MiLaysia Fulwiley's GF, JaMeesia Ford, earns nod for major track field award

New LSU Tigers guard MiLaysia Fulwiley is ramping up for her third year of college basketball in the 2025-26 season. On April 25, she announced via Instagram that she has committed to transfer to LSU to play for coach Kim Mulkey. The Tigers are a direct conference rival of the South Carolina Gamecocks, the team Fulwiley spent the last two seasons with.

Meanwhile, Fulwiley’s girlfriend, JaMeesia Ford is staying with the Gamecocks as one of the school’s top track and field athletes. With a growing list of accolades, Ford earned another prestigious honor this week. On Wednesday, May 21, the Gamecocks announced Ford had been named to the 2025 Bowerman Watch List.

"Back where she belongs," the post was captioned, along with a salute emoji.

The Bowerman Watch List is an annual honor in NCAA Division I track and field. Often described as the “Heisman Trophy” of the sport, it highlights top contenders for the season’s most prestigious individual award. Ford appears firmly on that trajectory. Fulwiley showed her support by reposting the announcement to her own Instagram story.

Despite Fulwiley’s move to LSU, the couple appears to remain strongly supportive of one another. The incoming junior will join a Tigers squad that finished the 2024 season with a 31–6 overall record, including a 12–4 mark in SEC play. In her sophomore season, the Columbia, South Carolina, native averaged 11.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

MiLaysia Fulwiley and JaMeesia Ford both won the Freshman of the Year award at the 2024 Gamecock Gala

MiLaysia Fulwiley and JaMeesia Ford reportedly met during a 2023 hangout between the South Carolina women’s basketball and track and field teams, and have maintained a close relationship since.

That bond may have inspired their on-field excellence: both athletes were named 2024 Co-Freshmen of the Year at the Gamecock Gala.

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MiLaysia Fulwiley earned the recognition after helping lead the Gamecocks to a national championship under legendary coach Dawn Staley, defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes 87–75 in the title game. Ford, meanwhile, has become a two-time NCAA champion and won a Pan Am gold medal in the 4x400-meter relay.

About the author

Koby del Rosario is a college sports journalist at Sportskeeda who took up BS in Advertising Management at De La Salle University, one of the big "four" universities in the Philippines. Koby has over four years of experience with Complex PH, M2.0 Communications, The LaSallian, Daily Tribune, and Time Attack Manila.

Koby's favorite college team would have to be the North Carolina Tar Heels. Apart from being MJ's alma mater, Koby has always been fond of the Jordan silhouettes that release in the school's colors (being a sneakerhead himself).

His past favorite college players would have to be Russell Westbrook (UCLA) and Markelle Fultz (Washington). With Russ, his 1-2 punch with Kevin Love during their UCLA days was something Koby marveled at as Russ became his favorite player to watch post-Kobe.

Besides playing basketball, Koby enjoys nightlife, collecting sneakers, and playing video games. Apart from hosting parties and taking pictures for parties/bars/clubs, Koby is learning to DJ as a hobby with all sorts of house and hip-hop as the main genres.

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Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro