Lee University is a private, comprehensive university located in Cleveland, Tennessee, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Lee is emerging as a leader in higher education in the southeastern region and is consistently ranked in the “Top Tier” of the Best Regional Universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report.

Over the past two decades, Lee has become one of the largest Christ-centered private institutions in Tennessee and the largest in the Appalachian College Association. During that period, the university has seen a remarkable transformation that has included significant growth in its academic programs, student enrollment, faculty expertise, and diversity, as well as an expanded sense of mission and vision.

Tyus Wilson is grabbing his degree and raising the bar to new heights in his future. 

The decorated University of Nebraska–Lincoln track and field athlete is among the December class of 2025 and has his sights set on the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. 

In August, after he ended his collegiate career with a Big Ten championship and gold medal in the 2025 NCAA Indoor high jump, Wilson won the USA high jump championship, securing a spot on Team USA.

And then, this fall, he had to complete his final assignment before graduation — student teaching fifth graders.

“The first few days are just lots of comments and questions, ‘how are you so tall?’” the 6-foot, 8-inch elementary education major said. 

Wilson’s parents are both educators and athletes themselves, and two of his five siblings work in education in some way, even though they started college thinking they’d do something else.

“I started in elementary education, because I did some coaching and things in high school and enjoyed it, but I wondered if I’d find something else,” he said. “When I started doing practicums in the classrooms, it was apparent that I wanted to keep doing it. I really liked being around the kids and helping them learn.

“Every single classroom that I’ve been in has been so different in its own little way. I love being around these kids and seeing those light bulb moments. Even on the bad days, you’ll look back and see their success, and that is why you do it.”

Wilson was 10 — around fifth grade himself — the first time he tried high jump. His dad, still teaching and coaching the high school track and field team in his hometown of Sterling, Kansas, recognized his son’s natural athleticism and helped him hone it. Wilson was a standout athlete in football and basketball, too, but his heart was in high jump. 

By freshman year, Wilson was clearing a seven-foot bar.

“My dad said, ‘yeah, you’re going somewhere.’”

Wilson began his junior year of high school in 2019 and was being recruited by many Division I schools. In the spring, he’d planned to make campus visits, but the COVID pandemic and ensuing shutdowns scuttled those opportunities.

Wilson worked the phones instead. Recruitment usually includes a lot of phone time with coaches, but Wilson also connected with athletes at the various programs to feel out the culture and communities within the programs. 

“That was a turning point for me,” he said. “My parents were checking in and asking me what I was thinking, and getting to talk to some of the athletes, I felt like I meshed with the people in Nebraska better.”

It was a decision that served him well when, during his freshman year, he developed a stress injury in his shin, derailing his inaugural college season. A month later, his dad was diagnosed with stage III lung cancer. The double whammy shook Wilson. He internalized the stress, often isolating himself. He leaned on his Christian faith and started unpacking his “why.”

“What’s my purpose in life? Where do I find my hope and my joy?” he said. “If all my joy and all my hope for the future is coming from how high I’m going to jump over a stick — that’s just not going to be fulfilling. In isolation, by myself, was a good time for me to kind of reflect on my purpose.”

Despite his tendency to withdraw, his teammates, coaches and friends he met in Fellowship of Christian Athletes lifted him up and helped pull him out of the rut. Wilson realized he’d found a community in Lincoln, and that he would come out of the experience a better person.

“It was a very humbling experience, something I definitely needed to get to where I am today, and to handle it the way that I’m handling it now,” he said. 

Now a Team USA athlete, Wilson is still training on campus. Following graduation, he will continue training 20 to 25 hours a week while substitute teaching when he can. 

“It’s nice that I can continue having training partners, working with the team,” he said. “There’s only so much you can do to your body before it starts to talk back to you, and you can get burned out. I’m going to keep other things going so that my brain doesn’t run with the same thing over and over every day.”

 He and his wife, McKenna, a Husker cross country athlete who graduated in May, will stay in Omaha while McKenna finishes her Doctor of Physical Therapy at Creighton University. They hope to keep their home base in Nebraska, while traveling to Wilson’s meets — and to L.A. — for as long as they can. 

“As long as it still makes sense to keep going, I will,” he said. “But it’s never promised. James 4:13-15 says to not boast about the future. You don’t even know what will happen tomorrow.”

KANSAS CITY – Pitt Volleyball (30-5, 18-2 ACC) lost 3-0 to Texas A&M (28-4, 14-1 SEC) in the National Semifinal Thursday night at the T-Mobile Center, 27-29, 21-25, 20-25. The Panthers hit .344 and were led by Olivia Babcock’s 22 kills on her .463 hitting percentage.

Set 1: 27-29

A back-and-forth first set went to the Aggies. The set featured 17 ties and eight lead changes, with neither team leading by more than three points the entire set. Texas A&M hit .410 to Pitt’s .366. Olivia Babcock had seven first-set kills and Blaire Bayless added six for the Panthers.

Set 2: 21-25

The second set was a set of runs, as Texas A&M jumped out to an 11-7 lead before Pitt rattled off eight straight to take a 15-11 lead off the serve of Izzy Masten. The Aggies responded with a 4-0 run and 7-1 run. For the second straight set, the score evened at 21 apiece before Texas A&M scored the last four to take a 2-0 lead.

Set 3: 20-25

Pitt led 10-7 in the third set and looked poised to force a fourth set, but Texas A&M responded with a run of 5-0 and 10-3 to jump ahead 17-13. The Panthers scored three straight and evened the score at 18-18, but Texas A&M ended the match on a 7-2 run to earn the sweep.

Brooke Mosher had a double-double with 31 assists and 10 digs.

Texas A&M hit .382 for the match and added six services aces to Pitt’s two.

Pitt finishes the 2025 season with 30 victories and a fifth-straight trip to the final four. The Panthers are one of just four teams – and the first since Texas (2012-16) – in NCAA volleyball history to make at least five straight National Semifinals.

It’s time for a look at potential winners of the Bowerman, an annual award presented to the most outstanding athletes in collegiate track and field.

Here’s the latest on some of the best in DI track and field.

THE BOWERMAN: Complete history of the track and field honor

Update: Arkansas’ Jordan Anthony won the 2025 men’s Bowerman and Alabama’s Doris Lemngole won the 2025 women’s Bowerman

Finalists

Watch lists from the season

Check out every 2025 watch list below.

Semifinalists

*Two-time Semifinalist
**Three-time Semifinalist

PREDICTING: How the Bowerman watch lists predict the award’s final winner

2025 watch list dates

Below you’ll find all of the Bowerman watch list dates for 2025. 

All dates subject to change

PAST BOWERMANS: 2024 – Leo Neugebauer | 2024 – Parker Valby | 2023 – Jaydon Hibbert | 2023 – Julien Alfred | 2022 – Trey Cunningham | 2022 – Abby Steiner

Date of the winner of the Bowerman

The 2025 winners will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 18 at the 2025 USTFCCCA convention at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas.

Past watch lists

Watch list update No. 7

The seventh update to the Bowerman women’s watch list was announced on Wednesday, June 4, with the men’s watch list announced on Thursday, June 5.

*Watch list career debut

The following athletes received votes:

• Women
  • Temitope Adeshina, Texas Tech (Jumps)
  • Lexy Halladay-Lowry, BYU (Steeple/Distance)
  • Meghan Hunter, BYU (Mid-Distance)
  • Klaudia Kazimierska, Oregon (Mid-Distance/Distance)
  • Brynn King, Roberts Wesleyan (Pole Vault)
  • Mya Lesnar, Colorado State (Throws)
• Men
  • Makanakaishe Charamba, Auburn (Sprints)
  • Micahi Danzy, Florida State (Sprints)
  • Geoffrey Kirwa, Louisville (Steeple/Distance)
  • Angelos Mantzouranis, Minnesota (Hammer/Throws)
  • Tinoda Matsatsa, Georgetown (Mid-Distance/Distance)
  • Samuel Ogazi, Alabama (Sprints)
  • Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, South Florida (Sprints)
  • Kendrick Smallwood, Texas (Sprints/Hurdles)
  • Kostas Zaltos, Minnesota (Throws)

