GOING PRO: NCAA Stars Turn Pro & Sign NIL Deals

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Written by Aimee Morganti, edits & additional commentary via Garrett Zatlin

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The 2025-2026 academic calendar year is a wrap! And naturally, that means a large handful of the most elite track and field stars within the NCAA are graduating to the next level -- specifically, the pro level.

Not only that, but many major shoe brands are finalizing "Name, Image and Likeness" (NIL) deals with a handful of still-active collegians.

At The Stride Report, we put together any and every pro and NIL signing we could find and listed them below. Come back to this page later this summer should any additional pro and NIL signings come to light!

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Colin Sahlman (Northern Arizona)

Pro Sponsor: Nike

Pro Group & Coach(es): Nike Swoosh Track Club

Accolades: 

• Seven-Time First-Team All-American (800m, 1500m, mile, 3k, DMR, cross country)

• 2026 NCAA DMR champion

• 2026 NCAA indoor 300-meter champion

• 2026 NCAA outdoor 800-meter champion

• NCAA indoor 800-meter record holder (1:44.70)

• NCAA #6 All-Time for outdoor 800 meters (1:44.22)

• NCAA #14 All-Time for indoor mile (3:52.30)

• NCAA #10 All-Time for outdoor 1500 meters (3:33.96)

• NCAA #11 All-Time for indoor 3000 meters (7:36.71)

• 15-Time BIG Sky Champion (800m, 1500m, mile, DMR, 4x400m, cross country)

Sanu Jallow-Lockhart (Arkansas)

Pro Sponsor: Brooks

Pro Group & Coach(es): Brooks Beasts Track Club // Danny Mackey

Accolades: 

• Eight-Time First-Team All-American (800m, 4x400m, DMR)

• NCAA indoor 600-meter record holder (1:24.19)

• NCAA outdoor 800-meter record holder (1:56.85)

• 2026 NCAA outdoor 800-meter champion

• Three-Time NCAA Championship runner-up (800m & 4x400m)

• Two-Time NCAA 4x400m champion (indoor & outdoor)

• Represented Gambia at the 2024 Olympic Games over 800 meters

• Three-Time Gambian National Record holder (400m, 800m, mile)

• Four-Time SEC champion (800m & 4x400m)

• Six-Time SEC Championship runner-up (800m & 4x400m)

Marco Langon (Villanova)

Pro Sponsor: Diadora

Pro Group & Coach(es): Boston-based // Rob DeFillipis & Matt Valeriani

Accolades: 

• Seven-Time First-Team All-American (3k, 5k, cross country)

• 2026 NCAA Indoor Championship 5000-meter runner-up

• Two-Time 3rd place finisher at the NCAA Championships (3k & 5k)

• 11-Time NCAA Championship qualifier

• NCAA #2 All-Time for outdoor 1500 meters (3:32.79)

• NCAA #3 All-Time for indoor 3000 meters (7:34.00)

• NCAA #4 All-Time for indoor 5000 meters (13:05.21)

• Seven-Time BIG EAST champion (1500m, 3k, 5k, DMR)

• Three-Time BIG EAST Championship runner-up (3k, 4x800m, cross country)

Wilma Nielsen (Oregon)

Pro Sponsor: Nike

Pro Group & Coach(es): Nike Swoosh Track Club

Accolades:

• Seven-Time First-Team All-American (800m, 1500m, mile, DMR)

• Two-time NCAA mile champion (2025 & 2026)

• 2026 NCAA DMR champion

• 2025 NCAA DMR runner-up

• NCAA #4 All-Time over indoor 1000 meters (2:38.95)

• NCAA #2 All-Time for indoor mile & Swedish National Record Holder (4:21.04)

• 2021 European U23 Championship bronze medalist (800m)

• Three-time World Indoor & Outdoor Championships qualifier via Sweden

• Four-time Swedish national champion over 800 meters

Gary Martin (Virginia)

Pro Sponsor: Brooks

Pro Group & Coach(es): Brooks Beasts Track Club // Danny Mackey

Accolades: 

• Seven-Time First-Team All-American (1500m, mile, 3k, DMR, cross country)

• 2025 NCAA DMR champion

• 2025 NCAA Indoor Championship 3000-meter runner-up

• Three-Time ACC champion (3k & cross country)

• NCAA #7 All-Time for outdoor 1500 meters (3:33.71)

• NCAA #2 All-Time for indoor mile (3:48.82)

• NCAA #7 All-Time for indoor 3000 meters (7:36.09)

• NCAA #5 All-Time for indoor 5000 meters (13:05.57)

• 6th place over 1500 meters at the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships

