Texas Tech hurdler Caleb Dean among 3 finalists for Bowerman Award

Texas Tech track and field star Caleb Dean, the first man to win NCAA championships in the 60-meter hurdles and the 400-meter hurdles in the same year, on Tuesday was one of three men's finalists announced for the Bowerman Award.

Texas combined-events athlete Leo Neugebauer and Georgia 400-meter runner Christopher Morales Williams are the other two still in contention for the award, presented annually to the outstanding male and female athlete in college track and field.

Morales Williams set the collegiate indoor record in the 400, and Neugebauer set the collegiate outdoor record in the decathlon. Like Dean, both won their events at the NCAA indoor and outdoor championships.

The women's finalists are Oregon thrower Jaida Ross, Harvard middle-distance runner Maia Ramsden and Florida distance runner Parker Valby.

The awards will be presented on Dec. 19 in Grande Lakes, Florida.

Last month, Dean was named the track athlete of the year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Dean's victory in the 60 meters at the NCAA indoor championships in Boston helped Tech win the national championship. At the NCAA outdoor championships in Eugene, Oregon, he won the 400 hurdles in 47.23 seconds, second-fastest all-time by a collegian.

Both performances came after comebacks from significant injuries. Dean suffered a fractured foot while warming up for the 400 hurdles final at the 2023 NCAA outdoor, still ran the race and finished. Though he did not undergo surgery, Dean said doctors told him it was an uncommon type of fracture and he was sidelined for several months.

During the indoor season, he was high-point scorer at the Big 12 championships and also achieved first-team all-America status in the 60 meters, finishing sixth at the NCAA championships, and on the 1,600-meter relay, running first leg on a Tech team that placed fourth.

Then he missed the entire outdoor regular season this year with a groin injury, not opening up until the Big 12 championships.

Dean is a 6-foot, 170-pound graduate student from Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic. He transferred to Tech before the 2023 season from Maryland after another Maryland-to-Texas Tech transfer, high jumper Kaithon McDonald, told Red Raiders coaches they should recruit him in the NCAA transfer portal.

Dean is scheduled to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials this week in Eugene. The 400 hurdles rounds are scheduled for 8:20 p.m. CDT Thursday, 8:21 p.m. Friday and 7:20 p.m. Sunday.