The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Adeleke, Alfred and Smith named Bowerman semifinalists
06.21.2023 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Alfred becomes a two-time Bowerman semifinalist.
AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas women's track and field team have three semifinalists for the 2023 Bowerman Award given to the top male and female track or field athlete from the entirety of the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Julien Alfred has been on every watch list update, including the preseason watch list. It's the second time in her career she has been named a semifinalist having made the list last season. Alfred dominated both the indoor and outdoor season, winning five NCAA titles, four being individual events.
The 14-time All-American completed the indoor double with wins in the 60-meter dash and the 200-meter dash where she broke the collegiate record. The continued the season defending her 100-meter title and went back-to-back seasons without losing a collegiate 100m race. She added an outdoor 200m title to her name with the fastest all-conditions time in NCAA history and helped the Longhorns defend their 4x100 relay title on her home track.
Alfred was also named both the Indoor and Outdoor National Women's Track Athlete of the Year honoree this season by USTFCCCA.
Rhasidat Adeleke makes her first appearance as a Bowerman semifinalist and was named to the Watch List four times this season. Adeleke was the NCAA indoor runner-up in the 400-meter and helped the Longhorns finished second in the 4x400-meter relay and as a team.
She added an individual NCAA title to her name taking down the favorite Britton Wilson with a personal best time and collegiate No. 2 time at 49.20 in the 400m outdoors. Adeleke was part of the 4x100 relay that broke the collegiate record three times this season running the third leg and helped Texas win its first team title since 2005.
Ackelia Smith is the final Longhorn to be named to the semifinalist having finished in the top-three spots in both the long jump and triple jump at both NCAA meets this season. Smith was the NCAA runner-up in the long jump and finished third in triple jump during the indoor season. She dominated the long jump during the outdoor season, setting the No. 2 mark in NCAA history at the Big 12 Championships with a jump of 7.08m (23-7.25) and went on to win the NCAA title at 6.88m. She finished as the runner-up in the triple jump at NCAA with a personal-best mark of 14.54m and became the only Longhorn, male or female, to finish in the top-two of both events at the same NCAA championships.
The Bowerman will announce the three finalists on Monday, June 26.
Players Mentioned