Watch list update No. 6

The sixth update to the Bowerman women’s watch list was announced on Wednesday, May 21, with the men’s watch list announced on Thursday, May 22.

*Watch list career debut

The following athletes received votes:

• Women
  • Temitope Adeshina, Texas Tech (Jumps)
  • Lianna Davidson, Georgia (Javelin)
  • Rachel Glenn, Arkansas (Hurdles/Jumps)
  • Lexy Halladay-Lowry, BYU (Steeple/Distance)
  • Brynn King, Roberts Wesleyan (Pole Vault)
  • Mya Lesnar, Colorado State (Throws)
  • Jadin O’Brien, Notre Dame (Combined Events)
• Men
  • Micahi Danzy, Florida State (Sprints)
  • Geoffrey Kirwa, Louisville (Steeple/Distance)
  • Angelos Mantzouranis, Minnesota (Hammer/Throws)
  • Jamar Marshall, Jr., Houston (Sprints/Hurdles)
  • Tinoda Matsatsa, Georgetown (Mid-Distance/Distance)
  • Kendrick Smallwood, Texas (Sprints/Hurdles)
  • Ja’Kobe Tharp, Auburn (Hurdles)
  • Kostas Zaltos, Minnesota (Throws)

Watch list update No. 5

The fifth update to the Bowerman women’s watch list was announced on Wednesday, May 7, with the men’s watch list announced on Thursday, May 8.

*Watch list career debut

The following athletes received votes:

• Women
  • Margot Appleton, Virginia (Mid-Distance/Distance)
  • Lianna Davidson, Georgia (Javelin)
  • JaMeesia Ford, South Carolina (Sprints)
  • Lexy Halladay-Lowry, BYU (Steeple/Distance)
  • Jadin O’Brien, Notre Dame (Combined Events)
  • Manuela Rotundo, Georgia (Javelin)
• Men
  • Kanyinsola Ajayi, Auburn (Sprints)
  • Jordan Anthony, Arkansas (Sprints)
  • Makanakaishe Charamba, Auburn (Sprints)
  • Nathan Green, Washington (Mid-Distance)
  • Garrett Kaalund, Southern California (Sprints)
  • Carli Makarawu, Kentucky (Sprints)
  • Gary Martin, Virginia (Mid-Distance/Distance)
  • Tinoda Matsatsa, Georgetown (Mid-Distance/Distance)
  • Ralford Mullings, Oklahoma (Throws)
  • Auhmad Robinson, Texas A&M (Sprints)
  • Daniel Reynolds, Wyoming (Throws)
  • Kendrick Smallwood, Texas (Sprints/Hurdles)
  • Keyshawn Strachan, Nebraska (Javelin)
  • Parker Wolfe, North Carolina (Distance)

Watch list update No. 4

The fourth update to the Bowerman women’s watch list was announced on Wednesday, April 16, with the men’s watch list announced on Thursday, April 17.

