As the anticipation builds for the 2023 Bowerman Award ceremony, NCAA champion Jaydon Hibbert from the University of Arkansas opens up about the possibility of achieving a historic sweep alongside his fellow Razorback, Britton Wilson. If successful, this duo could make Arkansas the first university to accomplish such a feat since the inception of the prestigious awards in 2009.

However, they are up against formidable finalists Florida's Kyle Garland and Texas' Leo Neugebauer as well as Julien Alfred of Texas and Jasmine Moore of Florida.

The Bowerman Award, named after legendary Oregon track and field coach Bill Bowerman, stands as the highest honor bestowed upon the year's best student-athlete in American collegiate track and field. Administered by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), the winners are traditionally revealed in a mid-December ceremony during the USTFCCCA annual convention.

Hibbert, who was a favorite to secure the gold medal at the World Championships in Budapest, faced a setback with a hamstring injury on his opening jump in the final. Despite the disappointment, experiences like these keep him grounded even after a remarkable season of success.

His stellar achievements in the 2023 season include victories at NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Nationals, being named SEC and National Field Athlete, and setting the world lead with a jump of 17.87m. Despite facing a second-place finish in his Diamond League debut in Monaco in July, Hibbert's focus remains on the bigger picture.

"I'm super excited to see your ceremonies about having fun, dressed up and all that. But the main aim is just representing my school and country. As I said one time when my media team was doing a video and asked about my dream for this Bowerman, I said that Britton and I should win because that would be so good for my school," shared Hibbert.

Expressing his dream of a clean sweep for both him and Wilson, Hibbert acknowledges the rarity of such an accomplishment. "Like I doubt they ever had a clean sweep. But I pray every day. I say ‘okay, me and Bri are gonna go there, gonna have fun and whatever the results may be, even if we don't sweep or if we do, or whatever, they're gonna have fun. But it's my dream for both of us this week."

While both Texas and Arkansas have previously secured Bowerman Awards in the men's and women's categories, respectively, no school has claimed both titles in the same year.

Reflecting on the setback in Budapest, Hibbert emphasizes the importance of staying humble and grounded in the unpredictable world of sports. "Well, things like what happened at Budapest help me to stay grounded because, you know, it happens to the best of the best. Anything can happen. It's a sport; your body's your business and stuff like that. So most times, I wouldn't say I'm pessimistic, but sometimes I think about the worst too much than the good, and I also prepare for the worst."

He underscores the role of humility in his success, emphasizing its impact not only in his attitude but also in the meticulous preparation required for high-level competition. "Humility takes you far away, like you know what God is, He can also take you. So I think that's one of the things that really pivoted my success. Not just humility, but overall with your body and thinking about the jump and all of that, it's a lot that goes on. So just stay humble and stuff really keeps me in my zone and together."

Nickisha Pryce has become the latest collegiate athlete from Jamaica to sign a NIL deal. The 22-year-old Pryce, now a junior at the University of Arkansas, has signed a deal with Puma, according to her announcement on Instagram on Tuesday evening.

A NIL deal is an agreement or arrangement between a student-athlete and a third party, such as a brand, company or individual, where the student-athlete receives compensation for the use of their name, image and likeness.

“New level unlocked. Very excited to be a part of the Puma family. It gives me great pleasure to share that I am now an officially recognized Puma NIL athlete. God’s timing is the right timing,” she said in her Instagram post.

The opportunity to earn while still competing at the collegiate level has come on the back of an outstanding season during which Pryce won a bronze medal in the 400m final at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor final at the Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas, in a then personal best time of 50.23 in June when she was also a member of the Razorback’s gold-medal winning 4x400m relay team.

She would go on to claim her first Jamaican national title at Jamaica’s national championship in Kingston in a new lifetime best to 50.21 in July.

At the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Pryce helped Jamaica to the 4x400m silver medal. Jamaica lost the gold medal at the death to a fast-finishing Netherlands team anchored by the incredible Femke Bol.

