Can Nigeria’s Nathaniel Ezekiel upset the Bowerman Odds?
As the countdown begins for the 2025 Bowerman Award ceremony, all eyes are on Baylor’s Nathaniel Ezekiel—the Nigerian sensation who has hurdled his way into history and into serious contention for collegiate track and field’s most prestigious honor.
Ezekiel, the first Baylor athlete ever named a Bowerman finalist, enters the final stretch of the award race with a résumé that rivals the best in NCAA history. His crowning moment came at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, where he stormed to a 47.49 in the 400m hurdles—the third-fastest time ever recorded in collegiate competition. But that was just one chapter in a season of dominance.
According to NCAA.com’s Stan Becton, Ezekiel’s 2025 campaign was ‘one of the greatest collegiate seasons in the 400m hurdles ever.’
He remained undefeated in his signature event, claimed the Big 12 Indoor and Outdoor Athlete of the Year honors, and posted four of the top 10 times in NCAA history in the 400m hurdles—a feat no other athlete has achieved.
‘Ezekiel’s consistency and ability to deliver on the biggest stages make him a legitimate contender,’ Becton wrote in his Bowerman preview. ‘His 47.49 is not just fast—it’s historic.’
While Arkansas sprinter Jordan Anthony has been widely tipped as the frontrunner—thanks to his 60m/100m NCAA title sweep and a blistering 9.75w 100m—Ezekiel’s supporters argue that his undefeated record and all-time marks in a grueling event give him a unique edge.
If Ezekiel wins, he would become the first Nigerian and first Baylor athlete to claim The Bowerman, joining the likes of past winners Rai Benjamin and Grant Holloway—both of whom also made their mark in the hurdles.
