Nigeria’s Nathaniel Ezekiel is poised for a landmark moment in collegiate athletics after being named a finalist for the Bowerman Award, the most prestigious individual honour in United States college track and field, which will be presented on Friday morning (today) in Grapevine, Texas, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Ezekiel, the reigning NCAA outdoor 400mH champion, is the first athlete from Baylor University to reach the final three for the award, often described as track and field’s equivalent of the Heisman Trophy.
The ceremony will take place at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Centre and will be streamed live by RunnerSpace, with the presentation beginning in the early hours of today in Nigerian time.
The nine-time All-American capped an outstanding collegiate career by winning the NCAA outdoor 400mH title in a school-record 47.49s, remaining unbeaten in the event throughout the outdoor season.
He also claimed silver in the indoor 400m at the 2025 NCAA indoor championships after running 45.44s, having earlier clocked 44.74s at the Big 12 indoor championships, one of the fastest times in collegiate history.
Over the course of the season, Ezekiel produced four of the ten fastest times ever recorded in NCAA history in the 400mH, finishing his university career with an 8–1 record in finals against collegiate opposition.
The Nigeria international, who represented the country at the 2024 Olympic Games and 2025 World Athletics Championships, turned professional this summer and has continued his upward trajectory.
He reached the Diamond League final in his debut season and finished fourth at the world championships in Tokyo, setting a new Nigerian record of 47.11s in the 400mH.
Ezekiel will be up against Ja’Kobe Tharp of Auburn, the NCAA indoor 60mH and outdoor 110mH champion, and Arkansas sprinter Jordan Anthony, who swept the indoor 60m and outdoor 100m titles.
On the women’s side, the finalists are Pamela Kosgei of New Mexico, Doris Lemngole of Alabama and Savannah Sutherland of Michigan.
Last year’s Bowerman awards were won by Texas decathlete Leo Neugebauer and Florida distance runner Parker Valby.
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