The Junior is just the 11th woman in Florida's program history to crack the preseason watch list for collegiate track and field's most coveted individual honor.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Florida Track and Field distance-running star Hilda Olemomoi has been selected to the 2025 preseason watch list for The Bowerman, the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Association announced Wednesday.
Olemomoi is the 11th woman in Florida's history to crack the preseason list, and the fifth in the past four seasons, joining Anna Hall (2022), Jasmine Moore (2022, 2023), Talitha Diggs (2023), and eventual winner of the Bowerman, Parker Valby (2024). Grace Stark became a feature of the midseason watch lists in 2022.
Last season, as a member of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Olemomoi finished third in the NCAA Indoor 5000m and fifth in the NCAA Indoor 3000m. at NCAA Outdoors, she finished second to Valby in the 5000m and 10000m. She won gold at SEC outdoor championships in the 10000m.
The Trans-Mara, Kenya native has established herself as an even stronger runner in the early going of this indoor season, securing a Florida program No. 2 mark in the Indoor 5000m at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener, and became just the third woman in collegiate history to run a sub-15 minute 5000m, joining Valby and former Alabama teammate Doris Lemngole. Lemngole was also named to the 2025 Preseason Watch List.
Should Olemomoi win The Bowerman, Florida would become just the second program in the history of the award to boast repeat champions (Oregon women in 2014-2015, and Oregon Men in 2009-2010)
The Bowerman Watch List construction
Members of The Bowerman Advisory Board produce these watch lists by voting on their current top-10 "who's who" among collegiate track & field athletes. The "watch list" represents the group's consensus top 10 for that update. Those "receiving votes" are listed on at least one member's top 10 but did not garner enough votes to be listed in the consensus top 10. There are a total of eight watch lists during the season.
The Bowerman Preseason Watch List (Women's)
Kaylyn Brown, So., Arkansas (Sprints)
JaMeesia Ford, So., South Carolina (Sprints)
Rachel Glenn, R-Sr., Arkansas (Hurdles/Jumps)
Axelina Johansson, Sr., Nebraska (Throws)
Doris Lemngole, So., Alabama (Distance)
Brianna Lyston, Jr., LSU (Sprints)
Hilda Olemomoi, Jr., Florida (Distance)
Michaela Rose, Sr., LSU (Mid-Distance)
Jaida Ross, Sr. (i), Oregon (Throws)
Juliette Whittaker, Jr., Stanford (Mid-Distance)
Also receiving votes: Aaliyah Butler, Georgia; Rosey Effiong, Arkansas; Brynn King, Roberts Wesleyan; Pamela Kosgei, New Mexico; Elena Kulichenko, Georgia; Jadin O'Brien, Notre Dame; Savannah Sutherland, Michigan; Chloe Timberg, Rutgers
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Florida Track and Field distance-running star Hilda Olemomoi has been selected to the 2025 preseason watch list for The Bowerman, the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Association announced Wednesday.
Olemomoi is the 11th woman in Florida's history to crack the preseason list, and the fifth in the past four seasons, joining Anna Hall (2022), Jasmine Moore (2022, 2023), Talitha Diggs (2023), and eventual winner of the Bowerman, Parker Valby (2024). Grace Stark became a feature of the midseason watch lists in 2022.
Last season, as a member of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Olemomoi finished third in the NCAA Indoor 5000m and fifth in the NCAA Indoor 3000m. at NCAA Outdoors, she finished second to Valby in the 5000m and 10000m. She won gold at SEC outdoor championships in the 10000m.
The Trans-Mara, Kenya native has established herself as an even stronger runner in the early going of this indoor season, securing a Florida program No. 2 mark in the Indoor 5000m at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener, and became just the third woman in collegiate history to run a sub-15 minute 5000m, joining Valby and former Alabama teammate Doris Lemngole. Lemngole was also named to the 2025 Preseason Watch List.
Should Olemomoi win The Bowerman, Florida would become just the second program in the history of the award to boast repeat champions (Oregon women in 2014-2015, and Oregon Men in 2009-2010)
The Bowerman Watch List construction
Members of The Bowerman Advisory Board produce these watch lists by voting on their current top-10 "who's who" among collegiate track & field athletes. The "watch list" represents the group's consensus top 10 for that update. Those "receiving votes" are listed on at least one member's top 10 but did not garner enough votes to be listed in the consensus top 10. There are a total of eight watch lists during the season.
The Bowerman Preseason Watch List (Women's)
Kaylyn Brown, So., Arkansas (Sprints)
JaMeesia Ford, So., South Carolina (Sprints)
Rachel Glenn, R-Sr., Arkansas (Hurdles/Jumps)
Axelina Johansson, Sr., Nebraska (Throws)
Doris Lemngole, So., Alabama (Distance)
Brianna Lyston, Jr., LSU (Sprints)
Hilda Olemomoi, Jr., Florida (Distance)
Michaela Rose, Sr., LSU (Mid-Distance)
Jaida Ross, Sr. (i), Oregon (Throws)
Juliette Whittaker, Jr., Stanford (Mid-Distance)
Also receiving votes: Aaliyah Butler, Georgia; Rosey Effiong, Arkansas; Brynn King, Roberts Wesleyan; Pamela Kosgei, New Mexico; Elena Kulichenko, Georgia; Jadin O'Brien, Notre Dame; Savannah Sutherland, Michigan; Chloe Timberg, Rutgers
