NEW ORLEANS – James Corrigan earned a spot on The Bowerman preseason watch list, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Thursday afternoon.
The Bowerman, named after legendary track and field coach and Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman, was first awarded in 2009 and is presented annually to the top male and female collegiate track and field athletes.
After competing at the 2024 Summer Olympic games in the 3000-meter Steeplechase, Corrigan became the 2025 NCAA Steeplechase National Champion clocking a 8:16.41. He was also the 2025 Big 12 5000-meter Champion finishing in 13:25.46.
Corrigan joins four other Bowerman semifinalists from 2025 and six total semifinalists dating back to 2024. The Los Angeles, California native is the third BYU men’s athlete to make the list, joining Zach McWhorter (2022) and Kenneth Rooks (2023). The redshirt Junior is expected to make his 2026 debut at the Weber State Indoor Invitational on January 9th.
The Bowerman Preseason Watch List
| Athlete | School | Year | Events |
| Mykolas Alekna | Oregon | RS SR | Discus |
| *Peyton Bair | Oregon | SR | Combined Events |
| James Corrigan | BYU | RS JR | Mid-Distance/Steeple |
| Gary Martin | Virginia | SR | Mid-Distance/Distance |
| *Ralford Mullings | Oklahoma | SR | Throws |
| *Brian Musau | Oklahoma State | JR | Distance |
| Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan | Ole Miss | SR | Throws |
| Habtom Samuel | New Mexico | JR | Distance |
| *Jonathan Seremes | Texas Tech | JR | Jumps |
| Ja'Kobe Tharp | Auburn | JR | Hurdles |
The preseason watch list is voted on by members of The Bowerman Advisory Board, who select their current top 10 among collegiate track and field athletes. A total of eight watch lists are released during the season.
To view the full release, visit the USTFCCCA website.