PHOENIX – The 2017 Bowerman trophy will be awarded Friday at a ceremony held in Phoenix, and Sun Devil senior Maggie Ewen is one of the three women's finalists still in the hunt for the prestigious award.
The Bowerman Award is given to the top male and female collegiate athletes in NCAA track and field every season. The Heisman Trophy of track and field, past Bowerman winners include Olympic gold medalists, American record-holders and world record-holders.
Ewen earned a place in the final three for her outstanding and historic junior season that included an NCAA title, an NCAA record and four conference titles in four different events.
Along with being the first woman in Pac-12 history to sweep the hammer throw, shot put and discus throw titles back in May, Ewen became the first woman in collegiate history to record a mark of more than 240 feet in the hammer throw when she won the NCAA crown a month later.
She scored more points at the Outdoor Championships than 40 NCAA teams last season, and Ewen alone propelled the Sun Devils into the top-10 at the championship meet with her 21 points.
Ewen was in a class of her own among throwers in 2017. Although she is known now for her exploits in the hammer throw, the Minnesota native was one of the elite throwers in the nation in four other throwing events as well.
Across all championships, indoors and outdoors, Ewen earned five All-America honors in the indoor shot put (fourth), outdoor shot put (sixth), discus (second), weight throw (sixth) and hammer throw (first).
While the Bowerman recognizes athletes for their achievements during the NCAA season, Ewen had a postseason run that put her on the world's stage, too. She went on to finish second at the American Championships in the hammer throw and advanced to the IAAF World Championships in London with the sixth-best women's hammer throw mark in the world for 2017.
Ewen is one of three female finalists including former Oregon Duck Raevyn Rogers and Georgia senior Keturah Orji.
Should Ewen claim the award, she would become the first athlete from a field event to win in the trophy's nine-year history.
The 2017 Bowerman Award will be announced Friday evening at a ceremony at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix. The event will be streamed live on FloTrack.
The Bowerman Award is given to the top male and female collegiate athletes in NCAA track and field every season. The Heisman Trophy of track and field, past Bowerman winners include Olympic gold medalists, American record-holders and world record-holders.
Ewen earned a place in the final three for her outstanding and historic junior season that included an NCAA title, an NCAA record and four conference titles in four different events.
Along with being the first woman in Pac-12 history to sweep the hammer throw, shot put and discus throw titles back in May, Ewen became the first woman in collegiate history to record a mark of more than 240 feet in the hammer throw when she won the NCAA crown a month later.
She scored more points at the Outdoor Championships than 40 NCAA teams last season, and Ewen alone propelled the Sun Devils into the top-10 at the championship meet with her 21 points.
Ewen was in a class of her own among throwers in 2017. Although she is known now for her exploits in the hammer throw, the Minnesota native was one of the elite throwers in the nation in four other throwing events as well.
Across all championships, indoors and outdoors, Ewen earned five All-America honors in the indoor shot put (fourth), outdoor shot put (sixth), discus (second), weight throw (sixth) and hammer throw (first).
While the Bowerman recognizes athletes for their achievements during the NCAA season, Ewen had a postseason run that put her on the world's stage, too. She went on to finish second at the American Championships in the hammer throw and advanced to the IAAF World Championships in London with the sixth-best women's hammer throw mark in the world for 2017.
Ewen is one of three female finalists including former Oregon Duck Raevyn Rogers and Georgia senior Keturah Orji.
Should Ewen claim the award, she would become the first athlete from a field event to win in the trophy's nine-year history.
The 2017 Bowerman Award will be announced Friday evening at a ceremony at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix. The event will be streamed live on FloTrack.