Blessing Okagbare (center) at the 2010 NCAA Championship West Preliminary (Image: Brian Kanof)

EL PASO, Texas – UTEP’s Blessing Okagbare will be traveling to San Antonio, Texas, this week for the announcement of the winner of The Bowerman award.

The prestigious award is bestowed upon the nations top collegiate track and field athletes. The ceremony will be held during the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) convention on Wednesday, December 15, 2010.

The humble Okagbare said that if she were to win the award, she would honor UTEP before herself.

“First, I would want to give it to UTEP,” Okabare said. “I know it would be an honor for my school.”

Okagbare is up against Virginia Tech’s Queen Harrison and Iowa State’s Lisa Koll as the finalists chosen by a ten-person advisory board based on performances during the 2010 indoor and outdoor seasons.

“It’s an honor to me and to be named amongst a lot of athletes for the Bowerman Award. I think its a really great honor for anyone,” Okagbare said.

Okagbare, a native of Umuahi, Nigeria, notched NCAA crowns during the outdoor season in the 100 meters and long jump, becoming the first in collegiate history to pull off such a feat.
In the indoor season, Okagbare won national titles in the 60 meters and long jump and grabbed top honors in the long jump and 100 meters during the outdoor national meet.

Okagbare, who concluded her outdoor eligibility at UTEP this past spring, was undefeated in all sprint and jump finals during the season and anchored the UTEP 4x100m relay to the NCAA Championships semifinal.

Okagbare was the USTFCCCA Mountain Region Track Athlete and Mountain Region Field Athlete of the Year during the indoor season  and was once again honored the Mountain Region Track Athlete of the Year for the outdoor season.