Orji, a native of Mount Olive, N.J., is one of seven competitors from the Southeastern Conference on the list. Women’s finalists for The Bowerman Trophy will be announced on July 9.
Last year, Georgia’s Kendell Williams was the only freshman included as a semifinalist. Counting the two Lady Bulldogs mentioned above, Illinois’ Ashley Spencer is the only other women’s freshman semifinalist in history.
Orji became the first freshman in history to win the women’s triple jump at this year’s NCAA Outdoor Championships. Recording four different jumps that would have clinched her victory including a second-best mark that measured 46 feet, 4 ¾ inches, Orji soared an American Junior and school record distance of 46-5.25 to win. She also traveled 21-6.75 to score two points for the Lady Bulldogs in the long jump with a seventh-place finish.
In fact, Orji went a perfect 4-0 in outdoor triple jump competitions, including the second half of her SEC sweep. She recorded a top effort of 46-4.25 to set school, American Junior and meet records to clinch her second conference title in Starkville, Miss. Orji also added six more points to Georgia’s tally by taking third in the long jump at SECs with a mark of 21-8.25.
Orji made her home debut at the Spec Towns Invitational and quickly established her place in the outdoor record books. She won the long jump with a school record mark of 21-9 and cruised to a first-place finish in the triple jump with a then school record effort of 45-2.25.
The SEC Indoor and Outdoor Women’s Freshman Field Athlete of the Year also had immense success indoors. Orji earned First Team All-America honors after taking second in the triple jump at the NCAA Championships. This finish came two weeks after Orji soared past the 45-foot mark to win the SEC indoor title.
In addition to winning the Tyson Invitational with an effort of 45-7.75 during the regular season, Orji also set the American Junior indoor record and became the No. 10 all-time collegiate performer after winning the McCravy Memorial with a school record jump of 45-10.50.
In the long jump indoors, Orji won her first collegiate meet at the Auburn Invitational (20-10.75) and was third at the SEC Championships after traveling 21-1.