Oklahoma State University Athletics
Brian Musau named to 2026 Bowerman Preseason Watch List
January 08, 2026 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State distance runner Brian Musau was named to The Bowerman Men's Preseason Watch List ahead of the 2026 season, the organization announced Thursday.
Musau is one of five returning semifinalists from the 2025 season, the most returning semifinalists since 2015. Overall, he is the fifth Oklahoma State athlete to be named to The Bowerman Watch List, joining German Fernandez (2009), Nick Miller (2016), Sinclaire Johnson (2019) and Fouad Messaoudi (2023). Fernandez was also a finalist in 2009, with Miller and Johnson reaching semifinalist status in 2016 and 2019, respectively.
Musau was a semifinalist in 2025 after completing one of the best athletic seasons in Oklahoma State history, claiming his third career NCAA title and second national title of the athletic year in the 5,000 Meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. He defended his NCAA indoor title in the 5K, becoming the first man since 2019 to complete the 5,000 Meter sweep at the NCAA Championships.
At the Sunset Tour last July, Musau set the collegiate record outdoors in the 5,000 Meters with his time of 12:59.82, the first man in collegiate history to break the 13:00 barrier. He would then go on to win gold at the World University Games in Germany in the 10,000 Meters before returning to Stillwater for the cross country season. In his most recent season on the grass, Musau won his third consecutive Big 12 title before leading the Cowboys to the program's sixth NCAA Championship with his fourth-place finish at the national meet.
He currently owns the program record in both the indoor and outdoor 5K as well as the indoor 3,000 Meters. He also led off the Cowboy Distance Medley Relay squad that set the program record and world No. 3 mark all-time at the Arkansas Qualifier last season indoors.
The Bowerman Award is bestowed to collegiate track & field's top male and female athlete for the year. The award was created in 2009, with the first watch lists announced in 2010 and is presented at the USTFCCCA Coaches Convention in December each year.
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