Valby was named SEC Women’s Runner of the Year for the second consecutive year and Palmer was labeled SEC Women’s Coach of the Year.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – During a historic season in which the Gators Women’s Cross Country team has been crowned the 2023 SEC Cross Country Champions and have punched their ticket to the NCAA Championships, two Gators are being honored for their success during the 2023 season.
As announced by the Southeastern Conference on Tuesday afternoon, Parker Valby has been crowned the SEC Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year for the second year in a row while, in his first season coaching the Florida Gators, Coach Will Palmer was named SEC Women’s Coach of the Year.
Parker is the first woman to win the award in back to back seasons since Mercy Chelangat (University of Alabama) did so in 2020 and 2021.
Coach Palmer is the first Gator to win the award since Paul Spangler in 2012.
BACK TO BACK FOR VALBY
Once again, Valby has put together, what can only be described as, a dominant season.
The Tampa, Florida native began her 2023 season at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational. Despite a competitive field that included former NCAA Cross Country Champions and twenty-one other ranked women’s programs, Valby placed first by a margin of 12.4 seconds. Valby slowly gained ground on the other leaders throughout the race as she led by just 0.6 seconds through the first 2000m, growing to a 7.5 second lead two-thirds of the way through the race, eventually ending in the 12.4 second advantage over runner-up finisher Katelyn Tuohy.
Her final mark, 19:17.2, was a Wisconsin Course record, edging out the previous record of 19:19.0, set in 2015, by two seconds.
For her effort, Parker was named SEC Women’s Co-Runner of the Week and USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Women’s Athlete of the Week.
The redshirt junior continued her outstanding season two weeks later as she earned her second consecutive SEC Cross Country Individual Title at the SEC Cross Country Championships.
Valby completed the 6k course in Columbia, South Carolina in 18:37.5, a remarkable 33.8 seconds faster than the second place finisher. However, she did not sustain that lead the entire race.
At the 3000m mark Valby and Doris Lemngole of Alabama had separated themselves from the rest of the competitors. Just 1000m later, Lemngole decided to make her move and passed Valby briefly before the Gator found her final gear, reclaimed the lead, and started to put together a controlling final 2000m of the race culminating in the 33.8 second margin of victory.
She was once again named the USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Women’s Athlete of the Week, her second of the year and third of her career, while also adding an All-SEC First Team accolade.
In this past weekend’s action, Valby once again obtained a first place finish. Earning honors for the second straight year seems to be a theme for Valby as she was labeled the NCAA South Region Individual Champion after doing so in 2022 as well.
Valby’s finish of 17:59.6 led the Gators to a second place finish, helped secure a bid to the NCAA Championships and awarded her USTFCCCA All-Region status.
Valby and the Gators continue their season on Saturday, November 18 where the team will compete for the NCAA Cross Country Championship in Charlottesville, Virginia.
PALMER COACH OF THE YEAR
In his first year coaching the Florida Gators Cross Country program, Coach Will Palmer has led the women’s team to a historic season.
Over the course of the season, Palmer has led the Gators to countless accolades that have not been achieved by Gators Women’s Cross Country in countless years.
Firstly, Palmer has coached the women’s team to two first place finishes at the Mountain Dew Invitational and SEC Cross Country Championships, second place finishes at the FSU XC Invitational and NCAA South Regional and a fifth place finish at the competitive Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational.
In three of the five meets (Mountain Dew Invitational, FSU XC Invitational, SEC Cross Country Championships) the Gators have competed in, Palmer has coached all five of the scoring athletes to top twenty-five finishes at the respective meet.
These successes resulted in the Gators receiving their highest ranking in the USTFCCCA NCAA Division I National Coaches’ Poll since 2009 as Florida was ranked number six earlier this season.
Additionally, Coach Palmer steered the Gators to the first SEC Cross Country Championship since 2012, and the first time the team has reached the NCAA Cross Country Championships since 2018.
