Britton Wilson third Razorback women’s finalist for The Bowerman

NEW ORLEANS – Arkansas junior Britton Wilson is one of three women finalists selected for The Bowerman, as announced by USTFCCCA on Monday. Wilson becomes the third Razorback female to be a finalist for the annual award.

The Bowerman, which debuted in 2009, is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the most outstanding male and female NCAA track & field athletes in the nation. Also named as a women’s finalist were sprinter Julien Alfred of Texas and jumper Jasmine Moore of Florida.

“What a great honor,” stated Arkansas women’s head coach Lance Harter. “And an honor for both Britton and Ackera Nugent to be in the hunt as one of the top 10 semifinalists.

“Britton, we knew, had a strong case to be a finalist. 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.”

Previous Arkansas finalists for the women’s Bowerman included pole vaulter Tina Šutej (2011) and sprinter/hurdler Janeek Brown (2019). Texas A&M’s Jessica Beard won in 2011 while Sha’Carri Richardson of LSU won in 2019.

Razorback associate head coach Chris Johnson stated: “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.

“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.”

A record-breaking year for Wilson included an American 400m record indoors, running the fastest split ever indoors on a world best 4 x 400m relay, along with a collection of five collegiate records being set in the 400m and 600m indoors, as well as three times in the 400m outdoors.

“It was a record setting year, indoors as well as outdoors,” said Harter. “What was consistent about Britton she was always in the hunt to set yet another record. I think the standards that she established for herself as well as for the sport is a tribute again to all the hard work and trust between herself and Coach Johnson.”

The key to all the record performances Johnson noted: “I think the level of training, and the level of understanding of what we were asking her to do. I think she was also a little more focused than last year. Last year was new, it was the first year being able to understand the workload that we’re doing and be able to really conceptualize what we’re asking her to do.”

Wilson blossomed during the 2022 season, setting a total 10 school records in the 400m and 400m hurdles and ranking No. 6 on the all-time collegiate list in both events. Then in the summer she finished runner-up at the USATF Championships in the 400m hurdles with a career best of 53.08, No. 10 on all-time US list, to qualify as a member of Team USA for the World Championships in Eugene, the first time for the global event to be held in the United States.

Finishing fifth in the final of the 400m hurdles at the World Championships offered a glimpse of her potential on that stage. Selected for the 4 x 400m relay final, Wilson’s presence in the moment shone very bright as she maintained and increased the lead for Team USA with a 49.39 split on the way to a gold medal performance with a world-leading 3:17.79.

Then in 2023, her ability to manage the 400m and 400m hurdles in the same meet, and then on the same day during championship meets was an extraordinary display that included a trio of 400m collegiate records along the way in lowering the mark to 49.13, which ranks No. 4 on the U.S. all-time list with the No. 9 performance.

“Coming off a phenomenal year in 2022, being fifth at the World Championship, I think she came into this season even hungrier to prove to herself and the others she one of the best the country has to offer,” said Johnson. “I think she’s done that, and we’re excited about that and looking forward to the ceremony.

“Running on the relay at the World Championships built confidence. She was running with a talented group of young ladies, and she made sure to do her part. She’s a great team player as it pertains to that. I think her level of confidence went up and she understood that she really is that good. She came back prepared, worked a little harder, and now we see where she is at.”

Following today’s announcement, The Bowerman fan vote will start on Tuesday at 3 p.m. (CT), the same time the men’s three finalists are released, and ends on Thursday at 1 p.m. (CT). A link to vote will be available on Tuesday.

The fan vote and USTFCCCA membership vote is a portion of the overall tally, which also includes ballots from The Bowerman Advisory Board, each of the past winners of The Bowerman from 2009 to 2022, was well as votes from select media personnel, statisticians, and collegiate administrators.

More than 30,000 votes per day were tabulated in The Bowerman fan vote in 2022 over the two days, smashing the previous record of 16,000 per day set back in 2016.