Montana State track standout Duncan Hamilton is the first Bobcat ever named to The Bowerman Watch List, the sports equivalent to the Heisman award. The Bowerman's given each year to the most outstanding male and female NCAA track and field athletes, On Monday, Hamilton was one of ten men named to the final list of the season.

The Bowerman, which debuted in 2009, is named after legendary University of Oregon head coach Bill Bowerman. The former UO mentor coached in Eugene from 1949-72 where he guided the Ducks to four national championships and two runner-up appearances. Individually, Bowerman coached 24 NCAA champions, 33 Olympians and 64 All-Americans. He was the coach of the 1972 USA Olympic Team.

Hamilton, catapulted to the top ten, following his record-setting performance at the NCAA Outdoor West First Round in the 3000-meter steeplechase on May 26 in Sacramento, Calif. Hamilton's time of 8:16.23 is the second fastest steeplechase ever recorded by a collegian- second only to Washington State's Henry Rono, who clocked 8:05.40 in 1978. At the time, Hamilton's mark was the fastest in the world. He now ranks ninth and is the second fastest American.

"It's pretty amazing to be named to the Bowerman List," said MSU Dale Kennedy Director of Track Lyle Weese. "There's been so many collegiate records set and so many outstanding performances this season. I don't remember a year like it in all of collegiate track and field. So, to be named to the watch list is pretty incredible."

Joining Hamilton on Monday's list are Mykolas Alkena, Cal, discus, Kyle Garland, Georgia, combined events, Jordan Geist, Arizona, throws, Sondre Guttormsen, Princeton, pole vault, Jaydon Hibbert, Arkansas, jumps, Dylan Jacobs, Tennessee, distance, Fouad Messaoudi, Oklahoma State, mid-distance, Ayden Owens-Delerme, Arkansas, combined/hurdles, and Cordell Tinch, Pittsburgh State, hurdles/jumps. Alkena, Garland, Guttormsen, and Owens-Delerme are the only athletes to appear on every watch list this season. Tinch is just the third NCAA Division II athlete to make the list.

Ten semifinalists for The Bowerman will be named on June 22, with three finalists tabbed on June 27. The Bowerman winner is announced at the USTFCCCA convention in Aurora, Colo., in December.