Sports
2025 World Team Trials Preview & Predictions
The 2025 World Team Trials Challenge Tournament will take place on May 16-17 in Louisville, Kentucky. The winner of every bracket will qualify for Final X to compete for a world team spot on June 14. You can watch the World Team Trials Challenge tournament only on FloWrestling and check out a full preview with predictions for the men’s freestyle division in the article below.
65 Kilograms
- Nick Lee
- Jesse Mendez
- Seth Gross
- Marcus Blaze
- Bo Bassett
- Aden Valencia
- Real Woods
- Beau Bartlett
- Brock Hardy
- Carter Young
65 kg is one of the deepest weights at the World Team Trials and has a ton of parity. As the 2023 world team member, Nick Lee will likely be the #1 seed and is a slight favorite on paper. Lee has significant wins in his senior-level career over Joey McKenna, Yianni Diakomihalis, Matt Kolodzik, Islam Dudaev, Austin Gomez, Andrew Alirez, and several other notable wrestlers over the past few years. Lee hasn’t wrestled since the Olympic Trials over a year ago, but if he’s wrestling his best in Louisville, he’s the pick to win this deep bracket.
Lee’s wins over Yianni at Final X 2023:
Two-time NCAA champ Jesse Mendez is coming off a runner-up finish at the US Open and also finished fourth at the 2024 Olympic Trials. Mendez won a U20 world silver medal in 2023 and should be considered most likely to win this bracket after Nick Lee.
Jesse Mendez’s win over Beau Bartlett at the 2025 US Open:
Bo Bassett, Seth Gross, and Marcus Blaze are all wrestlers I consider “wild cards” at 65 kg. Iowa commit Bassett is still just a junior in high school, but he’s had incredible success that suggests he could make a deep run in this bracket. Bassett won a U20 world bronze medal and notably went 4-0 last year against Aden Valencia (who finished third at the US Open). At the very least, it will be fascinating to see how Bassett wrestles against accomplished college wrestlers in this field.
Bassett’s run at the U20 Worlds:
Blaze and Gross are wild cards primarily because they are coming up from 61 kg. Gross just finished second at the 2025 US Open while defeating Blaze in the semis. Blaze, an incoming freshman at Penn State, is a U17 world champion and won a bronze medal at the U20 world championships last year. Beyond that, he’s had domestic success, placing third at the 2024 Olympic Trials (at 57 kg), second at the 2024 World Team Trials (at 61 kg), and third at the 2025 US Open (at 61 kg). In all of those events, Blaze has accumulated victories over Daton Fix, Nahshon Garrett, Seth Gross, Luke Lilledahl, Nathan Tomasello, and Nico Megaludis. If Gross and Blaze can translate the success they’ve had to 65 kg, they’ll absolutely be factors at the World Team Trials.
Aden Valencia, Real Woods, and Beau Bartlett finished 3-5, respectively at the US Open and showcase the depth of this bracket. Valencia, a true freshman at Stanford, had a breakout tournament in Vegas with two wins over Woods and a razor-thin loss to Joey McKenna. Though Woods lost to Valencia, he went on to defeat Bartlett. Beyond that, Woods won a bronze medal in February at the Ranking Series tournament in Albania against top-level competition.
Aden Valencia’s win over Seth Gross:
Then there’s Beau Bartlett, who lost close matches to both Jesse Mendez and Real Woods in Vegas. Despite those losses, Bartlett shouldn’t be underestimated at the Trials and should be considered a contender as much as anyone else in the bracket.
Finally, Brock Hardy is the only wrestler in the field we didn’t see in Vegas. Hardy won a U23 world bronze medal in 2023 and is coming off a great college season where he finished as the NCAA runner-up at 141 pounds. He’s a bit of a dark horse because he hasn’t competed on the freestyle scene recently, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes a deep run in this bracket.
65 kg WTT Predictions
- Nick Lee
- Jesse Mendez
- Marcus Blaze
- Bo Bassett
70 Kilograms
- James Green
- PJ Duke
- Ian Parker
- Will Lewan
- Bryce Andonian
- Ridge Lovett
- Antrell Taylor
- Caleb Henson
- Brayton Lee
- Jackson Arrington
Like 65 kg, the bracket at 70 kg is incredibly deep with some interesting contenders. At the top, James Green should be considered the favorite to win this bracket based on his dominance at the weight class over the past 10 years. Every year Green has tried to make the world team at 70 kg; he has succeeded. Beyond that, Green is a two-time world medalist, placing bronze in 2015 and silver in 2017. However, Green is 32 years old and even briefly retired two years ago. The World Team Trials will be a test unlike Green has faced in a significant time domestically and will tell us if Green is still wrestling at or close to his peak.
