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Transfer Market (Part 83): Stanford Lands All-American Star Mena Scatchard While Drew Regnier Signs With Penn State
We've spoke quite a bit about the impact that numerous transfers could have on their new homes for the upcoming cross country season. For this Transfer Market article, however, we found a handful of on-the-move names who mostly developed their reputations on the track.
Also, if you want to check out all of the transfers who we have already reported on, you can find that list by clicking here.
Have a transfer update or tip that you want us to look into? Feel free to email us at contact@thestridereport.com and we'll aim to verify it! Alright, let's jump into the analysis, shall we?
Mena Scatchard (Princeton to Stanford)
The Stride Report's Maura Beattie has confirmed that Mena Scatchard will be venturing to Stanford as a graduate transfer. The former Princeton star is expected to have one year of eligibility remaining in both cross country and outdoor track. She is not expected to have any indoor track eligibility remaining.
2025 was a breakout year for this now-former Princeton standout. On the indoor oval, Scatchard stunned by dropping a phenomenal time of 4:28 in the mile. In the process, she also upset West Virginia's Ceili McCabe in a head-to-head matchup. Scatchard would go on to earn a phenomenal runner-up finish in the mile at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Fast forward to the spring months and Scatchard would continue to thrive. The future Cardinal ace ran times of 2:00.81 (800), 4:08 (1500) and 15:48 (5k). She would later advance to the 1500-meter finals at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, but fall just short of All-American honors with a 9th place result.
There is no denying that Scatchard is at her best on the track. However, her value on the grass has also risen over the last year. Last fall, the now-former Tiger secured a solid 10th place finish at the Paul Short Run before snagged an attention-grabbing runner-up result at the Ivy League XC Championships. Scatchard entered her 2024 fall campaign by placing 9th at the Mid-Atlantic Regional XC Championships and then 123rd at the NCAA XC Championships.
It's not often that Stanford adds transfers to their roster, much less transfers of Scatchard's caliber. And yet, when it comes to academically-inclined, three-season threats, few distance programs would have opted to pass on this still-rising star.
Scatchard is massive addition for the Cardinal, a team that been lightly plagued by veteran departures and injuries over the last few years. That has very much been the case over the last few months after Amy Bunnage was sidelined this past spring, Juliette Whittaker withdrew herself from the 2025 outdoor track postseason, Zofia Dudek finished her collegiate eligibility and Audrey DaDamio ventured to Duke as a graduate transfer.
The good news for Stanford is that they return a strong portion of their 2024 cross country lineup. They still have a high-octane low-stick in Sophia Kennedy, a sneaky-good veteran in Riley Stewart and now, a crucial middle-lineup scorer in Scatchard who is better on the grass than some people realize.
There are still questions as to how Scatchard will fare in larger fields beyond the cross country national meet like the Nuttycombe Invite and/or Pre-Nationals. Regardless, the Cardinal women should be thrilled to have an experienced veteran capable of offering reliable, floor-raising scoring. And given the recent success that Scatchard has had on the track, it feels plenty realistic that she can be even more potent as a contributor this fall.
However, the value that Scatchard brings to Stanford on the track is far more immense. With two middle distance megastars in Juliette Whittaker and Roisin Willis headlining the Cardinal's roster, having an upper-tier mile ace like Scatchard gives Stanford a DMR lineup that is theoretically capable of winning NCAA gold. In fact, in a best-case scenario, that DMR lineup could produce a new collegiate record!
With Roisin Willis and Juliette Whittaker each fighting for national titles, and Scatchard offering similar point-scoring production, the Stanford women may hold one of the single-most lethal middle distance contingents in the NCAA come 2026.
Ahmed Kadri (Eastern Kentucky to Oklahoma)
On Tuesday, Oklahoma announced that they have signed Ahmed Kadri, presumably as a graduate transfer, from Eastern Kentucky. According to TFRRS, the dynamic distance talent is expected to have one year of eligibility remaining between both indoor track and outdoor track. He does not appear to have any cross country eligibility remaining.
Here is how we detailed Kadri's resume in a recent Transfer Market article...
"At his very best, Kadri is one of the single-most dynamic distance runners that the NCAA has to offer. Personal bests of 1:47 (800), 3:42 (1500), 4:00.99 (mile), 8:03 (3k) and 8:38 (steeple) showcase a brilliant level of versatility."
"That range was showcased at the 2023 East Regional Championships. There, Kadri qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in BOTH the 800 meters and the 3000-meter steeplechase, an unheard of double. Kadri also qualified for the 2022 outdoor national meet in the steeplechase."
Oklahoma's signing of Ahmed Kadri is a clear signal that the Sooners will, a) be investing more heavily in the distance events moving forward, and b) they are willing to go after top steeplechasers with international backgrounds.
