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<h1 align="right" style="text-align:right"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – July 8, 2025<o:p></o:p></span></b></h1>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black">T&F’s Nathaniel Ezekiel Becomes Baylor’s First-Ever Finalist for The Bowerman<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">BU National Champion is one of three finalists for track & field’s highest honor<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">For more information contact:
</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Josie Hutton; 254-709-7720,
</span><a href="mailto:josie_hutton@baylor.edu"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">josie_hutton@baylor.edu</span></a><u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:blue"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
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<p class="MsoBodyText"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">NEW ORLEANS –</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"> Baylor track & field’s Nathaniel Ezekiel has cemented himself as one of the all-time
greats in program history, earning a prestigious spot as a finalist for The Bowerman, announced Tuesday afternoon by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Joining Ezekiel as finalists are Jordan Anthony of Arkansas
and Ja’Kobe Tharp of Auburn. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">The announcement marked the first time in program history that a Baylor student-athlete has been named a finalist for the prominent award. Ezekiel appeared on all but one watchlist
throughout the 2025 season. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">The Bowerman is given annually to the top collegiate track and field men's and women's athlete of the year. Online fan voting will open at 3 p.m. CT on Tuesday, July 8, and
close at 1 p.m. on Thursday, July 10. The Bowerman Presentation will take place Thursday, Dec. 18, in Grapevine, Texas, at the annual USTFCCCA Convention.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Ezekiel's historic senior season was highlighted by the NCAA Outdoor Championships, running his final lap in a Baylor uniform with a personal-best of 47.49 and the No. 3 all-time
mark in collegiate history to win the 400-meter hurdles title. The Nigerian was the first national champion for Baylor in the 400mH since Bayano Kamani in 2001 and only the third Bear to win the event. Ezekiel went undefeated in all outdoor events this season.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Ezekiel ended his Baylor senior season with multitudes of honors, including 2025 USTFCCCA Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, NCAA Indoor Runner-Up in the 400m, Big 12 Indoor
and Outdoor Athlete of the Year and Big 12 Champion in the 400m and 4x400 relay and outdoor 400mH.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Through his career at BU, Ezekiel finished as a nine-time All-American in the indoor and outdoor seasons. Ezekiel stacked on 11 medals between Big 12 Indoor and Outdoor meets,
two bronze, four silver and five gold. At NCAA Indoor & Outdoor Championships, Ezekiel was a four-time medalist, with two bronze, one silver and one gold.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">The Nigerian legend leaves his legacy as the BU program record holder in the 400mH, the indoor 400m and a member in the indoor 4x400 relay. Ezekiel also holds the Nigerian
and Big 12 meet record in the 400mH. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Most notably, Ezekiel concluded his collegiate career as the only athlete in NCAA history to have multiple all-time top ten marks in the 400mH, owning four.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">THE BOWERMAN FINALISTS FOR 2025<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Jordan Anthony, Arkansas<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><b><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Nathaniel Ezekiel, Baylor<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Ja'Kobe Tharp, Auburn<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Pamela Kosgei, New Mexico<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Doris Lemngole, Alabama<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Savannah Sutherland, Michigan<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" align="center" style="text-align:center"><a href="http://www.baylorbears/"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black">- BaylorBears</span></i></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black">.com</span></i></span><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black">
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="layout-grid-mode:both"><b><span style="font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:#0F5C1A">Josie Hutton</span></b><span style="font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black"> | Associate Director of Athletics Communications (FB, T&F/XC, MTEN) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="layout-grid-mode:both"><span style="font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black">Department of Athletics | Baylor University<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="layout-grid-mode:both"><span style="font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black">C: (254) 709-7720<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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