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The Group Chat: 2024 Free Agency
- TSR Collaboration
- Jul 5, 2024
- 13 min read
Written by Maura Beattie, Mike McKean & Rachel Hickey, edits via Garrett Zatlin
Who has been the more important/impactful transfer this summer? Hilda Olemomoi to Florida? Or Amina Maatoug to Washington?
Maura: Seeing Amina Maatoug head off to Washington has to be the more important transfer. The Florida women will be in a year of regrowth following the departure of Parker Valby, Amelia Mazza-Downie, Elise Thorner and Flomena Asekol. And even though Hilda Olemomoi is a clear top-three talent in NCAA cross country this year, she’s simply not going to make up for all of the departing women by herself.
As for Maatoug, the newly minted Husky could make an immediate impact on a team that is looking for that true low-stick. Maatoug’s experience on the national stage and remarkable range will be just what Washington needs to vie for a podium finish at the cross country national meet in November. Between Maatoug, Chloe Foerster, Sophie O’Sullivan and Julia David-Smith, Coach Maurica Powell has a solid top-four (along with a handful of other great transfers) who could turn heads.
Michael: I also have to go with Amina Maatoug to Washington here.
Yes, it's true, Hilda Olemomoi will be a certified low-stick and will be one of the early favorites to emerge as the NCAA cross country individual champion this fall. It's also true that the Gators have lost a great amount of depth and will need to replace key members from their top-five. The catch, however, is that Florida still needs to be aggressive in the transfer portal and add new names if they want to come even close to their nationally competitive level that we saw from them last fall.
The Huskies, however, are primed to compete for a podium spot right now.
With six of their top-seven runners returning, the addition of Amina Maatoug vaults this squad into a very interesting conversation. With Maatoug’s past two NCAA XC Championship finishes of 9th and 28th, the Huskies now have the upper-tier firepower that they were seemingly missing in 2023.
Maatoug’s range in all distances on the track will also add to their already-impressive group of middle distance standouts that the Huskies boast as well.
Rachel: Hilda Olemomoi simply adds something to the Florida program that they desperately needed for the upcoming cross country season.
With Parker Valby having confirmed that she is not returning for her final year of eligibility, the Gator women also lose firepower in Flomena Asekol, Elise Thorner and Amelia Mazza-Downie (some to expired eligibility, some to graduation). Lucinda Rourke, who was also in the Gators’ NCAA XC Championship lineup, is also transferring to Louisville, leaving Coach Will Palmer’s squad with lots of holes to fill.
Olemomoi is arguably the best possible replacement for Valby. She could be the spark plug for the program to attract more transfer talent which they will need if they want to be nationally competitive yet again this fall.
I think Maatoug, on the other hand, simply adds to what the Washington women already have. Maatoug’s performances match the profile of athletes that the Powells traditionally recruit. Washington is consistently a force with their strength in numbers and while Maatoug no doubt adds to that in a major way, I feel that Olemomoi’s transfer is a bit more high stakes for the Florida program that needs to bring in the firepower to fill some gaps.
Who is the More Impactful/Important Transfer Pick-up?
Hilda Olemomoi (Alabama to Florida)
Amina Maatoug (Duke to Washington)
Other
Behind Olemomoi and Maatoug, who has been the most important/impactful transfer of the offseason?
Maura: Sona Kourilova making the trek from the Czech Republic to Utah gives the Utes a fairly major dark horse scorer. The Utah women have become one of the better cross country teams in the NCAA as of late. And now, by adding someone like Kourilova, a 9:56 steeplechaser, there’s potential for the Utes to return to the top-15 following a 13th place finish at the 2023 NCAA XC Championships.
Kourilova’s potential on the grass is unknown right now as she doesn’t have any cross country results on her World Athletics profile. Of course, with the way Coach Kyle Kepler develops his athletes, a top-50 finish on the national stage from Kourilova is possible.
Michael: Georgetown adding Lucy Jenks to their team with two returning All-American-caliber women in Chloe Scrimgeour and Melissa Riggins feels like a massive deal for me. This team already had great firepower, but now it's even better. And the depth? Well, with seemingly enough to get by, Jenks gives them even more room for error.
With Jenks, Scrimgeour and Riggins all suiting up for the Hoyas this year, we could potentially see three top-40 finishes from all of them at the national meet in November. The former Stanford runner is a valuable veteran who can also provide quality on the track as well. She has shown range as she holds a very solid 4:14 (1500) PR.
Rachel: I'm with Mike. I didn't know if this would be the most popular pick, but I truly think that Lucy Jenks transferring from Stanford to Georgetown is a major development.
