Texas Tech’s track and field head coach, Wes Kittley, has expressed strong belief that Nigerian high jumper Temitope Adeshina could soon set a new collegiate benchmark in the NCAA, following her remarkable form on the university athletics circuit.
Adeshina claimed her third consecutive indoor high jump crown at the Big 12 Indoor Championships last Friday, soaring over 1.96m. The leap equals the second-highest clearance ever achieved by an athlete representing Texas Tech Red Raiders in the event.
Her performance also established a fresh championship record, eclipsing the former mark of 1.93m previously set by Akela Jones in 2016 and Destinee Hooker in 2009. With the victory, Adeshina became the first female athlete in Big 12 history to secure three straight indoor high jump titles since Rylee Anderson accomplished the same feat from 2021 to 2023.
During the competition, the Nigerian athlete overcame a strong challenge from Sharie Enoe of Kansas State Wildcats, who finished runner-up after clearing 1.93m.
Adeshina presently owns the best women’s high jump mark in the NCAA for 2026 with her 1.96m effort, placing her fourth on the global rankings this season. According to Kittley, the athlete is edging closer to clearing the 2.00m barrier.
Kittley noted that she has already attempted heights around two metres and narrowly missed on a previous occasion, adding that he would not be surprised if she eventually surpasses the current collegiate record once everything aligns perfectly.
The standing NCAA women’s high jump record belongs to Brigetta Barrett of the University of Arizona, who cleared 1.99m on May 11, 2013, during the Pac-12 Championships held in Los Angeles. Barrett had earlier produced a 2.03m jump at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Adeshina’s strong showing also contributed to a dominant outing for Texas Tech, as the Red Raiders captured both the men’s and women’s team titles at the meet staged inside the Sports Performance Center at Texas Tech.
The men’s squad finished with 125 points to secure their fourth successive championship, while the women’s team accumulated 114.5 points to clinch their second straight title.
Earlier in the campaign, the 27-year-old athlete was included on the mid-season watch list for The Bowerman, an honour recognising the most outstanding performers in collegiate track and field. She became the fourth female competitor from Texas Tech to receive that recognition, following Ruth Usoro (2021–22), Monae Nichols (2021) and Demisha Roswell (2022).
Representing Nigeria, Adeshina has rewritten the national high jump record on three occasions. She initially reached 1.97m during the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June 2024 before repeating the same height at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships last season, a performance that secured her qualification for the World Athletics Championships 2025.
