Admin (Garrett Zatlin)
Apr 222 min
Earlier today, multiple sources informed The Stride Report that Duke superstar Amina Maatoug is entered in the transfer portal as a future graduate student. According to TFRRS, the Dutch distance ace is expected to hold one full year of eligibility across all three seasons of competition.
Ever since her arrival to the NCAA in the fall of 2022, Amina Maatoug has been a consistently competitive national-caliber name. On the track, the Blue Devil ace has produced times of 2:03 (800), 4:29 (mile), 8:46 (3k) and 15:37 (5k). She has also earned a 9th place finish and a 28th place finish at the last two NCAA XC Championships.
In total, Maatoug has made five appearances on the national stage and earned four All-American honors across all three seasons of competition.
Few graduate transfers have held the same immense value that Maatoug's resume does. There is arguably no distance runner currently in the NCAA with range that is as versatile as what this Duke veteran has shown. Her dynamic skillset, paired with elites times and top-tier cross country prowess, likely makes Maatoug one of the most coveted distance running transfers for as long as The Stride Report has been active.
Trying to predict Maatoug's future landing spot is admittedly a challenge. A native of the Netherlands, TSR isn't aware of any direct ties that Maatoug may have to certain parts of the United States. There are, however, obvious candidates.
The Oregon women, on paper, boast a loaded roster and a range of skillsets that perfectly match the versatile talent that Maatoug holds. The Ducks are largely mile-centric, but also lean towards the 3k and 5k distances, two events that both Maddy Elmore and Silan Ayyildiz have had major success in over the last few months.
Not only that, but adding Maatoug to Oregon's cross country team would further solidify the ladies from Eugene as podium contenders given that certain women like Mia Barnett and Victoria Patterson would now be able to compete (unlike last fall).
The arms race between Northern Arizona and NC State could also lead to Maatoug potentially signing with the Lumberjacks or the Wolfpack.
The former is attempting to reload their cross country low-sticks now that Gracelyn Larkin and Annika Reiss have seemingly exhausted their fall eligibility. NAU also recently signed a Maatoug-type talent in Alex Carlson from the transfer portal.
The Wolfpack, meanwhile, will be losing numerous members from their 2023 cross country title-winning lineup. However, with multiple women continuing to improve (i.e. Grace Hartman and Leah Stephens) and D3 standout Fiona Smith set to enter the program, landing Maatoug could further alter the national title conversation in November.
Other possible contenders to sign Maatoug include Georgetown, Florida, Notre Dame, Washington, Virginia and Boston College.
But regardless of where Maatoug signs, whoever does score this current Duke runner will be landing a game-changing transfer with some of the best three-season value in recent memory.
NOTE: Any discussion regarding potential landing spots for athletes entered in the transfer portal are strictly speculative unless otherwise noted in the article.