Jenks’ aerobic strength matches the exact profile that Coach Mitchell Baker likes to recruit and she potentially adds the missing low-stick piece to their cross country puzzle. Last fall, behind the low-stick strength of Chloe Scrimegeour, the Georgetown women were a top-10 team in the country for most of the season before a tough showing at the national meet gave them an 18th place finish.
If Georgetown is already returning the core of a top-10 squad from 2023, then just how high can they climb in 2024 with Jenks in the fold? Jenks finished 93rd at the 2023 national meet as Stanford’s second runner. If she can improve upon, or even replicate, that performance in November, then she'll make a fantastic addition for the Georgetown women to make a run at the podium this fall.
Behind Olemomoi & Maatoug, who has been the most important/impactful transfer of the offseason?
Lucy Jenks (Stanford to Georgetown)
Simon Kelati (Western Colorado to Tennessee)
Sona Kourilova (Czech Republic to Utah)
Evan Dorenkamp (Penn State to Oregon)
Where is the best landing spot for Judy Kosgei?
Maura: It’s got to be Florida for Judy Kosgei given her range and ever-rising ceiling.
Kosgei is a very similar athlete to former Florida ace Flomena Asekol, both on the cross country course and the track. The rising sophomore owns PRs of 2:01 (800) and 4:07 (1500) and has been outstanding on the grass, too.
It’s still hard to say which event she’s going to truly excel in over the course of her career, but it's her overall three-season value that makes her such a key name. Kosgei joining the Florida women would not only aid them on the track, but also on the grass as she was the 19th place finisher in 2023 at the cross country national meet. Don't be surprised if Coach Will Palmer lands the now-former South Carolina star.
Michael: I’m going to agree with Maura here. Judy Kosgei to Florida feels like a great move. Teaming up with Hilda Olemomoi immediately puts the Gators back in contention as a top contender this fall.
Sure, the Gators may not be podium threats this fall even with Kosgei, but at the very least, introducing the former Gamecock gives Florida a shot at flirting with the top-10 of our rankings again come October and November. In fact, the Florida women could have the best 1-2 punch in the country if they do land Kosgei.
And for good measure, Florida’s team success on the track feels like it could be a big draw in this decision as well.
Rachel: With Kosgei’s combination of talent, great range and three remaining years of eligibility, I would imagine that there are many schools knocking down the door for her. However, I personally would like to see her travel cross country to New Mexico.
Coach Darren Gauson has done a great job building the Lobos in just one year, specifically when it comes to recruiting overseas athletes. His success with Habtom Samuel, this year’s NCAA 10k champion, speaks to his ability to continue to develop top-tier talent. Judy Kosgei would also join low-stick stars Pamela Kosgei and Nicole Jansen as potential training partners if she were to make the move to Albuquerque.
While I am not sure if she will make the jump from the SEC to the Mountain West Conference, I love the combination of Gauson’s developmental of long distance stars and Kosgei’s range. That could be a dangerous combination for the rest of the NCAA if it were to come to fruition.
Where is the best landing spot for Judy Kosgei?
Florida
Arkansas
Oklahoma State
Alabama
Where is the best landing spot for Yaseen Abdalla?
Maura: This is a hard one to guess given that Yaseen Abdalla has already had stints at both Texas and Tennessee.
However, if I had to pick, I would say that Abdalla should make the move to Wake Forest. With his 13:33 (5k) and 28:33 (10k) PRs, the veteran athlete would slide right into the Demon Deacon lineup. He would give them great value on the track as well, at least for the lone indoor track season of eligibility that he has left.
The Wake Forest men are a relatively young team and are expected to be led by sophomore Rocky Hansen this fall. However, the addition of an All-American talent like Abdalla could give the Demon Deacons some extra experience and much-needed firepower as they climb the NCAA cross country hierarchy.
Michael: I like the theoretical fit of Yaseen Abdall on the Virginia Cavaliers.
With their campus only a few hours from Yaseen’s hometown of Lanham, Maryland, it feels like an easy transition. The appeal of joining forces with Gary Martin, Wes Porter, Nathan Mountain and Will Anthony seems too good to pass up as well. On paper, that would be quite the quintet that should finally give UVA some potent scoring potency which may feature one or two All-Americans.
Adding Abdalla gives Virginia the low-stick on the grass that they’re looking for. Additionally, training with guys like Gary Martin can help give him another gear on the track (for the one season he has left). We’ve also seen Abdalla rock different shades of orange in each stop in his collegiate career...so Virginia fits that bill.
Rachel: With no outdoor track eligibility remaining for Abdalla, I reckon that he will get a lot of attention from schools looking to build a nationally competitive DMR or add another home run hitter to their already-stacked relay rosters. Also, Abdalla adds tons of value to a program on the grass looking for just one more consistent scorer to rise in the NCAA team ranks.
