GRAD TRANSFER: George Kusche to Finish Eligibility at Northern Arizona

Earlier today, George Kusche announced that he'll be finishing his eligibility at Northern Arizona University. The Nebraska star has two years of eligibility across all three seasons of competition according to TFRRS. He will presumably be joining the program starting next fall.

This is a massive development for both parties. The Lumberjacks were already viewed as a powerhouse distance dynasty, recently placing four men in the top-10 of the NCAA Winter XC Championships en route to the national team title. Now, they will soon add Kusche to their roster, a South African distance talent who has been a top name in our rankings for both cross country and track.

The Nebraska standout won the BIG 10 XC title this past January, although he admittedly faltered a bit at the national meet. On the track, Kusche owns outstanding personal bests of 1:49 (800), 3:39 (1500), 3:57 (mile) and 7:50 (3k).

With top scoring veterans like Luis Grijalva and Blaise Ferro entering the latter stages of their collegiate eligibility, bringing in someone like Kusche will allow the Lumberjacks to replace at least some of their firepower while maintaining a veteran presence in the locker room.

Kusche has truthfully struggled as of late and his postseason performances didn't meet expectations. Even so, he is an electric and dynamic talent who is capable of being one of the best in the nation under the direction of Coach Mike Smith.

Earlier this week, The Stride Report was also able to confirm that Adams State superstar Stephanie Cotter was going to Northern Arizona starting next fall as a graduate transfer.