After Green, high schooler and Penn State commit PJ Duke should be considered the next top contender at 70 kg. I broke down why PJ Duke can win the WTT here, but it’s also worth briefly highlighting Duke in this preview. Duke won a bronze medal at the U20 world championships last year and then went on to have incredible success at the senior level. In late September, Duke placed third at the World Team Trials while defeating Will Lewan, Jarrett Jacques, and Yahya Thomas. A few months later, Duke won the Bill Farrell after pinning Bryce Andonian and defeating Will Lewan (10-4). Duke is the real deal, and won’t be underestimated by anyone in Louisville.
PJ Duke US Open Follow-Along:
NCAA champion Antrell Taylor, Ridge Lovett, and Caleb Henson are all interesting additions to the field as wrestlers who didn’t compete at the US Open. We haven’t seen any of these wrestlers compete in freestyle much over the past few years, but all of the pedigrees prove they’ll be a factor in this bracket. I wouldn’t be surprised if any wrestler from this group of three makes a run to the finals.
Then there’s the group of wrestlers we saw at the Open – Ian Parker, Will Lewan, Bryce Andonian, Brayton Lee, and Jackson Arrington. This group displays the depth of the weight, but should all be considered underdogs to win or even make the finals.
70 kg WTT Predictions
- James Green
- PJ Duke
- Ridge Lovett
- Caleb Henson
74 Kilograms
- David Carr
- Quincy Monday
- Jarrett Jacques
- Michael Caliendo
- Terrell Barraclough
- Peyton Hall
- Joseph Blaze
- Edward Scott
- Elroy Perkin
We saw most of these wrestlers at the US Open, and that makes it fairly easy to predict how things will go in Louisville. David Carr is the clear favorite after finishing as the US Open runner-up while only losing to Mitchell Mesenbrink in the finals. Before that finals loss, Carr had notable wins over Jarrett Jacques (11-0) and Ed Scott (11-0). Carr also has folkstyle wins over Quincy Monday, who will likely be the #2 seed and the favorite to meet Carr in the finals.
David Carr breaks down his win against Olympic Silver medalist Daichi Takatani:
Despite the folkstyle losses to Carr, Monday has been solid on the freestyle scene over this year with a third-place finish at the US Open, gold at the Dan Kolov in Bulgaria (January), and silver at the Henri Deglane (January). If there’s any wrestler in the field who can challenge Carr, Monday should be considered the man to do it.
After Monday, Michael Caliendo is also an interesting contender and didn’t compete at the US Open last month. Caliendo hasn’t been active in freestyle over the past few years, but his close losses to Mitchell Mesenbrink this season suggest he’s a worthy challenger to both Monday and Carr. Caliendo has an outstanding neutral offense, and he’s one of the wrestlers I’m most looking forward to watching in Louisville.
74 kg WTT Predictions
- David Carr
- Quincy Monday
- Michael Caliendo
- Jarrett Jacques
79 Kilograms
- Dean Hamiti Jr
- Levi Haines
- Simon Ruiz
- Carson Kharchla
- Muhamed McBryde
- Kennedy Monday
- Ethan Riddle
The 79 kg bracket at the WTT is essentially a smaller version of the 79 kg bracket from the US Open. In Vegas, DJ Hamiti finished as the runner-up with a tech fall over Kennedy Monday while losing to Evan Wick in the finals 9-1. Simon Ruiz finished in third place at the US Open, also only losing to Evan Wick (9-5) but defeating Carson Kharchla (twice, 3-2 and 7-7) and Muhamed McBryde (6-4). From these results, Hamiti should be considered a slight favorite, but Ruiz and Kharchla are interesting challengers capable of making a run to the finals.
Levi Haines is the only wrestler in this bracket who didn’t wrestle at the US Open. While Haines lost to Hamiti at the NCAA Tournament, Haines is capable of winning this bracket in Louisville. Haines hasn’t competed much in freestyle, but he notably finished 4th at the 2024 World Team Trials at 79 kg. There, Haines lost to Jordan Burroughs and David Carr but defeated US Open winner Evan Wick (by pin) and Keegan O’Toole (6-0). Haines’ wrestling translates well to freestyle, and he has incredible potential to win in Louisville and at Final X.
79 kg WTT Predictions
- Levi Haines
- DJ Hamiti
- Simon Ruiz
- Kennedy Monday
86 Kilograms
- Kyle Dake
- Chance Marsteller
- Carter Starocci
- Parker Keckeisen
- Marcus Coleman
86 kg might be the smallest bracket at the Trials, but it’s packed with high-level talent. Kyle Dake should be considered the favorite and will likely have a rematch with Parker Keckeisen in the semis. At the US Open, Dake won a controlling 8-1 decision over Keckeisen and will be a big favorite to reach the finals at the World Team Trials.
Dake vs Keckeisen:
On the other side of the bracket, Chance Marsteller vs Carter Starocci might be the most anticipated semi-final match of the tournament. Marsteller and Starocci have wrestled three times in the past with Starocci winning the first two matches (4-2 in 2020 and 7-0 in 2021) and Marsteller winning the most recent match (5-4 in 2022). This is a true toss-up match and will be incredibly close from start to finish.
Marsteller’s win over Starocci from the 2022 WTT:
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The potential finals match between Dake and Marstller/Starocci is also incredibly compelling. Dake should be considered the favorite regardless of who he’s wrestling, but I expect either Marsteller or Starocci to challenge Dake. If it’s Starocci, there’s the familiarity factor with both training at the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. Beyond that, both wrestlers have similar styles with elite defense, positioning, and pressure. Now that Starocci is focused solely on freestyle, it will be interesting to see where he stacks up against the best in the world.
The potential Marsteller-Dake matchup is also a fascinating one. Marsteller is a master game-planner, as displayed by his Final X wins over Jordan Burroughs. Also, Marsteller was teched by Valencia at the Kolov in January but then lost a competitive match (4-2) against Valencia at the US Open. I expect Marsteller to be prepared to beat Dake, and if they wrestle in Louisville, it should be a battle.
86 kg WTT Predictions
- Kyle Dake
- Carter Starocci
- Chance Marsteller
- Parker Keckeisen
92 Kilograms
- Josh Barr
- Jacob Cardenas
- Aeoden Sinclair
- Michael Macchiavello
- Dustin Plott
- Patrick Brophy
Josh Barr and Jacob Cardenas didn’t wrestle at the US Open but have the freestyle credentials that make them serious contenders to win the Trials. Barr, coming off a runner-up performance at the NCAA Tournament and notably defeated Jacob Cardenas in the semis. Beyond that, Barr had a breakout freestyle season last summer after making the U20 team at 86 kg. Barr made incredible progress last year after losing to Sinclair in the US Open finals (10-0) and then defeating Sinclair in a three-match series at the U20 World Team Trials. After that, Barr went on to win a silver medal at the U20 World Championships. Barr dealt with a hamstring injury in the postseason at NCAAs, but I expect him to be fully healthy at the Trials, and he’s my favorite to win the 92 kg bracket.
Barr’s win over Sinclair to make the U20 World Team:
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As a three-time U23 world medalist, Jacob Cardenas has the best freestyle credentials of any wrestler in the field. Cardenas also has high-level international wins over Miriani Maisuradze (2024 92 kg world silver), Alan Bagaev (2019 U20 World Champ), and Mustafagadzhi Malachdibirov (2024 U20 World Champ and 2024 U23 world bronze). Because of those results, Cardenas is currently ranked #15 in the world at 92 kg and would be a serious medal threat if he wrestled at Worlds this year.
Then there’s Aeoden Sinclair, who finished as a runner-up at the US Open last month and notably defeated Mike Macchiavello (1-1) before losing to Trent Hidlay (7-1). Along with that performance, Sinclair defeated Josh Barr twice last summer and should be right in the mix with Cardenas and Barr to win this bracket. My biggest concern with picking Sinclair is that he might be a bit undersized for 92 kg – especially against a wrestler like Jacob Cardenas.
Sinclair’s win over Macchiavello:
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Though he lost to Sinclair, Macchivello should still be considered a legitimate threat in Louisville and is capable of defeating any wrestler in this field. Macchiavello notably made Final X in 2023 and finished third at the World Team Trials last year.
