Nigerian track star Nathaniel Ezekiel has been named a finalist for the 2025 Bowerman Award, the most prestigious individual honour in U.S. collegiate athletics.
The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced Ezekiel as one of three finalists for this year’s award on Tuesday, following a record-breaking senior season at Baylor University.
He becomes the first Baylor athlete ever to reach this stage, and only the third Nigerian finalist in the history of the award — after Blessing Okagbare in 2010 and Divine Oduduru in 2019.
Ezekiel’s 2025 season has drawn attention across the world of athletics. The 400m hurdles specialist went undefeated in all outdoor events, capped by emerging the NCAA Outdoor Championships winner, where he clocked a personal best and national record of 47.49s — the third-fastest time in collegiate history.
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Over the course of the 2025 season, he has been in sensational form — setting four Nigerian records (47.90s, 47.89s, 47.86s, and 47.49s), and dominating the NCAA with unmatched consistency.
That performance confirmed his status as the top 400m hurdler in college track, and earned him titles such as USTFCCCA Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, Big 12 Indoor and Outdoor Athlete of the Year, and multiple conference championships in the 400m, 4x400m relay, and 400m hurdles.
Ezekiel leaves Baylor as a nine-time All-American and a four-time NCAA medalist. He holds the program record in the 400m hurdles, the indoor 400m, and is part of the school’s record-breaking indoor 4x400m relay team. He also owns the Nigerian and Big 12 meet records in the 400m hurdles.
Fan voting for The Bowerman opens at 3 p.m. CT on July 8 and runs until July 10. The winner will be announced on December 18 at the USTFCCCA Convention in Grapevine, Texas.
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