Nathaniel Ezekiel remains on prestigious Bowerman Watch List, Kanyinsola Ajayi debuts
Nathaniel Ezekiel remains among the elite Collegiate athletes for the fourth consecutive time following the update to The Bowerman Watch List released Thursday by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association.
The Nigerian has had an outstanding 2025 indoor and outdoor season thus far and has finished first in every event he’s competed in with the 400m, 400 hurdles and the 4×400 relay.
According to the website of the Bowerman, ‘the Baylor standout made his outdoor debut at the Michael Johnson Invitational, where he went 48.99 in the 400-meter hurdles and anchored the Bears to a season best 3:06.75 in the 4×400 relay.
‘Ezekiel then covered 400 meters without the hurdles in 44.75 and 45.09 in back-to-back weeks. During the indoor season, the Baylor standout finished runner-up in the 400 meters by 0.01 seconds at the 2025 NCAA DI Indoor Championships. Earlier in the season, Ezekiel set an all-conditions PR in the 400 with his 44.74 winner at the Big 12 Indoor Championships.’
Meanwhile, Auburn University sophomore, Kanyinsola Ajayi has made his debut in the watch list as he was one of the record 24 athletes who received votes from The Bowerman Advisory Board for the 2025 Men’s Pre-Outdoor Conference Championships Watch List.
According to the organizers, only ten can be on the Watch List at a time.
Ajayi ran the second leg of the NCAA-leading 4x100m relay by Auburn University (38.39). He also ran in the 100m event in Gainesville, delivering the fifth fastest time in the USA this year (9.96) and the second fastest in Auburn University history.
The Bowerman award is presented each year to the nation’s most outstanding male and female athletes. The trophy is named after famed Oregon head coach Bill Bowerman.