The Oklahoma women already developed an All-American distance ace (who specializes in the steeplechase) in Leah Jeruto this past year. The Sooner men also signed a trio of excellent Kenyan recruits this past winter in Ronald Ngetich, Shadrack Kiptoo and Evans Biwott, the latter of whom ran 8:42 over the barriers and water pits this past spring.
Kadri not having any cross country eligibility remaining does limit his value to the track. Even so, Oklahoma appears to be building up a strong steeplechase contingent that can help the Sooner have multiple scorers in one event at next year's SEC Outdoor Championships.
Not only that, but Kadri's utility as a 1:47 runner over 800 meters gives Oklahoma's coaching staff plenty of event flexibility at future SEC Championships. The ability to plug Kadri into a competitive DMR lineup and/or potentially make it through the rounds of the half-mile (or even a tactical mile/1500-meter setting) should offer tons of overall value across both seasons.
But if nothing else, Kadri gives Oklahoma another name to build around, even if he is effectively a one-year rental. An improved distance group in Norman, Oklahoma could potentially attract even more talent over the long-term, especially with a multi-time national qualifier now on their roster.
Drew Regnier (North Carolina to Penn State)
On Sunday, North Carolina's Drew Regnier announced, in conjunction with Josh Grenade, that he will be signing with Penn State as a transfer. According to TFRRS, the former Tar Heel middle distance standout is expected to have two years of eligibility remaining for indoor track and three years of eligibility remaining for outdoor track.
During his time with UNC, Regnier clocked collegiate bests of 1:48 (800) and 2:21 (1k). And on a North Carolina roster that has been predominately focused on the 1500 meters and up, Regnier (along with the since-departed Kyle Reinheimer) has been the focal half-mile name for the Tar Heels over the last few years.
While Regnier has "only" posted an 800-meter time of 1:48 during his time in the NCAA, his potential in that event goes well beyond that. He did, after all, produce a half-mile personal best of 1:47.95 during his time at the prep level. Regnier also had tremendous postseason success during his senior year of high school, cracking the top-five on major postseason stages.
With tons of pedigree and a clear ability to produce more than he has, Regnier will be going to a Penn State program that has often be referred to as "800U." The Nittany Lions and Coach John Gondak have a reputation for recruiting and producing some of the most elite half-milers in the NCAA -- and their depth in that event is arguably the best in the country as well.
Not only that, but 1:46 (800) man, David Locke, just left Happy Valley to transfer to Bradley University. Per TFRRS, All-American Olivier Desmeules has expired his eligibility and the same could be said about 1:46 (800) man, Darius Smallwood. Handal Roban is also near the tail-end of his eligibility.
Regnier can now step into an aging Penn State middle distance group and act as a valuable replacement -- not just immediately, but over the long-term as well. While the Nittany Lion veterans close-out their eligibility, Regnier can take the time to get back to his prior peak form. And when he does, he can eventually take over as one of the focal middle distance faces of a historic 800-meter program.
The upside and raw talent of Regnier is impossible to ignore when thinking about his future with Penn State. With up to three seasons of eligibility still remaining on the indoor oval, the idea that the former UNC runner can fully deliver on his elite pedigree from the prep level seems borderline guaranteed...right?
Luke Wiley (North Carolina to NC State)
Back in June, NC State announced that they have signed Luke Wiley, a transfer from North Carolina. According to TFRRS, the now-former Tar Heel is expected to have two seasons of cross country eligibility remaining and likely three years of both outdoor track eligibility and indoor track eligibility remaining.
Admittedly, Wiley's resume is a bit thin compared to a few other key names. However, while racing unattached this past spring, Wiley scored a very promising 3000-meter steeplechase time of 8:43 in mid-May.
The NC State men are, truthfully, in a bit of a pickle right now. Patrick Tuohy, a 1:46 (800) runner, is gone. Brett Garnder, an 8:29 steeplechaser and top cross country scorer, is gone. John Malach, a key scorer on the grass for the Wolfpack, is out of cross country eligibility, per TFRRS. The same can be said for Jake Toomey.
Simply put, the NC State men have limited scoring options in the distance events across all three seasons of competition. Their two biggest stars have since left the program and there is a glaring need for a long distance name that this team can lean on.
Thankfully, Wiley's recent progression suggests that he can (eventually) be that guy. While an 8:43 steeplechase PR is (maybe) the only notable performance currently on his resume, the linear development that we saw from him this past spring suggests that his improvement was hardly a fluke. And if that kind of momentum can be translated to the grass, as well as next year, then the Wolfpack may have their next version of Brett Gardner.
Of course, far greater development and much more aggressive recruiting will be needed beyond Wiley if the NC State men want any chance at qualifying for the NCAA XC Championships in the fall. But if any team has proven that they can make the most of what they have, then it's the men of Raleigh, North Carolina.