92 kg WTT Predictions
- Josh Barr
- Jacob Cardenas
- Michael Macchiavello
- Aeoden Sinclair
97 Kilograms
- Jay Aiello
- Justin Rademacher
- Eric Schultz
- Gavin Hoffman
- Christian Knop
- Ethan Laird
97 kg has added intrigue at the World Team Trials with the uncertain future of world and Olympic champion Kyle Snyder. If Snyder doesn’t wrestle at Final X, then the winner of the World Team Trials would likely be the world team representative at 97 kg.
With only 6 wrestlers entered, there are currently three major contenders – Jay Aiello, Eric Schultz, and Justin Rademacher. Aiello should be considered the favorite after finishing in second at the US Open. Aiello also is U23 World Bronze medalist (2021) and has a recent win over 2023 92 kg world champion Rizabek Aitmukhan. Along with those international results, Aiello defeated Justin Rademacher at the 2024 Bill Farrell and has four straight wins over Eric Schultz.
Aiello’s win over Rademacher:
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Despite suffering the loss to Aiello at the Farrell, Justin Rademacher has made incredible progress over the past year highlighted by a U20 world bronze medal last year and most recently a senior Pan-Am gold medal last week. Rademacher wrestlers better every time out, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Rademacher comes out on top in Louisville.
Eric Schultz is the final wrestler I consider a serious contender in this bracket, and he made a late move up to 97 kg after wrestling 92 kg at the US Open. Though Schultz has lost the last four matches to Aiello, Schultz has three senior-level freestyle wins over Aiello. Schultz is a slight underdog in this bracket, but he’s absolutely capable of finishing on the top of the podium.
97 kg WTT Predictions
- Jay Aiello
- Justin Rademacher
- Eric Schultz
- Gavin Hoffman
125 Kilograms
- Demetrius Thomas
- Hayden Zillmer
- Trent Hillger
- Christian Lance
- Jordan Wood
- Lucas Stoddard
All of the wrestlers entered at the World Team Trials also wrestled at the US Open last month. In Vegas, Demetrius Thomas was the surprise of the tournament, finishing as the runner-up to Wyatt Hendrickson. On his way to the finals, Thomas pulled off upset wins over Hayden Zillmer (6-6) and Jordan Wood (6-1). Because of that performance, Thomas should be the #1 seed and won’t be underestimated by anyone at 125 kg in Louisville.
Thomas’ win over Zillmer:
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Though he lost to Thomas at the Open, Hayden Zillmer will be considered the favorite by many to win the 125 kg bracket at the World Team Trials. Zillmer forfeited in the third-place match at the Open to Christian Lance, but defeated Trent Hillger (6-5). On top of that, Zillmer made the world team at 125 kg in 2022 and also holds a win over Wyatt Hendrickson from that year. Hillger, Lance, Wood, and Stoddard are all worthy contenders, but Zillmer’s my pick to win this bracket at the Trials.
125 kg WTT Predictions
- Hayden Zillmer
- Demetrius Thomas
- Trent Hillger
- Jordan Wood
Sports
Affidavit reveals AI-generated plan in alleged grooming case against Mesquite pastor’s son and volleyball coach
An arrest affidavit obtained by CBS News Texas reveals more details about what led up to the arrest of a teacher and volleyball coach accused of grooming a teenage girl to have a sexual relationship with her, including the discovery of an AI-generated document outlining manipulation tactics.
Matthan Lough, 32, was arrested on Dec. 10 on a charge of child grooming, a third-degree felony. His father, Kevin Lough, was the senior pastor of the Christian Center of Mesquite, where some of the alleged grooming took place.
The victim and her mother filed a report with Mesquite police about Lough on Oct. 2. According to police, the victim’s mother found out about the relationship earlier that week.
Mesquite police: Grooming began more than two years ago
The affidavit outlines how the case began with an interaction at a party in the spring of 2023.
According to the affidavit, the victim met Lough at her cousin’s graduation party when he approached her while she was playing volleyball. The victim recognized Lough from church, as his wife was the worship leader for their youth group. Lough asked her if she would be interested in joining a club volleyball team he wanted to start at the church.
It was not until the fall of 2024 that Lough held tryouts for the team, and the victim was given a spot, the affidavit said. The victim reported a series of unusual interactions with Lough over the following months in which he shared overly personal details about his life and marriage, then began to make flirty and inappropriate jokes, according to the report.
Lough’s inappropriate behavior escalated further over the summer of 2025, when he started sending the victim explicit messages and discussed committing murders, the affidavit said. Lough also repeatedly made sure the victim knew he was carrying a gun, making her fear for her safety.
