FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas junior sprinter and hurdler Britton Wilson was named one of three female finalists Monday for The Bowerman, which is presented to the most outstanding athlete in college track and field.
Wilson won the 400-meter NCAA championship indoors in March and was part of the Razorbacks' record-breaking 1,600-meter relay team at the same meet. Wilson's anchor split of 49.19 seconds was the fastest ever by a woman and contributed to an all-time world best of 3:21.75 for the relay team.
Wilson won championships in the 400 and 400 hurdles on the same day at the SEC outdoor meet in May. She finished second in the 400 at the NCAA outdoor meet earlier this month with a time of 49.64. She was clocked in 49.36 during the the semifinals, which was the second-fastest time ever by a collegian.
Texas sprinter Julien Alfred and Florida jumper Jasmine Moore are other finalists for the award, which will be presented Dec. 14 during the convention for the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association in Aurora, Colo.
Alfred swept the 200-meter NCAA titles indoors and outdoors, and also won national championships in the 60 indoors and 100 outdoors. She set indoor collegiate records in the 60 (6.94) and 200 (22.01).
Moore set three collegiate records en route to winning triple jump (49 feet, 7 1/4 inches) and long jump (23-0 3/4) indoors, and triple jump outdoors (48-6).
Wilson owns collegiate records indoors in the 400 (49.48) and 600 (1:25.16), and outdoors in the 400 (49.13).
"Britton, we knew, had a strong case to be a finalist," said Lance Harter, the retiring Arkansas women's head coach. "It's so rewarding that she has been selected and will be honored in December at the convention. It's not only a great tribute to Britton, herself, but also to our women's track program and the university as a whole."
Wilson is the third Arkansas female athlete to be a finalist for the award and is looking to become the Razorbacks' first female winner. Pole vaulter Tina Sutej was a finalist in 2011 and sprinter/hurdler Janeek Brown was a finalist in 2019.
Wilson, a native of Henrico, Va., who transferred from Tennessee following the 2021 season, turned professional following the NCAA outdoor meet.
"When you're talking about being among the top three in the country in the sport of track and field that covers a broad range of events along with different levels of technical acumen to be named a finalist, our third at the University of Arkansas and the second one I've coached, I'm excited for Britton," said Chris Johnson, Arkansas' long-time sprints coach who will succeed Harter as the program's head coach next week.
"She's done everything we've asked her to do, came in here and worked really hard to develop herself into being a superior athlete. We're nothing but excited to see how it comes out."
The Bowerman will announce its male finalists Tuesday. Arkansas jumpers Jaydon Hibbert and Carey McLeod are among 10 men who are semifinalists.