*Watch list career debut

The following athletes received votes:

• Women
  • Şilan Ayyildiz, Oregon (Mid-Distance)
  • Lianna Davidson, Georgia (Javelin)
  • JaMeesia Ford, South Carolina (Sprints)
  • Hana Moll, Washington (Pole Vault)
  • Jadin O’Brien, Notre Dame (Combined Events)
• Men
  • Jordan Anthony, Arkansas (Sprints)
  • Johnny Brackins, Jr., Southern California (Hurdles/Jumps)
  • Simen Guttormsen, Duke (Pole Vault)
  • Garrett Kaalund, Southern California (Sprints)
  • Trey Knight, CSUN (Throws)
  • Carli Makarawu, Kentucky (Sprints)
  • Gary Martin, Virginia (Mid-Distance/Distance)
  • Tinoda Matsatsa, Georgetown (Mid-Distance/Distance)
  • Chinecherem Nnamdi, Baylor (Javelin)
  • Daniel Reynolds, Wyoming (Throws)
  • Kendrick Smallwood, Texas (Sprints/Hurdles)
  • Keyshawn Strachan, Nebraska (Javelin)
  • Kostas Zaltos, Minnesota (Throws)

Watch list update No. 3

The third update to the Bowerman women’s watch list was announced on Wednesday, March 26, with the men’s watch list announced on Thursday, March 27.

*Watch list career debut

The following athletes received votes:

• Women
  • Şilan Ayyildiz, Oregon (Mid-Distance)
  • Alexis Brown, Baylor (Sprints/Jumps)
  • Dajaz Defrand, Southern California (Sprints)
  • JaMeesia Ford, South Carolina (Sprints)
  • Elena Kulichenko, Georgia (Jumps)
  • Wilma Nielsen, Oregon (Mid-Distance)
• Men
  • Jordan Anthony, Arkansas (Sprints)
  • Favour Ashe, Oregon (Sprints)
  • Johnny Brackins, Jr., Southern California (Hurdles/Jumps)
  • Nathan Green, Washington (Mid-Distance)
  • Brian Musau, Oklahoma State (Distance)
  • Chinecherem Nnamdi, Baylor (Javelin)
  • Jonathan Seremes, Missouri (Jumps)
  • JC Stevenson, Southern California (Sprints/Jumps)

Watch list update No. 2

The second update to the Bowerman women’s watch list was announced on Wednesday, March 5, with the men’s watch list announced on Thursday, March 6.

*Watch list career debut

The following athletes received votes:

• Women
  • Anthaya Charlton, Florida (Jumps)
  • Mya Lesnar, Colorado State (Throws)
  • Indya Mayberry, TCU (Sprints)
  • Jadin O’Brien, Notre Dame (Combined Events)
  • Hilda Olemomoi, Florida (Distance)
  • Michaela Rose, LSU (Mid-Distance)
  • Isabella Whittaker, Arkansas (Sprints)

• Men
  • Favour Ashe, Oregon (Sprints)
  • Makanakaishe Charamba, Auburn (Sprints)
  • Eli Kosiba, Grand Valley State (Jumps)
  • Tinoda Matsatsa, Georgetown (Mid-Distance/Distance)
  • Aidan McCarthy, Cal Poly (Mid-Distance)
  • Chinecherem Nnamdi, Baylor (Javelin)
  • Daniel Reynolds, Wyoming (Throws)
  • Jonathan Seremes, Missouri (Jumps)
  • Aleksandr Solovev, Texas A&M (Pole Vault)
  • Keyshawn Strachan, Nebraska (Javelin)
  • Sam Whitmarsh, Texas A&M (Mid-Distance)

Watch list update No. 1

The first update to the Bowerman women’s watch list was announced on Wednesday, Feb. 5, with the men’s watch list announced on Thursday, Feb. 6. 

*Watch list career debut

The following athletes received votes:

