Valby is the first woman in program history to win Collegiate Track and Field’s highest honor, and she joins Gator legends Grant Holloway and Marquis Dendy in the exclusive club.
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 U.S. Olympic Trials, Valby finished second in the 10,000m to earn a spot in the Paris Games. She was the only collegiate athlete to participate in the event. In Paris, Valby would finish 11th in the 10,000m.
She was named the USTFCCCA 2023 cross country, 2024 Indoor and Outdoor National Athlete of the Year, while also becoming just the fifth to win both the cross country and track & field Honda Awards in a single academic year. Valby is the 2023 USTFCCCA Women’s Cross Country National Scholar Athlete of the Year and a SEC Academic Honor Roll member. Valby graduated cum laude with her bachelor’s degree in Sports Management in May.
The six-time SEC Champion and nine-time USTFCCCA All-American won all 14 races that she competed in during the 2023-24 season and set three collegiate records (indoor 5,000m, outdoor 5,000m, outdoor 10,000m).
The Valby File
* The Bowerman Winner
* 5 NCAA Individual Titles in 2023-24 season (first female runner in history to win 5 NCAA individual titles in one season)
* 5000m (Outdoor)
* 10000m (Outdoor)
* 5000m (Indoor)
* 3000m (indoor)
* Cross Country – not factored into The Bowerman voting
* 4 SEC Individual Championships
* 5000m (Outdoor)
* 3000m (Indoor)
* DMR (Indoor)
* Cross Country – not factored into The Bowerman voting
* Honda Sport Award winner for both Cross Country AND Track & Field (5th woman in history)
* SEC Female Athlete of the Year
* USTFCCCA Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year
* 4 Florida Program Records
* Outdoor 5000m: 14:52.18*
* Indoor 5000m: 14:52.79**
* Outdoor 10000m: 30:50.43*
* Indoor 3000m: 8:41.50
* 2024 Olympian – Team USA, 11th place at Olympic 10000m
* Only 2024 collegiate athlete to participate in the event
*Collegiate record
**set collegiate record, current No. 2
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