Soaring Adeshina Secures Fifth Bowerman Watch List Spot
Temitope Adeshina, the high jump sensation from Offa Town, Nigeria, has earned her fifth career appearance on The Bowerman Watch List, solidifying her status as one of collegiate track and field’s brightest stars.
The recognition comes after an undefeated year across both indoor and outdoor competitions, highlighted by her Big 12 Outdoor title-winning clearance of 1.94m.
Her season has been defined by consistency and excellence.
In March, Adeshina soared to 1.97m to claim her second consecutive NCAA Division I Indoor title, tying her for No. 5 on the all-time collegiate indoor list.
That mark also places her tied for No. 4 on the outdoor list, thanks to her 1.97m clearance from last year. With a national collegiate outdoor-leading height of 1.95m this season, she remains unmatched in her discipline.
The Bowerman, presented annually by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), honours the most outstanding male and female athletes in NCAA and NAIA track and field.
The 2026 award will be presented in December at the USTFCCCA Convention in Grapevine, Texas.
Adeshina is seeking to make history as the first Nigerian athlete to win The Bowerman. While compatriots Blessing Okagbare (2010), Divine Oduduru (2019), and Nathaniel Ezekiel (2025) all reached the finalist stage, none have yet claimed the coveted trophy.
Her undefeated campaign positions her as a strong contender to break that barrier and etch her name into the record books.
