NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- Virginia Tech track All-American and three-time NCAA champion Queen Harrison is one of three female finalists for the Bowerman Award. The Bowerman Advisory Board in conjunction with the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on Monday three female finalists for the highest honor given to collegiate track & field student-athletes.

Harrison became the first female in NCAA history to win both the 100- and 400-meter hurdle national titles in June at the NCAA Outdoor Finals in Eugene, Ore. Earlier in the year, she captured Virginia Tech’s first national title in women’s track and field at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships, winning the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.95.

Harrison had a wind-aided 12.44 in 100m hurdles at the ACC Championships with was the all-time fastest collegiate mark under any conditions. Her 12.61 at the Penn Relays tied her with Olympic Champion Gail Devers as the equal-third-fastest 100m hurdler in collegiate history. Harrison’s 54.55 in the 400m hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor Finals was the ninth fastest by a collegian.

The Bowerman Voters, a group of around 100, consisting of national and regional media personnel, track & field statisticians, NCAA collegiate administrators, and Presidents of affiliated organizations will make their selections. Previous winners Galen Rupp and Jenny Barringer will also receive one vote.

Recently Harrison was named the ACC Female Track Performer of Year and the Track & Field News Female College Athlete of the Year.

The next step in selecting a winner will be carried out in the next months with voting. The Bowerman Voters will receive ballots listing each of the finalists and must rank them by first, second and third choice. First-place votes will receive three points, second place will notch two, and third will receive one point. The finalist with the highest point total will be declared the winner. Award winners will be announced in a ceremony at the USTFCCCA Convention on December 15 at the JW Marriott Hill Country, San Antonio, Texas. John Anderson, ESPN SportsCenter anchor and co-host of ABC’s Wipeout, will host the night’s festivities. The three women and three men finalists will be invited to the presentation

The award is named after legendary University of Oregon head track and field coach Bill Bowerman who served as coach from 1949-72. Bowerman remained active at the University and in the coaching world even as the shoe company he cofounded, Nike®, grew into a global sports giant.