Hutson a finalist for the Bowerman

[rainbowgirl28]

http://tribstar.com/sports/x657341262/H ... -and-field


Hutson named finalist for 'Heisman trophy of track and field'
David Hughes
The Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — Chalk up another award for recently graduated Indiana State athlete Kylie Hutson — maybe.

At least she hopes so.

Hutson was named to The Bowerman Final Ten List for women, The Bowerman Women’s Watch Committee announced in conjunction with the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) this week.

“The Bowerman is kind of like the Heisman Trophy for track and field,” Hutson explained Tuesday. “I feel really honored to be even selected in the top 10… I’m hoping to get in the top three next month, but it’s going to be really tough competition.”

The USTFCCCA announced the 10 men and 10 women student-athletes who will be considered for The Bowerman in 2010. The groups of 10 will be narrowed to three women and three men by the 10-member Bowerman Advisory Board in the coming weeks.

The Board will release its selections on the week of July 12.

Once the finalists are set, The Bowerman voters — a group of about 100, consisting of national and regional media personnel, track and field statisticians, NCAA collegiate administrators and presidents of affiliated organizations — will make their selections. Previous winners Galen Rupp and Jenny Barringer also will receive one vote.

When tabulations are calculated, the male and female award winners will be announced during the USTFCCCA convention Dec. 13-16 at San Antonio.

The Bowerman is awarded annually to the top collegiate track and field athletes. The Bowerman is named in honor of track and field pioneer Bill Bowerman, who served the sport with his leadership in the USTFCCCA predecessor organization — the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association — and with his contributions to NCAA track and field and the running community as a whole.

Hutson, a former Terre Haute North High School standout, led the nation in the women’s pole vault for most of the indoor season and won her second straight (third straight overall) title in the women’s pole vault during the 2010 NCAA indoor track and field championships with a vault of 14 feet, 9 inches. That height set Indiana State and Missouri Valley Conference records. Hutson competed in four straight NCAA indoor championships during her ISU career, winning two championships and earning three All-American recognitions.

In the MVC, Hutson remained undefeated against conference opponents, winning her fourth straight indoor women’s pole-vault title and being named the Most Outstanding Women’s Field Athlete at the indoor championships for the second straight year. Her vault of 14-8 1/4 set the MVC indoor championship meet record as she earned her fourth Indoor All-Conference recognition.

Hutson ended the indoor season ranked fourth among U.S. women (the top collegian) and 14th in the world. She won all eight of the pole-vault competitions she entered during the indoor season.

Throughout her collegiate career, Hutson demonstrated the ability to overcome adversity and outlast all competitors in her event. That ability along with her competitiveness and athletic ability was never more apparent than during the 2010 outdoor season.

Hutson led the nation for most of the season while competing with a slight hamstring injury. She won her second straight (fourth straight overall) championship at the 2010 NCAA outdoor track and field championships with a vault of 14-7 1/4, which set an NCAA championship meet record. She competed in four straight NCAA outdoor championships, winning two titles and earning All-American status twice.

Hutson set the ISU and MVC all-time records of 14-9 1/2 at the Billy Hayes Invitational, a mark that stands as the collegiate best in the United States in 2010, the third best in NCAA history and was, at the time, the fifth best in the world.

During the Billy Hayes Invitational, Hutson went for a collegiate record 15-1 1/2 but broke her pole (her second broken pole of the competition) on her second attempt, causing a cut on her left hand that required stitches. The injury kept Hutson out of the MVC outdoor championships, where she was the three-time defending champion, and put a question mark on whether she would be able to compete in the NCAA championship.

Hutson continued training while her hand healed and, weeks later, won another championship.

Hutson won five events during the regular season and finished third in the invitational women’s pole vault at the Drake Relays against two 2008 Olympians. Her outdoor mark of 14-9 1/2 ended up being fourth best overall in the U.S. (the top collegian) and 22nd best overall in the world (ninth best outdoor). Recently named to the CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine All-Academic District V First Team as well as the MVC Scholar-Athlete team for the third straight year, she received the Indiana State Hillman Award as the university’s top female senior athlete.

Now Hutson is preparing for the 2010 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, which start today and end Sunday at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.

Hutson said she’s ranked fourth in the women’s pole vault, which takes place at 1 p.m. EDT Sunday. ESPN’s schedule says it will telecast parts of the meet from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, so it’s possible that Hutson and her competitors will be shown.

“This is basically the national championships for elite [track and field] athletes in this country,” Hutson mentioned. “So I’m thinking top five is a reasonable goal for me.”

Also representing ISU in this meet will be Erica Moore (women’s 400-meter hurdles Friday, Saturday and Sunday), Lauren Martin (women’s triple jump Thursday) and Major Clay (men’s high jump Sunday).

Hutson, who tied for 12th in this meet last year, said she’s ready for “a much-needed break” from pole vaulting after this weekend. But she’ll probably enter a couple summer meets before beginning serious fall training, as she sets her sights on the 2012 Summer Olympics.

“That’s my ultimate goal,” Hutson stressed. “That’s on my mind every day.”