Former USC star becomes program’s first recipient by securing men’s top honor, Georgia graduate follows NCAA Woman of the Year recognition by becoming first female field event athlete in event’s 10-year history to capture trophy

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

SAN ANTONIO – Keturah Orji and Michael Norman both made history Thursday by becoming the first individuals from their respective schools to be honored with the Bowerman Award at the 10th annual ceremony at the JW Marriott Hill San Antonio Country Resort and Spa.

NORMAN INTERVIEW | ORJI INTERVIEW | WATCH REPLAY ON ESPN3

Orji, a Georgia graduate, also became the first female student-athlete to secure the impressive double of NCAA Woman of the Year and the Bowerman Award.

Only Iowa State distance runner Lisa Koll (2010) had even been a finalist for both awards in the same year prior to Orji achieving both honors.

Arizona State graduate Maggie Ewen, a two-time finalist, was trying to become the first thrower to secure the Bowerman and former Kentucky standout Sydney McLaughlin, who turned professional and signed with New Balance after one year in the NCAA system, as attempting to become the first individual to win following their freshman season.

Norman, who turned professional following his sophomore year at USC, became the first individual to secure both the Gatorade National Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year in high school at Vista Murrieta CA along with the Bowerman, the sport’s top collegiate honor.

Norman and teammate Rai Benjamin were the fourth men’s pair from the same program to be selected finalists in the same year, joining Grant Holloway of Florida.

After Texas A&M didn’t win last year with Fred Kerley and Lindon Victor as finalists, Norman’s victory marked the third time that one student-athlete among the pair was the recipient of the award, joining Oregon’s Galen Rupp in 2009 and Ashton Eaton in 2010.

Norman is the first Pac-12 men’s honoree since Eaton, along with being the fifth male sprinter to earn recognition. He finally gave USC, a program that has captured 28 NCAA team championships – highlighted by 26 outdoors – and won 124 individual and relay titles outdoors, its first Bowerman trophy.

In all four finals Norman ran in NCAA Division 1 Championship competition, he set collegiate records, both the indoor and outdoor 400 meters as well as the 4x400-meter relays.

Orji, the second three-time finalist in the award’s history along with former Oregon men’s distance runner Edward Cheserek (2014-16), became not only the first women’s jumper to be selected, but the first female field event athlete overall.

Orji is also the first female from the Southeastern Conference to be honored since Kimberlyn Duncan of LSU in 2012.

Orji, an eight-time NCAA individual champion, swept the long jump and triple jump national titles outdoors. She also led Georgia to its first Division 1 indoor team championship, capturing the triple jump crown and taking runner-up in the long jump, as the Bulldogs became the first program to sweep the top three spots in the event in meet history.

Ewen and Holloway both won the fan vote, which gave them an extra first-place vote in the overall process. Votes are also cast by the Bowerman Advisory Board, past winners, USTFCCCA members, along with selected media personnel, college administrators and statisticians.