watch lists throughout the season and have provided a ranked-ordered list of 10 athletes who they believe had the most outstanding season. The list of semifinalists represents the group’s consensus.

Mullings is the first Sooner in men’s program history to be named a semifinalist for the prestigious award. Prior to Mullings, women’s thrower and four-time NCAA champion Tia Brooks (2010-13) was Oklahoma’s only semifinalist, having earned the selection in back-to-back years in 2012 and 2013.

Mullings, who hails from Kingston, Jamaica, claimed the NCAA Outdoor Championships discus throw title June 14. He tossed the discus for a PR of 69.31m (227’5.00″) to shatter a 33-year-old meet record and surpass world record holder Mykolas Alekna of California. Mullings’ improvement cements his status as the No. 2 performer in collegiate history, his 69.31m (227’5.00″) mark sits ninth on the all-time collegiate chart. He is the first Sooner in program history to earn a national title in the discus throw and earned Oklahoma’s first individual outdoor championship since 2009. 

On Monday, Mullings was named the NCAA Division I National Field Athlete of the Year by the USTFCCCA. He becomes the first discus thrower to win the national award since Ryan Whiting in 2010 and is the first Sooner in men’s program history to be named national athlete of the year.

The junior bolstered his impressive season with the SEC Outdoor Championships discus title and three facility records at Baylor, Kentucky and Texas. Mullings currently holds two of the top-10 farthest throws in NCAA history.

The Bowerman Advisory Board will assemble to deliberate who will be named finalists and will announce the three honorees July 8. The winners are chosen by voters and are set to be announced at the USTFCCCA Convention in Grapevine, Texas, December 18.

 

Men’s Semifinalists

Mykolas Alekna, California (Discus)

Jordan Anthony, Arkansas (Sprints)

James Corrigan, BYU (Mid-Distance/Steeple)

Nathaniel Ezekiel, Baylor (Sprints/Hurdles)

Ishmael Kipkurui, New Mexico (Distance)

Carlie Makarawu, Kentucky (Sprints)

Ralford Mullings, Oklahoma (Throws)

Brian Musau, Oklahoma State (Distance)

Ethan Strand, North Carolina (Mid-Distance/Distance)

Ja’Kobe Tharp, Auburn (Hurdles)

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