In September, the affidavit describes the relationship turning physical. Lough allegedly kissed the victim at a church event. Later that month, he sexually assaulted her twice, the victim told police.
The relationship ended after the victim’s mother discovered the inappropriate messages on the victim’s devices. Her mother then contacted Lough’s wife.
Police said that after the victim filed the report, detectives obtained a search warrant and found an AI-generated document on Lough’s iPad titled “Hypothetical Counter-Influence Plan.” The document outlined phases such as “rebuild her autonomy” and “shift the power dynamic,” and provided guidance on how to achieve success.
Fallout from child grooming case
After the relationship was uncovered, police said Lough’s wife left Texas. Court records show she filed for divorce in October.
Lough’s father also resigned as senior pastor of the Christian Center of Mesquite. In a post on the church’s website, its board said the church would work to seek justice for the victim. It also said the church has “initiated an immediate internal review of all child protection policies, volunteer screening processes, and facility access logs to ensure the absolute safety of every child and youth within our care.”
Texas A&M shook up the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament when the No. 3 Aggies upset top-ranked and previously unbeaten Nebraska in their regional final. Now, the Aggies are headed to their first Final Four in program history.
No. 3 Wisconsin, which ousted Texas, another No. 1 seed, on its home court, and No. 1 seeds Kentucky and Pittsburgh join Texas A&M in the national semifinals, which take place Thursday at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Aggies will take on Pitt in one semifinal, while Wisconsin and Kentucky will face off in the other. Neither Texas A&M nor the Panthers have won a national championship, though Pitt will play in its fifth straight Final Four. Both Wisconsin (2021) and Kentucky (2020) have won one national title.
Here are key facts about the 2025 NCAA Division I women’s volleyball tournament:
What is the remaining schedule?
*All times Eastern
Thursday, Dec. 18
Semifinal: No. 3 Texas A&M vs. No. 1 Pittsburgh – 6:30 p.m. on ESPN
“NCAA Women’s Volleyball Studio Show” – 8:30 p.m. on ESPN
Semifinal: No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 1 Kentucky – 9 p.m. on ESPN
Sunday, Dec. 21
“NCAA Women’s Volleyball Preview Show” – 3 p.m. on ABC
Championship – 3:30 p.m. on ABC
How can fans watch?
Fans can catch all of the action in the ESPN App and in the NCAA women’s volleyball streaming hub.
How can fans access more college sports coverage from ESPN?
Check out the ESPN college sports hub page for the latest news, scores, rankings and more.
The 2025 Academic All-District® Volleyball teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. To be eligible, student-athletes need to be of sophomore standing both athletically and academically, hold a cumulative grade-point average of 3.50 or better, and have participated in 90% of sets or have started at least two-thirds of their respective team’s matches.
Baxter, a sophomore majoring in Chemical Engineering, was a Liberty League Second-Team All-Star thanks to her excellence in the back row. Baxter ranked 22nd nationally in digs per set (5.40 dps) and was 57th nationally in aces per set (0.63 aps).
Currier, a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering, continued to be relied upon in a variety of roles for the Knights, averaging 7.09 assists, 0.95 kills, 2.50 digs, and 0.61 blocks per set. In a match against University of Rochester she nearly posted an incredibly rare feat, coming up just one kill short of a quadruple double (31 assists, 16 digs, 10 blocks, and 9 kills).
Hangliter, a senior majoring in Environmental Engineering, finished the season averaging 2.62 kills per set, which ranked second on the team. She also was second in the Liberty League in aces per set with 0.64, which placed her 49th nationally in that category.
This marks the first time in program history that three Lady Vols have been named to the Academic All-District Team. In Eve Rackham Watt‘s eight years as head coach, eight total players have earned Academic All-District honors. Tennessee has had two or more players selected to the All-District team now in three seasons, all coming under Rackham Watt.
CSC’s Academic All-America program recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. Both Kerr and Kubik earned spots on the CSC Academic All-America ballot, which will be announced on January 13, 2026.
Compiling a 3.87 GPA in the Sport Management program, Kerr garnered First Team All-SEC honors after leading the team with 945 assists. Kerr was a key force for a Tennessee attack that finished the season top 15 in both hitting percentage and kills per set. Kerr had 20 matches with 30 or more assists, including tying her career high with 57 against Florida on Oct. 15.
