ORLANDO – Florida’s 2024 distance running sensation, Parker Valby, has won The Bowerman – collegiate Track and Field’s highest honor – for her historic performances during the 2024 Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Seasons. Valby is the first woman in Florida’s program history to take home the prized trophy and just the third athlete in school history, joining Grant Holloway (2019) and Marquis Dendy (2015).
With Florida’s third win, they join Oregon (5), LSU (3) and Texas A&M (3) as the only programs in the nation with at least three winners of Track and Field’s Heisman-equivalent.
The phenom from Tampa, Fla. topped a record-breaking group of finalists that also included Maia Ramsden and Jaida Ross. Ramsden went undefeated against collegiate competition in the mid-distance events and notched several all-time top-10 marks in both the mile and 1500 meters, while Ross became the seventh American woman to eclipse 20 meters in the shot put.
This is the fifth time in the past six years that a female athlete from the Southeastern Conference has won The Bowerman. Valby joins 2022 winner Abby Steiner, 2021 winner Athing Mu, 2019 winner Sha’Carri Richardson and 2018 winner Keturah Orji in that regard. Last season’s winner, Julien Alfred, attended the University of Texas, which will join Track and Field’s premier conference for the 2025 season.
Florida Finalists for The Bowerman
Christian Taylor, 2011
Tony McQuay, 2012
Marquis Dendy, 2015*
Grant Holloway, 2018 & 2019*
Yanis David, 2019
Anna Hall, 2022
Jasmine Moore, 2023
Parker Valby, 2024*
*- Indicates win
Valby is the first female runner in NCAA history to win five NCAA individual national titles in a single academic year (1 XC, 2 Indoor, 2 Outdoor) – and she claimed all in at least meet record times. At the NCAA Indoor Championships, she reset her 5,000m collegiate record to 14:52.79 to win by nearly 17 seconds. Less than 24 hours later, Valby set a meet record of 8:41.50 to win the 3,000m title.
During the outdoor season, Valby shaved 28 seconds off the previous collegiate record to win the 10,000m at the Bryan Clay Invitational, crossing the line in just 30:50.43 on April 12. At the NCAA Outdoor Championships, she set the meet record to win the NCAA Outdoor 10,000m. On the NCAA Championships’ final day, Valby successfully defended her 5,000m title with a collegiate record time (14:52.18). All of her NCAA titles were won by at least a five-second margin.
At the 2024…
With Florida’s third win, they join Oregon (5), LSU (3) and Texas A&M (3) as the only programs in the nation with at least three winners of Track and Field’s Heisman-equivalent.
The phenom from Tampa, Fla. topped a record-breaking group of finalists that also included Maia Ramsden and Jaida Ross. Ramsden went undefeated against collegiate competition in the mid-distance events and notched several all-time top-10 marks in both the mile and 1500 meters, while Ross became the seventh American woman to eclipse 20 meters in the shot put.
This is the fifth time in the past six years that a female athlete from the Southeastern Conference has won The Bowerman. Valby joins 2022 winner Abby Steiner, 2021 winner Athing Mu, 2019 winner Sha’Carri Richardson and 2018 winner Keturah Orji in that regard. Last season’s winner, Julien Alfred, attended the University of Texas, which will join Track and Field’s premier conference for the 2025 season.
Florida Finalists for The Bowerman
Christian Taylor, 2011
Tony McQuay, 2012
Marquis Dendy, 2015*
Grant Holloway, 2018 & 2019*
Yanis David, 2019
Anna Hall, 2022
Jasmine Moore, 2023
Parker Valby, 2024*
*- Indicates win
Valby is the first female runner in NCAA history to win five NCAA individual national titles in a single academic year (1 XC, 2 Indoor, 2 Outdoor) – and she claimed all in at least meet record times. At the NCAA Indoor Championships, she reset her 5,000m collegiate record to 14:52.79 to win by nearly 17 seconds. Less than 24 hours later, Valby set a meet record of 8:41.50 to win the 3,000m title.
During the outdoor season, Valby shaved 28 seconds off the previous collegiate record to win the 10,000m at the Bryan Clay Invitational, crossing the line in just 30:50.43 on April 12. At the NCAA Outdoor Championships, she set the meet record to win the NCAA Outdoor 10,000m. On the NCAA Championships’ final day, Valby successfully defended her 5,000m title with a collegiate record time (14:52.18). All of her NCAA titles were won by at least a five-second margin.
At the 2024…
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