GRAD TRANSFER: Stephen Jones to Finish Eligibility at Colorado

Earlier this year, The Stride Report learned that Mississippi State's Stephen Jones was looking to finish his athletic eligibility elsewhere as a graduate transfer. Today, Jones announced that he will be joining the Colorado Buffaloes. He will have all three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Jones was one of the country's top steeplechasers last spring, earning an impressive personal best of 8:42 for the event. The former Mississippi State runner also owned personal bests of 8:14 (3k) and 14:08 (5k). Jones was a national qualifier in cross country this past fall (where he finished 80th overall) and was a 2019 outdoor national qualifier in the steeplechase.

The distance standout will be joining a Colorado cross country team that just lost two major names in Joe Klecker and John Dressel due to expired eligibility. The Buffaloes were still expected to be a competitive team in 2020, but the addition of Jones to their lineup provides the team with valuable depth, key scoring stability and even more championship experience.