Trayvon Bromell: Baylor’s next Olympic hopeful?

Just how good is Baylor track-and-field star Trayvon Bromell?

Earlier this month, the Baylor sophomore earned All-America honors in a pair of individual events at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. To put that in context, the last male athlete from Baylor to accomplish that feat did so only weeks after the end of Pat Neff’s presidency.

In his first two years at Baylor, Bromell has already won two NCAA championships: the 100-meters at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships, and the 200-meters at the 2015 NCAA Indoor Championships. It’s worth noting that Olympic legend Michael Johnson is the only Bear ever to win three individual NCAA track titles. (Also worth noting: Bromell nearly matched Johnson’s total at last month’s NCAA Outdoors event, finishing second in the 100-meter dash only because his opponent ran the second-best time in collegiate history.)

Hear Bromell tell his own story:

For his success, the St. Petersburg, Fla. native was named the Big 12 Men’s Track & Field Performer of the Year for 2015 — just the third Bear ever to win the honor. Bromell was also named the South Central Regional Men’s Track Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association — the first Bear ever to be so honored. [6/22 UPDATE: He also was named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2015 Bowerman Trophy, given annually to the most outstanding male and female collegiate track & field athletes in the nation.]

Will Bromell be the next great Olympic track star from Baylor? NBCSports started asking that question last spring, when Bromell was just a freshman, and Michael Johnson himself validated the question after watching Bromell run in April. “Based on what I’ve seen,” said the four-time Olympic gold medalist, “there’s no reason to believe that he can’t be consistent and ultimately be one of those American athletes competing for the medals.”

Sic ’em, Trayvon!