The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Piperi named to The Bowerman Watch List
02.11.2021 | Track & Field / Cross Country
The senior thrower moved to No. 2 in NCAA history in the shot put this season.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Track and Field thrower Tripp Piperi was named to The Bowerman Men's Watch List on Thursday. It is the first career watch-list appearance for the senior.
Piperi, a native of The Woodlands, Texas, is the current NCAA leader in the shot put after throwing the shot a lifetime-best 21.74m/71-4 at last Saturday's Charlie Thomas Invitational. His mark broke Olympic gold medalist Ryan Crouser's five-year-old school record and moved Piperi to No. 2 in NCAA history in the event. It is currently the second-longest throw in the world this season, behind only the aforementioned Crouser's world-record throw earlier this month. Piperi has been named the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Men's National Athlete of the Week and Big 12 Men's Athlete of the Week twice this season already.
The 2019 NCAA Outdoor shot put national champion, Piperi entered this season as a five-time All-American and five-time Big 12 Champion in his signature event. He has earned All-America honors and won the Big 12 title in the shot put in every season he has competed in thus far (Indoor 2018-20; Outdoor 2018-19). That does not include the 2020 Outdoor season, which was canceled due to COVID-19.
The Bowerman, first awarded in 2009, is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the year's most outstanding collegiate male and female track and field athletes (indoor and outdoor combined). Piperi, along with women's watch-list candidates Julien Alfred and Chanel Brissett, will look to join 2016 recipient Courtney Okolo as Longhorns to win the prestigious award.
The Bowerman's next update will be on March 3 for the women and March 4 for the men following the indoor conference championships. The watch list represents the consensus among members of The Bowerman Watch List committees in regard to who is currently on their radar for consideration to win this year's award. These student-athletes may or may not have competed yet this year, but based on their past credentials have the attention of the committee.
Players Mentioned
