On the National Stage... || 2015 Indoor || A member of the runner-up distance medley relay (9:32.21) ... All-American || 2014 Outdoor || Qualified for the NCAA East Prelims in the 800-meter run and the 4x400-meter relay ... A member of the 4x400-meter relay squad that finished 15th with its time of 3:07.95 ... Placed 13th in the prelims of the 800-meter run with his season-best time of 1:48.33, missing out on qualifying for nationals by a half of a second || 2014 Indoor || Qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 800-meter run and the distance medley relay ... Claimed seventh-place (1:50.25) in the 800-meter run ... Ran the 400-meter leg of the distance medley relay that placed 11th (9:57.88) ... First team All-American || 2013 Outdoor || Was a member of the Nittany Lions' "Championship of America" winning 4x800 at Penn Relays ... Split 1:48.22 on the second leg to help the Nittany Lions to a finishing time of 7:14.14 ... Advanced to the NCAA Eastern Preliminary Round in the 800, qualifying through the first round and finishing 23rd in the quarterfinals || 2013 Indoor || Ran the 800-meter leg on the Nittany Lions' NCAA runner-up DMR, earning All-America honors ... Also ran the 800 on Penn State's school-record 9:26.60 DMR at the Alex Wilson Invitational ... The performance was the second-fastest ever run by a collegiate team indoors ... Was also a member of the winning 4x800 at the Millrose Games, where the team set school, facility, and meet records in the event at 7:21.37
At the Big Ten Championships... || 2015 Indoor || Placed 10th in the 800-meter run with his time of 1:51.46 ... A member of the first place distance medley relay (9:40.62) ... First team All-Big Ten || 2014 Outdoor || A member of the 4x400-meter relay team that placed seventh its time of 3:10.30 ... Ran the fastest time (1:49.65) in the prelims of the 800-meter run ... Finished fourth in the 800-meter run (1:49.80) || 2014 Indoor || A member of the distance medley relay team (9:45.48) that defended its 2013 Big Ten title ... Finished fifth in the 800-meter run (1:50.52) ... First team All-Big Ten || 2013 Outdoor || Finished 13th overall in the 800 in 1:51.09 || 2013 Indoor || Posted a scoring finish in the 800, taking third-place overall in 1:50.32 to join teammate and event champion Brannon Kidder on the medal stand
Around the Track... || 2015 Outdoor || Did not compete|| 2015 Indoor || Finished third in the 600-meter run at the Penn State Tune-Up with his personal-best time of 1:18.45 ... Tallied a second-place finish in the 800-meter run at the Sykes & Sabock Challenge Cup with his season-best time of 1:49.68 ... A member of the distance medley relay that finished second at the Penn State National Invite with its time of 9:28.36 - No. 7 all-time performance in collegiate history || 2014 Outdoor || Opened the 2014 outdoor season with a second-place finish in the 800-meter run (1:48.94) and was on the third-place 4x400-meter relay team (3:11.48) at the Crimson Tide Invitational ... Ran a lifetime-best time of 3:45.79 in the 1,500-meter run to finish sixth at the Bison Outdoor Classic ... A member of the 4x800-meter relay team that placed second at the Penn Relays with its time of 7:18.99 || 2014 Indoor || Won five events during the indoor season ... At the season-opening Penn State Relays, Watkins was on two relay winning teams (distance medley relay - 9:59.94, 4x400-meter relay - 3:11.58) ... Ran the 800-meter leg of the distance medley relay that posted the second-fastest time in collegiate history (9:26.59) at the Penn State National Invitational, which is a school, facility, and meet record ... Ran a lifetime-best time of 1:48.11 in the 800-meter run to finish third at the Sykes & Sabock Challenge Cup (his time ranks fifth all-time at Penn State) ... Posted season-best times in the 600-meter run (1:19.41) and the mile run (4:23.06) at the SPIRE NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Invitational || 2013 Outdoor || Finished second in his section of the 800 at the Mt. SAC Relays (1:50.18) ... Placed sixth in the 800 at the Crimson Tide Invitational, thanks to a season-best 1:49.50 || 2013 Indoor || Opened up the season in impressive fashion, running 2:22.02 to finish second in the 1000 at the Nittany Lion Challenge ... Placed third in the 800 at the PSU National in 1:49.03 ... Finished second in the 800 at the Sykes & Sabock Challenge Cup, going 1:49.41 ... Ran an indoor PR 1:48.92 at the Alex Wilson Last Chance
On the Course... || 2014 Cross Country || Competed in two meets unattached (Dolan Duals and the Penn State National) || 2013 Cross Country || Opened the 2013 season with a 14th-place finish at the Dolan Duals ... Claimed 24th-place at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational ... Tallied a 366th-place finish at Lehigh's Paul Short Run ... Took 30th at the Penn State National
Before Penn State... || High School || Only of the most highly-touted middle distance athletes in the high school ranks ... Was the number-one ranked high schooler in the 1000 meters as a junior (2:26.13) ... Ran 1:19.20 for 600 in 2012 - the second-fastest effort nationally, and 10th-best performance in the all-time high school record book ... Finished second at New Balance Indoor Nationals with a sizzling 1:50.11 - the third-fastest time ever run by a prep indoors ... Placed second at New Balance Outdoor Nationals two years in-a-row, running a PR 1:49.70 in 2011 ... Turned heads at New Balance Nationals in 2010, splitting 1:47.99 on Liverpool's 4x800 ... Was continually impressive at the New Balance National meet, splitting 1:48.85 as a junior on the anchor of the sprint medley and clocking 1:48.05 on the SMR ... Won the 1500 at the prestigious Millrose Games as a senior ... Won the 1000 at the NYSPHSAA Indoor State Championships as a sophomore and again as a senior ... Won the 800 at the NY Outdoor State Meet senior year, also finished second in the 1600 in 4:07.24 - the sixth ranked time in the country in 2012 ... Also won the 800 and placed second in the 1600 at NY States as a junior ... Placed third in the 800 at the Brooks PR Meet in 2012 ... Also played quarterback at Liverpool || Personal || Son of Edward Watkins ... Born October 24, 1993
Collegiate Personal Bests || Track and Field
Event | Indoor | Outdoor |
600m | 1:18.45 | *** |
800m | 1:48.11 | 1:48.33 |
1000m | 2:22.02 | *** |
1500m | *** | 3:45.79 |
Mile | 4:23.06 | *** |
4x800m | 7:21.37 | 7:14.14 |
DMR | 9:26.60 | *** |