Coming off a record-setting performance at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships, Georgia sophomore sprinter Torrin Lawrence has been added to the official watch list for The Bowerman award, according to an announcement from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association late Wednesday.

The men’s watch list for The Bowerman includes 10 student-athletes from across the country who have accounted for two collegiate records and seven collegiate-leading performances this indoor season.

The Bowerman is collegiate track and field’s equivalent to the Heisman Trophy and is presented annually by the USTFCCCA in conjunction with its convention.

Lawrence, a Jacksonville, Fla., native, continued his scorching pace in 2010 by winning his first SEC 400-meter dash title with a conference meet record time of 45.10.  He became only the third person in history to runner under 45.10 indoor twice (Michael Johnson, Danny Everett).  His time at the league meet is the fourth-fastest collegiate indoor time in history.

Earlier in the season, Lawrence clocked a world-leading time of 45.03 to win the 400 at the Tyson Invitational.  This time is the third-fastest collegiate indoor time in history and the seventh-fastest indoor time in the history of the world. Lawrence’s finish was the fastest since Kerron Clement set the world record of 44.57 in 2005.

Also on Lawrence’s 2010 résumé is a collegiate record in the 300.  Lawrence sped to a finish of 32.32 at the Hokie Invitational to break Lorenzo Daniel’s 23-year-old record of 32.67.  His finish in the 300 is the fifth-fastest time in world history.

Lawrence has also run splits of 45.00 and 45.04 for the Bulldog 4×400 relay team this season and registered an NCAA automatic qualifying time of 20.80 in the 200, which is currently tied for sixth on the NCAA performance list.  Lawrence has already collected six meet victories this season.

Another of the new faces on the Watch List is the only other representative from the SEC, LSU’s Walter Henning, who broke the conference meet record to win the weight throw.  Lawrence is one of only two sophomores on the 10-man list, joining Oklahoma State distance runner German Fernandez.

The Bowerman is named in honor of one of the legendary coaches in the sport of track and field in former University of Oregon head coach Bill Bowerman.  Bowerman served as head coach of the Ducks from 1949-72 and led the program to four national championships during his tenure.

Bowerman also served as head coach of the 1972 U.S. Olympic Team and was an inaugural inductee with the USTFCCCA Hall of Fame in 1995.  In addition, he is the founder of global sports giant Nike.

This year’s award will be presented to the country’s top collegiate men’s and women’s track and field athlete at the organization’s convention in San Antonio, Texas. The three men and three women finalists will be named on July 13.

THE BOWERMAN OFFICIAL WATCH LIST, 2010 MEN
NAME   YEAR   SCHOOL   EVENTS
Jeshua Anderson   JR   Washington State   Hurdles
Ronnie Ash   JR   Oklahoma   Hurdles
Sam Chelanga   RS JR   Liberty   Distance
Ashton Eaton   SR   Oregon   Combined Events
German Fernandez   SO   Oklahoma State   Distance
Walter Henning   JR   LSU   Throws
Torrin Lawrence   SO   Georgia   Sprints
David McNeill   SR   Northern Arizona   Distance
Andrew Wheating   SR   Oregon   Distance
Ryan Whiting   SR   Arizona State   Throws