Doris Lemngole Wins The Bowerman, Turns Professional in 2026
By Kelvin Kibet | Updated October 9, 2026
Kenyan distance runner Doris Lemngole won the 2025 Bowerman, college track and field’s top individual honour, and became the first University of Alabama athlete to receive it. In 2026 she won two SEC outdoor titles, was disqualified from the NCAA 5,000-metre final after an inside-line infraction, and later turned professional with sportswear company On.
The Bowerman and her collegiate record
The award was announced on December 18, 2025. Lemngole had won national titles in cross country and track, including the NCAA steeplechase in 2024 and 2025. Her Bowerman win made her the first Crimson Tide athlete to receive the honour; On also described her as the first Kenyan recipient.
Her 2026 season
In February, Lemngole ran 14:51.21 for the indoor 5,000 metres in Boston, lowering her Alabama school record. At the SEC Outdoor Championships in May, she won the women’s 5,000 metres and steeplechase for the second consecutive season and earned the meet’s women’s Commissioner’s Trophy. The SEC named her its outdoor women’s runner of the year in June.
At the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June, Lemngole initially crossed first in the 5,000-metre final in 15:11.71. After a protest, officials disqualified her for taking too many steps over the inside line. Alabama’s official results list her as disqualified, so the initial finish should not be reported as an NCAA title.
From college athlete to professional
On September 10, 2026, On announced that Lemngole had signed a professional contract and joined its athlete roster. The company said she had previously been partnered through an NIL agreement. The move marks a new stage after her collegiate career; future race entries and results should be followed through official competition records.
