The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Alfred named The Bowerman winner
12.14.2023 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Julien Alfred becomes the second-ever Longhorn and first female international athlete to win The Bowerman.
DENVER, CO. - Julien Alfred of the defending NCAA Outdoor track and field championship team was named the winner of The Bowerman for the 2022-23 season on Thursday night, the highest honor in collegiate track and field.
Alfred became the second Longhorn to ever win the award after Courtney Okolo in 2016 and the first international woman to take home the trophy.
The 2023 USTFCCCA Indoor and Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year had one of the most dominant sprint seasons in NCAA history and finished her illustrious career as a Longhorn as a 14-time All-American and a seven-time NCAA champion.
The St. Lucia native broke the NCAA indoor 60-meter record six times (6.94, 6.86, 6.97, 7.00, 7.02, 7.03) during her undefeated season and holds nine of the top-10 fastest time in collegiate history. She went on to break the indoor 200-meter record with a time of 22.01 seconds and became the first Big 12 woman to sweep both titles at the NCAAs and just the second female sprinter to complete the double in the last 25 seasons.
Outdoor season was no different, going undefeated in the 100-meter for the second-straight season and defended her title with the fastest all-conditions time in NCAA history at 10.72w. She's just the sixth woman to ever defend a 100m title and first in Big 12 history. She completed her second double of the year with another all-conditions top time in the 200 at 21.73w.
Along with her individual championships, Alfred helped the Texas women defend its 4x100-meter relay title on the first leg and helped break the NCAA record three times. The top time came in the semifinals at 41.55. Alfred's efforts saw Texas women its fifth NCAA Outdoor title in school history.
Alfred was the fourth Texas women to be named a finalist for the Bowerman, joining Okolo who was a two-time finalist, 2021 finalist Tara Davis and 2009 finalist Destinee Hooker. Alfred won over 2023 NCAA indoor long jump and triple jump champion and outdoor triple jump champion Jasmine Moore and NCAA indoor 400-meter champion Britton Wilson of Arkansas.
Leo Neugebauer became the first Texas male to ever to be named a finalist for The Bowerman to close out his historic year.
Neugebauer put on one of the best shows on the Forty Acres last season, winning the decathlon with a NCAA, NCAA Championships and Texas record score of 8,836 points. With four personal bests out of 10 events, Neugebauer soared to the top breaking a 39-year German National record and set the No. 8 performance in world history in the event.
The six-time All-American began the 2023 season with a bronze medal in the heptathlon with a Texas-record score of 6,214 points. He later broke the Texas and Texas Relays record in decathlon with 8,478 points to defend his Texas Relays title and set the then-No. 5 best score in NCAA history.
His decathlon title marked the third time in Texas history a Longhorn won the event after Trey Hardee did in 2005 and Johannes Hock in 2013. Neugebauer capped his historic season by being named the USTFCCCA Men's National Field Performer of the Year.
Players Mentioned