One of the top setters in Tennessee history, Kerr currently ranks sixth all-time in both assists (3,259) and assists per set (10.65). The two-time All-American setter has led the team in assists in each of the last three seasons, eclipsing the 1,000-assist mark in both 2023 & 2024.
Earning her bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies, Kubik had her best offensive season of her career in her final collegiate season. Kubik led the team in kills (390), kills per set (4.19), points (431.0), and points per set (4.63) this season. She had double-digit kills in 24 matches, reaching 20 or more on four occasions.
Kubik also ranked top ten in the conference in both kills per set and points per set in 2025. A stellar defender in the back row, Kubik finished third on the team with 209 digs. The First Team All-SEC selection had seven double-doubles on the campaign, all of which came against conference opponents.
Boasting a 4.00 GPA in Communication Studies, Güçtekin became an important piece to Tennessee’s defensive success. The senior libero led the team in 2025 with 408 digs. Güçtekin finished the season ranking top five in the SEC in both digs and digs per set. She recorded double figure digs in 23 matches, including having 20 or more in six. She set a career-high of 30 digs at Kentucky on Nov. 9, becoming the first Tennessee player to reach 30 or more digs since Yelianoz Torres had 30 against Arkansas on Oct. 20, 2023.
Güçtekin eclipsed 1,000 digs in her career this season, and finishes her collegiate career with 1,293 digs. An all-around player in college, Güçtekin also finished with 423 assists and 117 aces.
CSC Release
Kostic, a senior Economics major, holds a marvelous 3.73 GPA. She repeated as All-Patriot League Team for the second straight season and was the first Bison to since Emily Pomeroy in 1997-98 to accomplish the feat. Kostic finished second on the team in kills (270) and digs (256). Off the court, she is a two-year member of the Leadership Institute for Student-Athletes and Bucknell’s Breakout Performer of the Year. Her postgraduate plan is pursuing a career in marketing, advertising, or media.
O’Connell, a senior Marketing, Innovation, and Design major, has an excellent 3.82 GPA. O’Connell earned the 2025 Patriot League Preseason Setter of the Year and won the first PL Setter of the Year in program history last year. She collected 2,847 career assists to sit third in Bucknell history. She is a two-year member of the Leadership Institute for Student Athletes and won Bucknell’s “Breakout Performer of the Year” and plans to pursue a career in marketing, advertising or media.
Tucker, a senior biology major, owns a superlative 3.88 GPA and has achieved a Dean’s List spot every semester. The middle blocker has 233 career blocks with 388 kills. A true scholar-athlete, she is a member of Bucknell’s first generation community, the Alpha Alpha Alpha honor society, the Pre Health society, the Society of Physics Students, serves as a choreographer and dancer in Bucknell’s dance department, the President of BisonCares, member of Chi Omega sorority, Women in STEM club, Biology club, Circle K Club. Her postgraduate plans are using her graduate year to pursue a masters degree, then attend medical school to become a doctor. She wants to also continue her love for dance and become a dance teacher.
The Bison will return to the court in August 2026.
FAYETTEVILLE – Jordan Anthony is one of three male finalists from the 2025 season for The Bowerman as each awaits the announcement of this year’s trophy recipient during the presentation that will be held Thursday evening at the Gaylor Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas.
Started in 2009, The Bowerman is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the top male collegiate athlete and to the top female collegiate athlete in the sport of NCAA track & field. Coverage of The Bowerman Presentation will be available for free on runnerspace.com starting at 6:20 p.m. (CT).
The Bowerman men’s finalist includes Auburn’s Ja’Kobe Tharp and Baylor’s Nathaniel Ezekiel. While Anthony swept NCAA Indoor 60m and NCAA Outdoor 100m titles, Tharp claimed a pair of NCAA titles in the 60m hurdles and 110m hurdles. Ezekiel won the 400m hurdles at NCAA Outdoor and finished second in the 400m at NCAA Indoor.
Anthony is the fourth Razorback to be a finalist for the men’s Bowerman. Two Razorbacks have claimed the honor with Jarrion Lawson (2016) and Jaydon Hibbert (2023) while Ayden Owens-Delerme was a finalist in 2022.
“It’s the Heisman of track and field,” noted Arkansas men’s head coach Doug Case. “I think Jordan has had the best combined season with indoor and outdoor. The points he scored at conference and national championships were part of a tremendous season. I feel he should be the No. 1 candidate to win the award.
“We have tradition here at Arkansas with the Bowerman. We’ve had two winners who were superstars as well. Jordan is right in that category with those guys.”
