Florida's Parker Valby won the 2024 Bowerman as the most outstanding woman in track and field. Valby is the third athlete in Florida history to win the Bowerman, but the first woman to win the award. Valby joins Marquis Dendy (2015) and Grant Holloway (2019) as the other Gator winners.
Valby won four NCAA titles in the outdoor 5000 meters, outdoor 10,000 meters, indoor 5000 meters and indoor 3000 meters. She also set three NCAA records in 2024. Valby's cross country performance from the 2023 season doesn't count toward her resume for the Bowerman.
RELATED: A complete history of the Bowerman
Valby had a fantastic season filled with great performances. Here are some of her top moments from her award-winning season.
A record-breaking indoor opener
Two weeks after Parker Valby won the cross country individual title, she opened up her indoor track season at the Boston University Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener. There looked to be no fatigue in the star distance runner's legs, as she ran 14:56.11 across 5000 meters to set an NCAA record.
PARKER VALBY 🙌
— FloTrack (@FloTrack) December 2, 2023
a NEW collegiate record with a 14:56.11 in the 5000M pic.twitter.com/vAHsDOMQxz
Valby with a baton? She can run relays, too
Valby didn't run after the indoor opener until SEC championships, but she wasn't rusty. After winning the 3000 meter title, she ran the anchor leg of Florida's DMR squad, where she helped the Gators set a meet record in 10:53.29.
THE GATORS ARE YOUR WOMEN'S DMR CHAMPS 🥇
— Gators Track and Field & Cross Country (@GatorsTF) February 24, 2024
And they do it in MEET RECORD fashion!#GoGators 🐊 | 📺 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/jdv6s4Uauf
RECORDS: Every collegiate track and field record broken in 2024
The first national championship double
All eyes were on Valby in the distance events at the 2024 indoor championships. Valby lived up to the hype with wins in the 3000 meters and 5000 meters, resetting her 5K record at 14:52.79.
Another opener, another record
In Parker Valby's outdoor season opener, she followed the precedent she set to open her indoor season with another collegiate record. In the 10,000 meters, she ran 30:50.43 at the Bryan Clay Invitational to set the all-time mark.
Another natty double to close an all-time season
Parker Valby ran the outdoor 5000 meter title and the outdoor 10,000 meter title at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships to close off one of the most dominant distance running seasons in collegiate history. She added a 5000 meter NCAA record with her 14:52.18 finish.
MORE: The 5 most dominant women’s distance running seasons in NCAA history
Full recap
Here's a look at all of Valby's accomplishments this year:
Championships:
- NCAA outdoor 5000 meter champion
- NCAA outdoor 10,000 meter champion
- NCAA indoor 5000 meter champion
- NCAA indoor 3000 meter champion
- SEC outdoor 5000 meter champion
- SEC indoor 3000 meter champion
- SEC indoor distance medley relay champion
- Undefeated in indoor and outdoor races in 2024
Collegiate Records and All-Time marks:
- 10,000 meter NCAA record
- Also has No. 7 fastest 10K in NCAA history
- Outdoor 5000 meter NCAA record
- Also has No. 5 fastest 5K in NCAA history
- Two-time Indoor 5000 meter NCAA record
- No. 3 and No. 6 fastest 3000 meters in NCAA history