Pryce joins fellow Razorback student-athletes Wayne Pinnock and Jaydon Hibbert who have signed NIL deals with Puma. Pinnock, a two-time Jamaica national long jump champion, won the silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August while Hibbert, the 2023 world leader in the triple jump at 17.87m, won NCAA Division SEC and NCAA national Indoor and Outdoor titles last season.

On Friday night, September 8, 2023, Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) celebrated the induction of three outstanding individuals into its Athletics Hall of Fame. Among the honorees were the 2023 World 100m hurdles champion Danielle Williams, her sister Shermaine Williams, and their esteemed coach Lennox Graham.

Danielle Williams, who has had a stellar career in track and field, expressed her deep appreciation for the prestigious honor. She noted that being inducted into the Hall of Fame was a major accomplishment and a recognition of her remarkable achievements during her college years at JCSU.

Those achievements were encapsulated in her legendary seasons in 2013 and 2014 when she won nine NCAA titles (eight individual, one relay), 13 CIAA championships (11 individual, two relay), earned 13 All-America honors and was named either USTFCCCA National Women’s Indoor Track or Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year three times.

She turned in arguably the greatest two-day performance in NCAA DII history at the 2013 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Pueblo, Colorado, where she helped lead the Golden Bulls to their second consecutive runner-up finish in the team standings.

The future world champion scored 30½ points thanks to event titles in the 100, 200 and 4×100 relay, as well as a runner-up finish in the 100m hurdles. She also set divisional records in the 200m (22.62) and 4×100 relay (44.05), clocked the second fastest performance in divisional history in the 100mh(12.89) and notched the fifth fastest performance in the 100 (11.24).

In a four-year span, she was the third athlete from Johnson C. Smith inducted into the USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Track & Field Athlete Hall of Fame following in the footsteps of Leford Green (Class of 2017) and her sister Shermaine Williams (Class of 2018).

"Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is a prestigious honor. I never thought it a big deal when they told me in May, but being there last night (Friday), amongst the other inductees, I realized that it is indeed a big deal and a major accomplishment. Only 130 people in the entire history of JCSU have been inducted, and I am the youngest ever inductee, and that in itself is spectacular," said Williams in an exclusive interview with Sportsmax.TV

The experience was not only humbling but also exciting for Williams, who admitted that she does not often take the time to celebrate her own accomplishments. She shared, "The most memorable moment of the entire weekend was not just seeing people I haven't seen in so many years, but just hearing that so many of these folks watched the race (her gold medal run in Budapest) and have been keeping up with my exploits since I graduated, was magnificent to hear."

Williams won the 100m hurdles at the 2015 World Championships and continued her success by capturing the 2023 World 100m hurdles title in Budapest last month. This victory added an extra layer of significance to the Hall of Fame induction, as her family was present to witness the double celebration.

Williams expressed her gratitude for the support of her sister and coach, saying, "Being there with coach Lennox and Shermaine was a full-circle moment. We all started this journey together, and so to be able to celebrate with them was pure joy. Both of them are instrumental in the athlete I am today. Shermaine because she was the first in our family to transcend to new levels in athletics; making national teams and breaking records, her hard work, discipline, and determination were the catalyst and the inspiration for me when I started to compete. Coach took me from an inexperienced teenager with many flaws to a collegiate champion many times over and world champion. I thank God for both of them on this journey."

Coach Lennox Graham, who has been a pivotal figure in the success of the Williams sisters, speaking exclusively with Sportsmax.TV, also shared his thoughts on being inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside his athletes. He expressed his appreciation for the honor and recognized the significance of going in with both the Williams sisters.

"To be going in with Shermaine Williams and Danielle Williams is particularly satisfying because, I mean, it was our own JCSU Williams sisters. As you know, Shermaine and Danielle were the first female siblings to make the same World Championship final in 2015 in Beijing, when Danielle won the World Championships in the 100m hurdles and Shermaine was seventh. So those are things that it's impossible to forget," said Graham who won four national titles with JSCU and a number of Central Inter-Collegiate Athletics Association conference titles during his tenure.

Graham had an immediate impact on JCSU after being appointed head coach of the men’s and women’s programme in 2007.