• 12-Time NCAA Championship qualifier

Elliott Cook (Oregon)

Pro Sponsor: Nike

Pro Group & Coach(es): Nike Swoosh Track Club (Eugene) // Jerry Schumacher

Accolades: 

• Five-Time First-Team All-American (1500, mile, DMR)

• NCAA #25 All-Time, All-Dates for outdoor 1500 meters (3:33.84)

• 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championship 1500-meter runner-up

• Eight-Time NCAA Championship qualifier

• 2022 & 2024 PAC-12 outdoor 800-meter champion

• 2024 PAC-12 outdoor 1500-meter champion

• Three-Time conference meet runner-up over mile & DMR (PAC-12 & BIG 10)

Ellaney Matarese (Harvard)

Pro Sponsor: Hoka (Trail)

Accolades:

• First-Team All-American (DMR)

• 12-time top-eight finisher at Ivy League Track & Field Championships (800m, 1k, 1500m, mile, steeple, 4x800m)

• 13th place at the 2024 Ivy League XC Championships

• 2025 East Regional Championship 3000-meter steeplechase qualifier

• 15th place at the 2025 Kodiak Ultra Marathons

• 2:41:16 at the 2025 California International Marathon

• 16th place in 100-mile debut at the 2026 Western States Endurance Run

Rosemary Longisa (Iowa State)

NIL Sponsor: Brooks

Accolades: 

• Three-Time First-Team All-American (1500, mile, cross country)

• 2026 NCAA outdoor 1500-meter champion

• 2026 NCAA Indoor Championship indoor mile runner-up

• 2026 Bryan Clay Invitational 1500-meter champion

• 2025 West Coast Conference individual cross country champion

• 3rd place at the 2025 Nuttycombe Invitational

• NCAA #6 All-Time, All-Conditions for indoor 800 meters (1:59.71)

• NCAA #5 All-Time, All-Conditions for indoor 1000 meters (2:38.26)

• NCAA #6 All-Time, All-Conditions for indoor mile (4:24.59)

• NCAA #2 All-Time for outdoor 1500 meters (4:02.55)

Julia David-Smith (Washington)

NIL Sponsor: Nike

Accolades: 

• First-Team All-American (DMR)

• 2026 FISU World University Games outdoor 5000-meter champion

• Six-time NCAA Championship qualifier (5k, DMR, cross country)

• Two-Time top-80 finisher at NCAA XC Championships

• 2026 BIG 10 Outdoor Championship 5000-meter runner-up

Elsingi Kipruto (Louisville)

NIL Sponsor: On

Accolades:

• Four-Time First-Team All-American (5k, 10k, cross country)

• 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championship 10,000-meter runner-up

• NCAA #11 All-Time for 10,000 meters (27:29.83)

• 2026 ACC outdoor 5000-meter champion

• Two-time 3rd place finisher at ACC Championships (3k & cross country)

Trent McFarland (Michigan)

NIL Sponsor: On

Accolades: 

• Three-Time First-Team All-American (1500, mile, DMR)

• 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships 1500-meter runner-up

• 2026 NCAA Indoor Championship mile bronze medalist

• NCAA #4 All-Time (tied) for outdoor 1500 meters (3:33.17)

• Four-Time BIG 10 champion (1500, mile, DMR)

• Six-Time NCAA Championship qualifier

• 7th over 1500 meters at the 2024 U20 World Championships

Aniya Mosley (via Ohio State & Virginia Tech)

NIL Sponsor: Brooks

Accolades:

• First-Team All-American (800m)

• Two-Time top-100 finisher at NCAA XC Championships

• Five-time national qualifier (800m, 1500m, cross country)

• Two-time BIG 10 Championship runner-up over 800 meters

• 2026 BIG 10 Outdoor Championship bronze medalist over 1500 meters

Bethany Michalak (NC State)

NIL Sponsor: Altra

Accolades:

• Two-Time First-Team All-American (DMR & cross country)

• NCAA #12 all-time indoor DMR (10:46.00)

• 17th place at 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships (5k)

• Five-time top-10 finisher at ACC Championships (all three seasons)

Boh Ritchie (Penn State)

NIL Sponsor: On

Accolades:

• 11th place at 2026 NCAA Indoor Championships (800m)

• Five-Time New Zealand representative at World Championships (U20 & senior)

• 11-Time New Zealand national champion (4x400m, 800m, 1500m, mile, 3k, 5k, cross country)

• New Zealand women’s U20 record holder over 800 meters

• 3rd place place in DMR at 2026 BIG 10 Indoor Championships

• 4th place over 800 meters at 2026 BIG 10 Indoor Championships

• 17th place over 800 meters at East Regional Championships