This is why North Carolina comes to the top of mind for me. With distance ace Ethan Strand and reigning NCAA 5k champion, Parker Wolfe, set to return for the Tar Heels this year, Abdalla would help mitigate some of the substantial losses that this team has suffered following the losses of Alex Phillip and Jake Gebhardt.
Along with Iowa transfer Max Murphy, the UNC men could be looking at a lethal DMR between these four men if Abdalla were to end up in the light blue.
Where is the best landing spot for Yaseen Abdalla?
Virginia
Georgetown
Wake Forest
North Carolina
Where is the best landing spot for Rivaldo Marshall?
Maura: Staying in the state of Iowa will be the best plan for Rivaldo Marshall and I think Iowa State has just what he’s looking for when it comes to pure 800-meter development.
Marshall broke onto the scene this past indoor track season after transferring to Iowa from Indian Hills Community College. He was later the surprise victor in the 800-meter finals at the indoor national meet.
Joining the Cyclone men would be the best option for Marshall given the depth of talent on the roster. Marshall would give Iowa State three men with 1:45 PRs over 800 meters and many of the men who he will be battling at future national meets could be his teammates. That could lead to team tactics and further middle distance dominance.
Michael: While Rivaldo Marshall has spent his entire collegiate career in the state of Iowa, I’d love to see a move to Texas A&M. The Aggies have shown dominance in the half-mile event and have produced multiple national-caliber superstars in recent years.
The allure of having the current indoor 800-meter collegiate record holder, Paul Ereng, coach you is hard to ignore. Not only that, but previous Aggie stars like Donavan Brazier, Brandon Miller and Devin Dixon have paved the way for current 1:44 (800) man, Sam Whitmarsh.
We should also note that their current group of 800-meter runners is absolutely stacked. The collective of Whitmarsh, Kimar Farquharson and Caden Norris, the first two being All-Americans this past spring, could be just what Marshall needs to reach new heights.
Rachel: I personally could see Marshall joining former Hawkeye teammate Max Murphy out in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. However, because of their sheer strength and dominance over 800 meters, I also have to go with the Texas A&M Aggies.
Marshall would be a great fit for the middle distance heavy program down in College Station. With an 800-meter PR of 1:45, Marshall would be greatly benefitted by training alongside Sam Whitmarsh and the nationally relevant half-mile crew at Texas A&M. Doing so would give this team a loaded middle distance group which could be useful if the Aggie men decide to pursue any outdoor collegiate records in the 4x800-meter relay which seems plenty realistic with Marshall in the fold.
For Marshall, this move would put him in arguably the best middle distance conference in the country and enough success could give him a pro contract. The SEC repeatedly produces national championship-caliber athletes over the half-mile distance and I think it would be great for Marshall to have that postseason experience prior to the NCAA circuit.
Where is the best landing spot for Rivaldo Marshall?
Iowa State
Texas A&M
Texas
Georgetown
Where is the best landing spot for Yasin Sado?
Maura: Yasin Sado may not have any outdoor track eligibility left, but that doesn't necessarily mean that he should stray away from a program that can still help him in that area. That's why he should make his way from Virginia to Georgetown for the upcoming academic year.
Sado needs a coach that has had success with steeplechasers (again, even if he doesn't have outdoor track eligibility) and Coach Brandon Bonsey is precisely that guy.
But for the seasons that he does have eligibility for, range is on Sado’s side given his 3:55 (mile), 13:31 (5k) and recent 8:17 (steeple) personal bests. The Hoyas will greatly benefit from the veteran’s national-level experience. He will also give them a much-needed bump to regroup after a 30th place finish at the 2023 cross country national meet.
Michael: Without any outdoor track eligibility left for Yasin Sado, I feel that his future landing spot will be with a team poised to have a legitimate shot at the podium at this year’s NCAA XC Championships.
Arkansas has shown the ability to make waves in the transfer portal and they’re no stranger to success on the national stage. Pairing Sado with Patrick Kiprop, Kirami Yego,and Ben Shearer gives the Razorbacks a real shot at winning the team title at the NCAA XC Championships this year (although they may be closer to being podium favorites).
After a breakout season on the track, an All-American finish for Sado is a very achievable goal. I fully expect him to improve upon his 73rd place finish at the 2023 NCAA XC Championships.
Rachel: Similar to Abdalla’s case, it is tough to find a landing spot when Yasin Sado does not have outdoor track eligibility, especially with his shiny new 8:17 steeplechase PR. Again, I think the program that will be the best fit for Sado will be looking to make a strong statement on the grass and wanting to put together a nationally competitive DMR on the indoor oval.