• Women
  • Axelina Johansson, Nebraska (Throws)
  • Pamela Kosgei, New Mexico (Distance)
  • Elena Kulichenko, Georgia (Jumps)
  • Mya Lesnar, Colorado State (Throws)
  • Indya Mayberry, TCU (Sprints)
  • Amanda Moll, Washington (Pole Vault)
  • Hana Moll, Washington (Pole Vault)
  • Wilma Nielsen, Oregon (Mid-Distance)
  • Jadin O’Brien, Notre Dame (Combined Events)
  • Michaela Rose, LSU (Mid-Distance)
  • Savannah Sutherland, Michigan (Sprints/Hurdles)
• Men
  • Favour Ashe, Oregon (Sprints)
  • Graham Blanks, Harvard (Distance)
  • Nathaniel Ezekiel, Baylor (Sprints/Hurdles)
  • Eli Kosiba, Grand Valley State (Jumps)
  • Abdullahi Hassan, Mississippi State (Mid-Distance)
  • Chinecherem Nnamdi, Baylor (Javelin)
  • Samuel Ogazi, Alabama (Sprints)
  • Tarsis Orogot, Alabama (Sprints)
  • Jonathan Seremes, Missouri (Jumps)
  • Aleksandr Solovev, Texas A&M (Pole Vault)
  • JC Stevenson, Southern California (Sprints/Jumps)
  • Keyshawn Strachan, Nebraska (Javelin)

Preseason watch list

The women’s preseason watch list was announced on Wednesday, Jan. 8, with the men’s preseason watch list announced on Thursday, Jan. 9. 

*Watch list career debut
#Returning finalist
+Returning semifinalist

The following athletes received votes:

• Women | Aaliyah Butler, Georgia (Sprints)
  • Rosey Effiong, Arkansas (Sprints)
  • Brynn King, Roberts Wesleyan (Pole Vault)
  • Pamela Kosgei, New Mexico (Distance)
  • Elena Kulichenko, Georgia (Jumps)
  • Jadin O’Brien, Notre Dame (Combined Events)
  • Savannah Sutherland, Michigan (Sprints/Hurdles)
  • Chloe Timberg, Rutgers (Pole Vault)
• Men
  • Nathan Green, Washington (Mid-Distance)
  • Kenneth Ikeji, Harvard (Throws)
  • Eli Kosiba, Grand Valley State (Jumps)
  • Rivaldo Marshall, Arkansas (Mid-Distance)
  • Tinoda Matsatsa, Georgetown (Mid-Distance/Distance)
  • Nathan Mountain, Virginia (Mid-Distance)
  • Samuel Ogazi, Alabama (Sprints)
  • Godson Oghenebrume, LSU (Sprints)
  • Colin Sahlman, Northern Arizona (Mid-Distance)

On Thursday evening, Jordan Anthony was awarded with the 2025 Bowerman Title; the most prestigious honor in NCAA Cross-Country/Track and Field.

One of the highlight stars of the NCAA this year, Arkansas’ Jordan Anthony made it known that he would be someone to look out for on the oval, opening up his 2024/2025 indoor season with a personal best of 6.57 in the 60m Dash back in January, and followed that up with an NCAA #6 All-Time of 6.47 in the preliminary rounds at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships prior to winning his first NCAA title.

During Anthony’s first 100m of the outdoor season, he clocked a scorching 9.98 to dip under the elusive sub-10 seconds barrier for the first time and later went on to win the 100m/200m sprint double at the SEC Outdoor Championships while also throwing down a new personal best and one of the fastest times of the year with his 19.93 in the 200m finals.

It doesn’t stop here however, as Anthony continued to shine in the spotlight at the NCAA Division I West Regionals with a nearly wind legal 9.75 in the 100m and playing a key role in qualifying Arkansas’ 4x100m relay to nationals; where he found himself on the podium three times (100m, 200m, 4x100m), with the crown in the 100m.

Following receiving his award, Anthony started his speech with, “First and foremost, I give all Glory to God,” and followed up with showing recognition to fellow finalists, JaKobe Tharp and Nathaniel Ezekiel.

“Life has a way of redirects towards purposes we never imagined ourselves,” as he referenced with his background in football and how he got started with track and field.

 He closed out his speech with, “Thank you for pushing me, challenging me, and demanding excellence. Your intensity on the field came from a place of belief and I will always respect that,” and acknowledged the leadership of Coach Buck and Coach Case.

Anthony closes out a historic year as one of the top sprinters in NCAA history and inked a professional contract with Adidas back in June earlier this year

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