Award History
NCAA DI OTF National Awards2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field National Awards
NEW ORLEANS – National Athletes and Coaches of the Year for the 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field season were announced on Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Member coaches voted on these honors following the conclusion of 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, but considered performances throughout the season when voting on these honors.
National Men's Field Athlete of the Year
Ralford Mullings was named the 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s Outdoor Track & Field National Field Athlete of the Year. Mullings, who hails from Kingston, Jamaica, won a national title in the discus throw at the NCAA DI Outdoor Championships. The Oklahoma standout whirled the platter PR 69.31m (227-3) to shatter a 33-year-old meet record and beat world record holder Mykolas Alekna of California. Not only that, but it also cemented Mullings’s status as the No. 2 performer in collegiate history as the 69.31m (227-3) mark sits ninth on the all-time collegiate chart. Mullings is the first NCAA discus champion to win this award since Ryan Whiting in 2010.
National Women's Track Athlete of the Year
Savannah Sutherland was named the 2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Track Athlete of the Year. Sutherland, who hails from Borden, Saskatchewan, shattered the collegiate record in the 400-meter hurdles in a winning effort at the NCAA DI Outdoor Championships. Her time of 52.46 not only took down Sydney McLaughlin’s seven-year-old CR, it also moved Sutherland up to No. 9 in world history. Earlier in the season, the Michigan standout set an NCAA DI East First Round all-time best in the event and took top individual honors at the Big Ten Championships before that. Sutherland is the first athlete from Michigan to earn a national honor in any of the three sports: cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field.
National Men's Track Athlete of the Year
Nathaniel Ezekiel was named the 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s Outdoor Track & Field National Track Athlete of the Year. Ezekiel, who hails from Delta State, Nigeria, won a national title in the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA DI Outdoor Championships. The Baylor standout stopped the clock at PR 47.49 to become the third fastest athlete in collegiate history. Ezekiel ended the season as the only athlete in collegiate history with multiple all-time top-ten marks in the event. Multiple means two, but he has four. He is the second Baylor athlete to earn this honor, joining Jeremy Wariner in 2004.
National Women's Assistant Coach of the Year
Karim Abdel Wahab was named the 2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Assistant Coach of the Year. Abdel Wahab, in his second year as assistant coach at Georgia, coached the Bulldogs’ sprinters and hurdlers to account for 34 of the team’s 73 points in winning the team title at the NCAA DI Outdoor Championships. His athletes earned First Team All-America honors in three events, led by a 1-2 finish in the 400 with Aaliyah Butler and Dejanea Oakley and a bronze in the 400 hurdles by Michelle Smith (those three were joined by Sydney Harris to win the 4×400 relay).
National Men's Assistant Coach of the Year
Kenneth “Ken” Harnden was named the 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s Outdoor Track & Field National Assistant Coach of the Year. Harnden, in his third year as Assistant Head Coach at Auburn, coached the Tigers’ sprinters and hurdlers to account for all 35 of their team points in finishing fourth at the NCAA DI Outdoor Championships. His athletes earned seven All-America honors, led by national titles by Ja’Kobe Tharp in the 110 hurdles and the 4×100-meter relay team.
National Women's Coach of the Year
Caryl Smith Gilbert was named the 2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Coach of the Year. Smith Gilbert, in her fourth year as Director of Track & Field at Georgia, led the Bulldogs to their first-ever team title at the NCAA DI Outdoor Championships, winning four events and scoring 73 points to win by 26 points. Georgia also won its first team title at the SEC Championships since 2006, winning three events and scoring 103.5 points to win by 21.5 points.
National Men's Coach of the Year
Quincy Watts was named the 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s Outdoor Track & Field National Coach of the Year. Watts, in his fourth year as Director of Track & Field and Cross Country at Southern California, led the Trojans to a tie for the team title at the NCAA DI Outdoor Championships, scoring 41 points. USC, which set program records in two events this season, was ranked No. 1 in the USTFCCCA national TFRI rankings since their inception in 2008 and earned eight First Team All-America honors.
National Women's Field Athlete of the Year
Hana Moll was named the 2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Field Athlete of the Year. Moll, who hails from Olympia, Washington, shattered the collegiate record and won a national title in the pole vault at the NCAA DI Outdoor Championships. The Washington standout cleared a PR 4.79m (15-8½) and eclipsed her twin sister’s former CR by 1cm. Earlier in the season, Moll finished runner-up in the pole vault at the Big Ten Championships. Moll is the first vaulter to win this award since Tina Sutej in 2011.