After a breakthrough year in 2013 and rewriting the record books, UCLA rising redshirt senior discus thrower Julian Wruck was announced as one of three finalists for The Bowerman Trophy, becoming the first Bruin athlete, male or female, to contend for the award.
“It’s an honor to be placed amongst these names that have gone through the NCAA before,” said Wruck.
“Guys like Ashton Eaton have won it. It’s pretty amazing to just be nominated for the award so its an honor and I feel really lucky to be a part of something so big.”
The Bowerman Trophy is given every year by the U.S Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association and is awarded to the top male and female collegiate athlete in track and field.
Although The Bowerman is a new award, first presented in 2009, UCLA coach Mike Maynard understands the importance of the trophy for the sport of track and field and praises the journey that Wruck has had en route to his selection as one of the three finalists.
“The Bowerman Award is relatively new so obviously we have had some great athletes come to UCLA who would have had an opportunity (to be selected for the award), but it’s been in place long enough,” Maynard said.
“It means a lot to have a finalist for the collegiate track and field top honor. (Wruck) has had a spectacular season, undefeated among collegians and (has set) collegiate records, so I’m really proud of him .”
Wruck feels proud to be the first Bruin to be nominated for the award, but recognizes that the athletes that have competed in the past for UCLA would have had the opportunity to take the trophy.
“I know definitely that if it went far enough UCLA would have had some champions because UCLA has had great athletes, but yet to be placed amongst the sorts of names that have won before me; it’s pretty amazing,” Wruck said.
“UCLA is a top college, it’s got a top track and field program so it feels great to be acknowledged as having achieved something so high.”
Wruck was dominant during the 2013 season, finishing the season undefeated in eight collegiate events. He also registered the top 27 throws by any collegian.
At the Claremont Throws meet in June, Wruck recorded the best throw ever by a college athlete, throwing 68.16m. Then he continued his dominance by winning the Pac-12 championship with a conference meet record throw that qualified him with the top mark at the NCAA preliminaries.
At the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championship, Wruck came from behind, after trailing midway, through the final three throws to achieve his second NCAA championship in the discus. Prior to his transfer to UCLA, Wruck won the 2011 NCAA Outdoor discus crown while at Texas Tech.
To be considered for The Bowerman, a track and field athlete needs to compete in the NCAA indoor or outdoor track & field season in the same year the award is given.
Each finalist receives three points for a first-choice vote, two points for second-choice vote and one point for a third-choice vote. The winner is determined after the tabulation of ballots, fan voting and USTFCCCA member voting.
For Wruck, it is clear that The Bowerman is a distinguished award given to the best track and field athlete of the year and it would be the icing on the cake.
“Being a discus thrower everything is measured … you understand where you are based on your distances,” he said.
“But an award like this is based on people’s perception of you as an athlete in general so it’s more than ‘we give you this because you have tried distance x a certain on certain number of times,’ they give it because they think you have achieved a level of athletic ability that’s beyond everyone else. If I were to win this award I would be absolutely thrilled, it would be the most amazing part of my college career. “
The winner of the award will be announced on Dec. 18 at the USTFCCAA’s annual convention in Orlando.