Jordan Anthony | 2025 Postseason Meets
| Indoor | ||
| SEC | 10 points | |
| 60m | 1) 6.54 =PR | |
| NCAA | 10 points | |
| 60m | 1) 6.49 [6.47 UA record in prelim] | |
| Outdoor | ||
| SEC | 21.5 points (Commissioner’s Trophy | High Point Scorer) | |
| 100m | 1) 9.95 [UA record] | |
| 200m | 1) 19.93 [No. 2 UA] | |
| 4 x 100m | 3) 38.60 | |
| NCAA | 16.5 points (High Point Scorer) | |
| 100m | 1) 10.07 | |
| 200m | 4) 20.01 | |
| 4 x 100m | 3) 38.72 |
In completing his first full season of collegiate track and field instead of sharing time with the football program, Anthony delivered a pair of national sprint titles and three SEC titles while claiming high point honors at both SEC Outdoor and NCAA Outdoor Championship meets.
Aided by the scoring efforts from Anthony, Arkansas placed fourth in team scoring at the NCAA Indoor and were third at NCAA Outdoor. The Razorbacks were named John McDonnell Men’s Program of the Year as they produced three podium finishes in cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field for the 2024-25 season.
It marked the first three NCAA trophy season by a Division I men’s program in nine years and the first by the Razorbacks since 1999-2000.
Anthony earned the Commissioner’s trophy at the SEC Outdoor Championships as the high-point scorer with 21.5 points as the Razorbacks claimed the team title.
Twenty of those conference points came in sweeping the 100m and 200m with stellar performances of 9.95 and 19.93 as Anthony became just the third sprinter in SEC history to achieve the sweep with sub-10 and sub-20 second times.
Named the SEC Outdoor Runner of the Year, Anthony became the first Razorback to attain the honor since Caleb Cross in 2012.
Anthony was also the high-point scorer at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with 16.5 points. Combining the NCAA Indoor (10 points) with his NCAA Outdoor tally, Anthony produced the most points between both championships in 2025 with 26.5 points.
“It was a great season and being healthy is a very important part of it,” said Case. “I think we did a great job in the weight room. Our training room did a great job of keeping him healthy. In coaching him, I brought him along really slowly. I didn’t try to push the speed on him too soon. I tried to prolong his season all the way into NCAAs. It ended up working out pretty good.
“For Jordan to be dedicated to that in the short period of time we had to work to get him to that level, I think he did a tremendous job of being focused on his season and the goals he wanted to achieve. It kind of proves if you really put your nose to the grindstone in a short period of time you can get a lot of stuff done.”
Anthony established UA school records in the 60m and 100m with times of 6.47 and 9.95. In sweeping the NCAA titles, Anthony became the first sprinter since Christian Coleman of Tennessee in 2017 to claim the NCAA 60m and 100m titles. Anthony was also the lone sprinter to reach the NCAA Indoor 60m, NCAA Outdoor 100m and 200m finals this season.
In addition to setting school records in the 60m and 100m, the 19.93 performance in the 200m ranks second on the Arkansas all-time list behind a 19.89 registered by Wallace Spearmon, Jr. in 2005.
Having a reunion tour in 2025, Jordan visited his previous collegiate stops on his journey to Arkansas. First was College Station, Texas, as the SEC Indoor was hosted by Texas A&M. Kentucky hosted the SEC Outdoor and then there was a return visit to College Station for the NCAA West First Rounds where Anthony sprinted to a blistering time of 9.75w seconds with a 2.1 aiding wind.
“It was great, honestly, because due to the fact people believed I was fast but I couldn’t really show that I was fast because of my previous injuries,” said Anthony. “I knew my time would come and I knew what I would be capable of doing. When I got out there it just turned to magic.”
Another reunion occurred at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, California, near where Anthony was born in the Los Angeles area. There he won the 100m in a then career best of 9.98 to initially break the Arkansas school record.
In winning the NCAA Indoor 60m, Anthony feels that was his best executed race during the season while his most significant race was winning the SEC Outdoor 200m.
“I hit exactly every angle I needed to hit,” stated Anthony of the 60m race. “Then 40 to 45m out I was already celebrating because I knew I had the race won.
“My most important victory was probably the 200m at SEC Outdoor. Just shutting everybody up and quieting the stands since nobody even thought that I would be in the picture of winning the 200m. That was a really big moment for me. It put a dagger in everybody’s heart.”
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