Nigerian athlete Nathaniel Ezekiel has been named the 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, capping off a dominant season for Baylor University.
According to Punch Sports Extra, the announcement came from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, with the selection based on a vote by NCAA coaches.
Ezekiel made history this season by winning the national title in the men’s 400m hurdles with a personal best of 47.49 seconds at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon—placing him third on the all-time collegiate list.
The Delta State-born athlete also became the first in NCAA history to record four top-10 all-time marks in the 400m hurdles within a single season, a feat unmatched in collegiate athletics.
Earlier in 2025, Ezekiel broke the African indoor 400m record with a stunning 44.74-second run at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships in Texas, earning him eighth place on the global all-time list.
His consistent excellence throughout the season earned him a nomination for The Bowerman, the highest individual honour in NCAA track and field.
Ezekiel now joins Olympic legend Jeremy Wariner as the only Baylor athletes to win this prestigious award.
Other standout awardees include Jamaica’s Ralford Mullings, who won Field Athlete of the Year, and Savannah Sutherland of Michigan, who broke the women’s 400m hurdles collegiate record. Coaches Quincy Watts and Caryl Smith Gilbert were also recognised for their teams’ success.
Ezekiel’s achievement further solidifies Nigeria’s growing presence on the global athletics stage.
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