This is why I also landed on the Arkansas men as Sado’s possible landing spot. The Razorbacks will be looking for another NCAA indoor national title (as a team) and adding Sado to the DMR mix would greatly aid their chances of team points in this event.
And of course, arguably most importantly, Sado also adds another consistent scorer to Arkansas' cross country lineup which could vie for a podium position at the NCAA XC Championships this fall. While the lack of outdoor track eligibility might be a concern, the Razorbacks love to win national titles on the grass and the indoor oval, two areas where Sado could help continue their legacy of excellence.
Where is the best landing spot for Yasin Sado?
Georgetown
Arkansas
North Carolina
Tennessee
Who has been the most underrated transfer pick-up of the offseason so far?
Maura: I know both Mike and Rachel mentioned them in an earlier section (so she not be "underrated"), but Lucy Jenks to Georgetown catches my eye.
While at Stanford, Jenks was a reliable scorer for the Cardinal and ran solid PRs on the indoor track and outdoor track, namely times of 4:14 (1500) and 15:33 (5k). Jenks has the ability to be an instant scorer for the Hoyas this fall and her talents should land her as a fringe low-stick if everything goes right.
But even if she doesn't reach that point, Jenks should be able to make up for the scoring loss of veteran, Maggie Donahue. The Georgetown women, with Chloe Scrimgeour and Melissa Riggins returning, are only more lethal with the addition of an experienced veteran like Jenks.
Michael: My under-the-radar pick-up of the offseason goes to Washington with their addition of Samantha Tran. With an already-known reputation as one of TSR’s most underrated milers, she brings sneaky-good accolades on the grass as well.
Tran has shown us that she can get it done over the longer distances, boasting a 15:52 (5k) and back-to-back top-100 performances at the 2021 and 2022 NCAA XC Championships. With the addition of Amina Maatoug and three returning top-60 finishers at the 2023 NCAA XC Championships, Tran (along with Penn graduate transfer Maeve Stiles) wraps up a top-five that can compete with any team in the nation and will surely have aspirations of podium finish this fall.
Rachel: I am going to go with Sona Kourilova to Utah, mostly for her steeplechase prowess. In her commitment announcement post, it was noted that her current 9:56 (steeple) PR would have listed her at 10th overall in the NCAA this season. Couple that talent with altitude training in Utah in a historically solid distance program and Kourilova could be a massive threat on the national stage for the 2025 outdoor track season.
On the grass, the Czech standout will also help the Utes substantially as they return most of their scorers from last fall. As the program makes the jump to the BIG 12 conference in the next few months, if Kourilova can just be consistent, the Utes should fare well in the new landscape and possibly contend with the likes of BYU, Oklahoma State, Colorado, Iowa State and more.
Who has been the most underrated transfer pick-up of the offseason so far?
Lucy Jenks (Stanford to Georgetown)
Sona Kourilova (Czech Republic to Utah)
Samantha Tran (Michigan to Washington)
Evan Dorenkamp (Penn State to Oregon)
Who has been the most surprising transfer pick-up of the offseason so far?
Maura: Izaiah Steury began his career at Notre Dame in 2022, transferred to Oregon in 2023 and is now back to donning the Fighting Irish uniform this fall.
This was a surprising move for Steury, but he may not have adjusted well to the Oregon training philosophy and the limited racing. If Steury can return to the top-dog form that he had as a high school athlete and remain healthy, then he could be a reliable top-five athlete for Notre Dame.
Michael: I have to agree with Maura here. Any time a transfer returns back to a school they previously left, it comes as a surprise. However, Izaiah Steury found success with the Irish during his freshman year as he placed 63rd at the 2022 NCAA XC Championships.
While he boasted solid marks at Oregon, there is clearly something to be said about returning to the success that he had in South Bend. Steury’s familiarity with the area and training is sure to do him wonders as he looks to get back to his previous form.
How surprising was it that Izaiah Steury transferred back to Notre Dame?
Not Surprising At All
Somewhat Surprising
Very Surprising
Shocking
Rachel: Yeah, same for me. I was most surprised to see Izaiah Steury return to Notre Dame after transferring to Oregon last summer. I thought the move to Eugene last year was a great choice, but it does not seem to have worked out for the midwestern talent.
In fact, since Steury lost no cross country eligibility while with the Ducks, it is almost as if his transfer to Oregon never happened.
It is not very often that we see athletes transfer back to a school they left which is mostly why I think this is the most surprising transfer move of the summer. I will be interested to see if Steury can replicate his performances from his freshman year with the Fighting Irish and hopefully improve upon the promising talent that he flashed two years ago.
