In collegiate track and field, there is not an A-list. 

Instead, there’s the B-list, or The Bowerman Watch List, which names the top 10 male and female athletes across all events during each month of the season.

Texas Women’s track and field athletes Ackelia Smith, Rhasidat Adeleke and Julien Alfred worked their way on to the 2023 Women’s Pre-NCAA Outdoor Championships Bowerman’s Watch List, making Texas the seventh program in the Watch List’s history to have three or more women on the same list. 

Junior sprinter Adeleke and sophomore jumper Smith debuted on the list this year. Adeleke was on the list four times off and on this season, while Smith made the list for the first time in the Pre-NCAA revision. 

Graduate student and sprinter Alfred has made the list 11 times, dating back to 2020. 

However, the end goal is more than just making the list. The Bowerman is the most prestigious collegiate track and field honor given to the top man and woman in the sport every year. 

The Bowerman Advisory Board, composed of NCAA collegiate administrators, media personnel and track and field statisticians, chooses the winner of the Bowerman after an 11-month review process.

All three Texas women accomplished much this year, from breaking records to contributing to a Texas team championship win. 

Smith jumped 6.73 meters to break the number two all-time indoor record in her first long jump of the season, winning the Commonwealth College Opener. The Jamaican sophomore jumped even further at the NCAA Outdoor Championships at 6.88 meters, winning gold. 

At the indoor championship, Smith became the first Longhorn to finish in the top three in both the long jump and triple jump at the same championship. She again placed in the top three in both events at the outdoor championship.

 Adeleke’s 400-meter time of 49.20 seconds gave her a personal best and a meet record at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Furthermore, Adeleke became the eighth Longhorn to win the 400-meter at nationals and the first Irish victor in the NCAA since 2006. 

Adeleke and Alfred also achieved collegiate records at the Texas Relays. The relay team clocked 42.0 seconds for the 4×100 meter, which Texas has since broken. Both women set the collegiate record for the 4×200 meter at 1:28:05 minutes and the sprint medley relay at 3:36:10 minutes. 

Alfred also earned many individual accolades this year, including the Big 12 Outdoor Performer of the Week three times, USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week four times and USTFCCCA National Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. 

Last year, Alfred became a Bowerman Semifinalist and was one of four women to appear on all eight of the Bowerman Watch Lists this year. 

After the three women’s performances at the NCAA Outdoor Championship, they each have a good chance of reaching the Bowerman semifinalist round, if not further.