Making history every time he's run a race thus far this season, Eastern Washington University hurdler Parker Bowden has earned a second-straight Big Sky Conference Track Athlete of The Week honor the league office announced on Monday (March 29).
 
The 2015 graduate of Central Valley High School in Spokane, Wash., improved his school-record time in the 110-meter hurdles for the third weekend in a row. Bowden won the event last Saturday (March 27) at the Al Manuel Invitational in Missoula, Mont., with a new best of 13.87.
 
That time currently ranks him No. 7 in the West Region and No. 17 in NCAA Division I. In previous weeks, he had times of 13.89 and 13.90, shattering the previous school record of 14.23 set by Steven Warner in 2014.
 
Bowden's previous personal bests entering this season was 14.25 (14.34 non wind-aided) at EWU, 14.39 at Community Colleges of Spokane and 14.99 at Central Valley.
 
"Parker is very goal driven," said Eastern head coach Stan Kerr. "He has the national track and field championships in his sights and understands the work needed to get there. We are all very proud of both his stellar academic accomplishments, as well as his currently being one of the best timber toppers in the country."
 
Bowden, whose father, Chuck, is head coach at Central Valley and also competed in track and field at Eastern, is now tied for 10th on the Big Sky's all-time list in the hurdles. The next five times ahead of him are 13.85 (ninth), 13.84 (eighth), 13.83 (seventh), 13.82 (sixth) and 13.81 (fifth).
 
"His race was a very good show for everyone who attended the meet at Dornblaser Stadium," said Kerr after last Saturday's meet in Missoula.
 
Beginning with the season opener at Oregon State University, Bowden set an all-time personal record in the 110-meter hurdles of 13.90, which also broke the OSU facility record. One week later, Bowden broke his own record at the Whitworth Essential in Spokane, Wash., improving his time to 13.89. It was also a Whitworth facility record.
 
"This performance for Parker is something that represents a lifetime of work in the event," said Kerr of Bowden's original sub 14-second time. "He's a fifth-year student, has been through injuries, is in graduate school maintaining a 4.0 GPA, and he works. There's a lot on his schedule, so to come out and open the season with a blazing time like this, it sets him up well for the rest of the outdoor season."
 
"This guy works his tail off and he's tremendous with the rest of the people around him," added Kerr. "He has a huge effect on this entire program, on the school, and we just need a dozen more guys like Parker."
 
The other nominees for the weekly award from Eastern included Benjamin Howard (men's field), Faith Kennedy (women's track) and Morgan Fossen (women's field).