RECRUITING: Alabama Women Add Distance Ace Doris Cherop to Roster

The Stride Report has confirmed that the Alabama women are adding Kenyan distance standout Doris Cherop to their 2023 roster starting this fall. She is expected to enter the NCAA with freshman eligibility.

Cherop is a massive addition to the Crimson Tide's roster. The international rookie holds a blistering personal best of 9:35 in the steeplechase, per her World Athletics profile. Her profile also shows that she has run 14:40 over 5000 meters in March of 2023, although that (highly impressive) result appears to be done in a French road race that is historically fast.

The introduction of a distance star like Cherop should prove to be a saving grace for an Alabama women's team that has been decimated by departures as of late.

The loss of distance coach Will Palmer back in January eventually led to Amaris Tyynismaa, Allison Wilson and Flomena Asekol transferring out of the program. Freshman standout Sam McDonnell also transferred out of the program, although that move was not related to the departure of Will Palmer.

Long distance veteran Mercy Chelangat has also run out of eligibility and will not be returning.

While the Alabama women do return distance ace Hilda Olemomoi and a still-developing group of promising youngsters, the need for greater firepower in Tuscaloosa is clear.

But with Cherop now set to team up with Olemomoi, the Alabama women can at least field a likely-lethal 1-2 scoring punch this fall. That should, in theory, allow the Crimson Tide women to stay in contention for a national qualifying spot come November and even a top-20 ranking.

It also can't be forgotten that the Alabama women were able to bring in rising sophomore transfer Joy Gill earlier this year.

During her time with Incarnate Word, Gill emerged as a highly promising cross country talent as just a freshman. She placed 8th at the Arturo Barrios Invite, won the individual title at the Southland Conference Championships and finished 8th at the South Central Regional XC Championships.

Even so, there are a handful of questions about this team that still need to be answered.

Just how good will Cherop be in her first year against NCAA competition? Will the Alabama coaching staff add any other high-level distance talents to their 2023 roster? Can Elka Machan improve upon a quietly-strong 2022 cross country season? Which underclassmen returners can reach a new level of fitness this fall?

Not all of those questions need to be answered favorably by October or November in order for the Alabama women to find success three to four months from now. And while greater scoring assistance will eventually be needed, the Crimson Tide still have a solid core that they can rally and build around going into the 2023 cross country season.