T&F’s Ezekiel Sits as Semifinalist on Bowerman Watchlist
6/26/2025 3:02:00 PM | Track & Field
USTFCCCA Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year remains as one of nation’s best
NEW ORLEANS – Baylor track & field star Nathaniel Ezekiel added another honor to his accolade list as a semifinalist for the Bowerman Award, the organization announced on Thursday afternoon.
Ezekiel has spent the most time on the watchlist out of the semifinalists, second behind North Carolina's Ethan Strand. Ezekiel is Baylor's third semifinalists in program history as KC Lightfoot (2021) and Trayvon Bromell (2014, 2015) also made the honor.
The Bowerman is bestowed to collegiate track & field's top male and female athlete for the year. The Bowerman Advisory Board, and ultimately, The Bowerman Voters, are instructed to consider performances inclusively from the collegiate indoor track & field and outdoor track & field seasons only.
Ezekiel's historic senior season was highlighted by the NCAA Outdoor Championships, running his final lap in a Baylor uniform with a personal-best of 47.49 and the No. 3 all-time mark in collegiate history to win the 400-meter hurdles title. The Nigerian was the first national champion for Baylor in the 400mH since Bayano Kamani in 2001 and only the third Bear to win the event.
Ezekiel ended his Baylor career with multitudes of honors, including 2025 USTFCCCA Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, Big 12 Indoor and Outdoor Athlete of the Year, a nine-time All-American in the indoor and outdoor seasons and the BU program record holder in the 400mH, the indoor 400m and a member in the indoor 4x400 relay. Most notably, Ezekiel concluded his collegiate career as the only athlete in NCAA history to have multiple all-time top ten marks in the 400mH, owning four.
The finalists for the Bowerman award will be announced Tuesday, July 8 with online fan voting happening from July 8-10. The Bowerman winners will be announced on Thursday, December 18 at the USTFCCCA Convention in Grapevine, Texas.
THE BOWERMAN MEN'S SEMIFINALISTS
Mykolas Alekna, California (Discus)
Jordan Anthony, Arkansas (Sprints)
James Corrigan, BYU (Mid-Distance/Steeple)
Nathaniel Ezekiel, Baylor (Sprints/Hurdles)
Ishmael Kipkurui, New Mexico (Distance)
Carlie Makarawu, Kentucky (Sprints)
Ralford Mullings, Oklahoma (Throws)
Brian Musau, Oklahoma State (Distance)
Ethan Strand, North Carolina (Mid-Distance/Distance)
Ja'Kobe Tharp, Auburn (Hurdles)
- BaylorBears.com -
Ezekiel has spent the most time on the watchlist out of the semifinalists, second behind North Carolina's Ethan Strand. Ezekiel is Baylor's third semifinalists in program history as KC Lightfoot (2021) and Trayvon Bromell (2014, 2015) also made the honor.
The Bowerman is bestowed to collegiate track & field's top male and female athlete for the year. The Bowerman Advisory Board, and ultimately, The Bowerman Voters, are instructed to consider performances inclusively from the collegiate indoor track & field and outdoor track & field seasons only.
Ezekiel's historic senior season was highlighted by the NCAA Outdoor Championships, running his final lap in a Baylor uniform with a personal-best of 47.49 and the No. 3 all-time mark in collegiate history to win the 400-meter hurdles title. The Nigerian was the first national champion for Baylor in the 400mH since Bayano Kamani in 2001 and only the third Bear to win the event.
Ezekiel ended his Baylor career with multitudes of honors, including 2025 USTFCCCA Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, Big 12 Indoor and Outdoor Athlete of the Year, a nine-time All-American in the indoor and outdoor seasons and the BU program record holder in the 400mH, the indoor 400m and a member in the indoor 4x400 relay. Most notably, Ezekiel concluded his collegiate career as the only athlete in NCAA history to have multiple all-time top ten marks in the 400mH, owning four.
The finalists for the Bowerman award will be announced Tuesday, July 8 with online fan voting happening from July 8-10. The Bowerman winners will be announced on Thursday, December 18 at the USTFCCCA Convention in Grapevine, Texas.
THE BOWERMAN MEN'S SEMIFINALISTS
Mykolas Alekna, California (Discus)
Jordan Anthony, Arkansas (Sprints)
James Corrigan, BYU (Mid-Distance/Steeple)
Nathaniel Ezekiel, Baylor (Sprints/Hurdles)
Ishmael Kipkurui, New Mexico (Distance)
Carlie Makarawu, Kentucky (Sprints)
Ralford Mullings, Oklahoma (Throws)
Brian Musau, Oklahoma State (Distance)
Ethan Strand, North Carolina (Mid-Distance/Distance)
Ja'Kobe Tharp, Auburn (Hurdles)
- BaylorBears.com -
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