COLUMBIA, Mo. – Following one of the most prolific seasons in Mizzou Cross Country history and a school record-breaking performance at the Boston University Season Opener, junior Karissa Schweizer (Urbandale, Iowa) received votes for the 2017 Bowerman Preseason Watch List, announced Wednesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Schweizer ranked just outside the top-10 for collegiate track & field's highest individual honor.
Since the award's conception in 2009, Schweizer is the second from Mizzou Track & Field to receive votes for the watch list. Kearsten Peoples, 2015 Indoor Track & Field Weight Throw National Champion, received votes for the watch list on March 6, 2014.
Schweizer capped the 2016 cross country season by winning the NCAA Cross Country National Championship on Nov. 19 in Terre Haute, Ind. Schweizer finished the 6,000m race with a personal-record time of 19:41.6, becoming Mizzou's first female national champion in cross country and the first in program history since Keith Bacon won the men's national title in 1955. Schweizer and junior Jamie Kempfer (Festus, Mo.), who finished 27th, earned All-America honors, marking the first time Mizzou has had an All-American since 2003 and the first time Mizzou has had a pair of All-Americans since 1984.
During the 2016 cross country season, Schweizer was honored as the SEC Women's Runner of the Year, the USTFCCCA Midwest Regional Women's Runner of the Year, USTFCCCA Women's National Athlete of the Year and Honda Sport Winner for Cross Country. In addition, Schweizer was named the SEC Runner of the Week a program record three times and was named the USA Track & Field Athlete of the Week on Nov. 23.
Just two weeks after winning the National title, Schweizer set the indoor 5,000m school record on Dec. 3 at the Boston University Season Opener with a personal-record time of 15:37.40. The sub-16 5K time is the 15th-fastest indoor 5K time in collegiate history (according to the USTFCCA). The time shattered the 16-year-old school record by nearly a full minute, previously held by Susan Bliss who ran a 16:33.30 at the MTCCA Meet on Dec. 8, 1990. For her performance, Schweizer was named the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week.
Before the 2016 season, Schweizer was named SEC Freshman of the Year in 2014 and earned All-America honors at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships with a third place finish in the 5,000m race.
Schweizer and the Tigers officially open the 2017 indoor season on Saturday, Jan. 7, at the Border Battle in Iowa City, Iowa.
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The Bowerman Award Preseason Watch List
Quanesha Burks, Alabama
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Kentucky *
Keturah Orji, Georgia ^#
Raevyn Rogers, Oregon
Raven Saunders, Mississippi ^#
Molly Seidel, Notre Dame
Deajah Stevens, Oregon *
Ariana Washington, Oregon *^
Kendell Williams, Georgia ^
Lexi Weeks, Arkansas*
Also Receiving Votes
Hannah Cunliffe, Oregon
Teahna Daniels, Texas
Karissa Schweizer, Mizzou
(* = first-time Watch List appearance; ^ = 2016 semifinalist; # = 2016 finalist)