All-American hurdler and jumper Johnny Brackins Jr. has been named to the Men’s Mid-Indoor Watch List for The Bowerman, awarded annually to the nation’s top collegiate track and field athlete. The Bowerman Watch List was announced by the USTFCCCA (U.S. Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association) today (Feb. 6). Brackins Jr. was also named to the preseason Bowerman Watch List.
Brackins Jr. began the 2025 indoor season by winning the 60m hurdles at the Spokane Sports Showcase on Jan. 17 with a time of 7.59. His time set the USC record and is the NCAA-leading time. Brackins Jr. moved into a tie for the sixth-fastest collegiate 60m hurdler of all-time, trailing only Grant Holloway (7.35), Trey Cunningham (7.38), Daniel Roberts (7.41), Omar McLeod (7.45) and Reggie Torian (7.47). His 7.49 time was the fastest 60m hurdles time by a college athlete since Cunningham clocked 7.38 on March 12, 2022. Brackins Jr. currently is tied for fourth in the world in the 60m hurdles.
The USC senior is coming off a tremendous 2024 season which saw him win the USATF Indoor long jump title with a school-record leap of 27-0.00 (8.23m). The USC record he broke had stood for 34 years. He also placed fourth in the long jump at the U.S. Olympic Trials with an outdoor personal-best jump of 26-9.75/8.17m (+1.9) which moved him into fifth place on USC’s all-time list.
The native of Kansas City, Mo. earned 2024 first-team All-America honors in the long jump by placing fourth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships and by placing second in the 60m hurdles and fourth in the long jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships. He also earned 2024 second-team All-America honors by placing ninth in the 110m hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Brackins Jr. also won the 2024 Pac-12 110m hurdles title and placed fourth in the long jump.
On USC’s all-time outdoor top 10 lists, he ranks fifth in the long jump, sixth in the 110m hurdles and and ran on the 10th-fastest 4x400m relay in school history. On the Trojans’ all-time indoor lists, he is the school record-holder in both the long jump and the 60m hurdles.
The Bowerman is bestowed to collegiate track & field’s top male and female athlete for the year. The Bowerman Advisory Board, and ultimately, The Bowerman Voters, are instructed to consider performances inclusively from the collegiate indoor track & field and outdoor track & field seasons only. The current collective track & field season began on November 29, 2024, and will end on June 14, 2025.