He racked up an impressive resume that included being named 2015-16 Atlantic Region Women’s Track and Field Head Coach of the Year, 2015-16 CIAA Outdoor Women’s Track and Field Head Coach of the Year and 2013-2014 CIAA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year.

He was also honoured as the 2013-2014 CIAA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year, 2012-2013 USTFCCCA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field National Coach of the Year (a First in JCSU history), 2012-2013 USTFCCCA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year (Atlantic Region), 2012-2013 USTFCCCA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year (Atlantic Region), 2012-2013 CIAA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year, 2012-2013 CIAA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year, 2011-2012 CIAA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year, 2010-2011 CIAA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year, 2009-2010 CIAA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year,  and 2008-2009 CIAA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year.

He emphasized the importance of treasuring such moments and reflecting on one's accomplishments, saying, "Back in the day, then I wasn't one to celebrate a lot, I was always on to the next, but I've grown a little bit older and realized that you must treasure these moments a little bit more. So it means more to me now than it did then. But it's great, it's a great feeling. It's an awesome achievement and recognition, and I just give thanks for it."

On Friday night, September 1, 2023, the University of Iowa celebrated the induction of Jamaican field-event athlete Peaches Roach Findlay into their prestigious Hall of Fame. The honor comes as a testament to her outstanding achievements during her collegiate career at the university, where she left an indelible mark on the track and field program.

During her time at the University of Iowa from 2003 to 2007, Peaches Roach Findlay emerged as a standout athlete. She was a four-time All-American, a 10-time regional qualifier, and a five-time Big 10 Conference Champion. In 2004, she earned the coveted title of Big 10 Freshman of the Year, setting the stage for a remarkable journey in the world of athletics.

Her athletic journey began at Alpha Academy in Kingston, Jamaica, before she embarked on a life-changing scholarship opportunity at the University of Iowa. Her dedication and talent led to numerous accolades, including a gold medal for Jamaica in the heptathlon at the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games in Puerto Rico.

Beyond her success in the heptathlon, Roach Findlay was a three-time Jamaican high jump champion. She also proudly represented Jamaica at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India, where she secured a commendable fourth-place finish in the heptathlon.

Today, Peaches Roach Findlay has transitioned from her days as a star athlete to become a high school science teacher in North Carolina. She shares her life with her husband, Adrian Findlay, who himself represented Jamaica as a 400m runner and won a silver medal as a member of Jamaica's 4x400m relay team at the 2008 World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain. Together, they are proud parents of two beautiful children.

Upon receiving this prestigious induction into the University of Iowa Hall of Fame, Peaches Roach Findlay shared her heartfelt sentiments in an exclusive chat with Sportsmax.TV.

 "It means the world to me. This is a result of me making the right decision despite many questioning my choice to go to The University of Iowa. There were only 221 student athletes inducted in the last 34 years. So as a Jamaican field-event athlete, this puts me in the top one percent of all UI student athletes. That is an honor I don't take lightly,” she remarked.

“I'm grateful to have achieved four All-American titles, five Big 10 Championship titles, and a standing school record for indoor and outdoor track and field in the high jump. It is exactly 20 years since I was just a freshman coming from Alpha, coached by the great Kavon Lewis of Kingston College, so to be here today with my husband and children after years of sacrifice, it's a blessing and I'm proud."

Reflecting on her favorite memory from her college years in competition, she reminisced, "My sophomore year, we had an intra-squad meet where I high jumped 6ft (1.83m). That was a moment I remember because it was the first time I got back to jumping at this height since leaving Jamaica. Freshman year was quite a transition, and even though I had a stellar first year earning Freshman of the Year, this jump was a personal milestone for me."

As an experienced international student athlete, the now retired athlete offered valuable advice to others embarking on a similar journey, saying, "Because things are different here, you have to seek out and utilize all of the resources - financial, educational, and mental -  that are available to you. People will help you when you ask and position yourself to receive."

The induction of Peaches Roach Findlay into the University of Iowa Hall of Fame serves as a testament to her dedication, talent, and the remarkable journey she has undertaken since her days as a student-athlete. Her story is a source of inspiration for aspiring athletes from her home country of Jamaica.