Earlier today, the University of Arkansas announced that they have signed Brian Masai, Timothy Chesondin and Camren Fischer from the transfer portal. The former two men hail from Akron while Fischer is a graduate transfer from Princeton. The Razorbacks have also signed Dawson Welch from the transfer portal, a now-former Tennessee runner. Masai is expected to hold three years of eligibility in cross country and two years of eligibility in both indoor track and outdoor track. Chesondin is expected to have three full years of eligibility between cross country and outdoor track as well four years of eligibility for indoor track. Fischer will have at least one full year of eligibility remaining across all three seasons of competition while Welch should have three seasons of indoor track and outdoor track eligibility as well as a full slate of cross country eligibility. The addition of Masai and Chesondin to Arkansas, while not exactly surprising , is a massive development that almost certainly alters the NCAA podium conversation. The former has run times of 13:34 (5k) and 28:45 (10k) while the latter was a 36th place All-American at the NCAA XC Championships last fall. With three low-stick-caliber men (Patrick Kiprop, Kirami Yego and Ben Shearer) returning from last year's podium squad, Masai and Chesondin give Coach Chris Bucknam a lineup that could legitimately yield five individual All-Americans later this fall in a best-case scenario. But what may be just as important for Arkansas with their latest series of signings is that other podium contending teams such as Iowa State, New Mexico, North Carolina and/or Wisconsin will not have the same All-American-level weapons who could be used against the Razorbacks. At last year's national meet, Patrick Kiprop placed 7th, Kirami Yego placed 13th and Ben Shearer placed 42nd. Those finishes correlated to 56 total team points (which is not necessarily the same as adding athlete's overall finishes). If you factor in Chesondin's 36th place effort (and consider displacement), then the Arkansas men would have scored 88 team points through four runners. That, in turn, would have left the Razorbacks with an approximate 108-point cushion to finish ahead of 3rd place BYU. And for perspective, 133rd place at last year's national meet correlated to 108 team points, a borderline guaranteed result that Arkansas can expect from Masai (who is more proven on the track) and maybe even the best version of Camren Fischer. But you know what's crazier? That lineup didn't feature Peter Maru, the Ugandan freshman who dropped a monster 5k time of 13:16 during the indoor track season. And if you're a believer that Maru will be a top-15 name in the country this fall, then you're beginning to look at a squad that could legitimately threaten Oklahoma State. Admittedly, it will still take the Arkansas men replicating their incredible postseason peak from last year to truly contend with Oklahoma State this year. Even if we were to throw Maru into this hypothetical scoring scenario based on last year's national meet results (and we factor-in displacement), Arkansas still remains well behind the 49 points and 71 points scored by both Oklahoma State and Northern Arizona, respectively. But by adding Camren Fischer, the 2019 Mid-Atlantic regional champion who has raced sparingly, to this roster, the floor for the Razorbacks being a podium threat in 2024 has seemingly risen. As for Dawson Welch, the 4:08 high school miler will be a solid developmental name for Arkansas over the long-term. While he's not expected to produce any major results immediately, he could emerge as solid miler capable of scoring points at future SEC Championship meets on the track.

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. 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. 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 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 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 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. 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 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.  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.

Alright, this should be our last Transfer Market update for a little bit...maybe. We've got one more series of on-the-move transfer names to discuss before we go off to enjoy the 4th of July! Below is a list of 26 transfers who The Stride Report has independently verified (for each name). Here is how these athletes could impact their new homes later this year and beyond... Oh, and don't forget: For the sake of time, we're implementing our "three sentences or less" rule when it comes to analyzing each of these names. Don't see a certain name? Make sure to check out TRANSFERS  page to ensure that we didn't already report on that name. If we didn't, then don't hesitate to shoot us an email at contact@thestridereport.com . Salma Elbadra (Wyoming to Alabama) One of the more underrated transfer pick-ups of these summer months, Salma Elbarda is an excellent recruiting win for an Alabama team that needs more depth this fall. While her success has mostly been reserved to the track (so far), running times of 2:05 (800), 4:14 (1500) and 4:35 (mile), there is clearly tons of raw talent within Elbarda that the Crimson Tide women could utilize across all three seasons of competition. Lucinda Rourke (Florida to Louisville) With quietly strong marks of 2:07 (800) and 4:17 (1500), Lucinda Rourke looks like a very nice name for Louisville to have if she's able to further build on her fitness. Adding backend depth during the cross country season should benefit the Cardinals as well, although firepower is the biggest need for the ACC program going into next fall. Allie Warner (BYU to Utah Valley) After a promising year on the track where she ran 10:10 in the steeplechase and was only two spots out from making it to the national meet, Allie Warner has the potential to be a great name for Utah Valley this fall. With TFRRS suggesting that everyone from UVU's squad returns later this year, the best version of Warner should add great scoring value to an already-stable team. Julie Sumsion (BYU to Utah Valley) A few brief moments of promise throughout her career could make Julie Sumsion a solid depth piece for Utah Valley should they need the support later this fall. While the Wolverines are plenty deep, a still-improving veteran transfer could find her way into UVU's lineup come October and November. Sarah Trainor (North Carolina to UConn) Sarah Trainor is a sneaky-good name with a 10:09 (steeple) personal best and plenty of experience. Her cross country results are fine, but her overall talent suggests that she can likely be better on the grass. The Huskies will surely hope that's the case as they lose three of their top-five women from last fall. Chloe Ezell (Missouri State to Oklahoma) A brief stint at Missouri State didn't work out for Chloe Ezell, a 2023 high school graduate who ran times of 57.97 (400) and 2:11 (800) at the prep level. She'll now join an Oklahoma women's program that is slowing piecing together a few respectable names. Lasse Funck (Arkansas State to Missouri) After adding a 1:49 (800) runner in Lasse Funck from Arkansas State, it seems as though the Missouri men are aiming to create a well-rounded group that can be competitive in everything from the 800 meters to the 10,000 meters. That still requires a handful of men stepping up and further developing, but the recent progress that we saw from Funck this past year suggests that he still has a new more PRs left within his legs. Rahel Brommel (Arkansas State to Missouri) A very well-rounded distance talent with times of 2:08 (800), 4:16 (1500) and 16:04 (5k), the Missouri women scored a great value pick-up by adding Rahel Brommel to their roster. Translating her fitness to the grass will be important to see, but the now-former Arkansas State runner gives the Tigers a solid name to build around over the next year or two. Archie Noakes (Oregon to Wisconsin) After a relatively quiet first year at Oregon, Aussie youngster Archie Noakes is venturing to Wisconsin, a program known for developing outstanding long distance stars from Australia. Noakes will certainly need to develop even further to be an impact piece, but his pedigree and prior success as a prep runner suggests that he can reach that point as soon as this fall. Ben Bayless (Miami (OH) to Ole Miss) The 6th place finisher at the 2023 MAC XC Championships and 57th place finisher at 2023 Pre-Nationals will be joining Ole Miss later this fall. Bayless could contribute as a backend depth piece a few months from now, but greater firepower will likely be the point of emphasis for the Rebels this fall. Conan Harper (Charleston Southern to Ole Miss) Three PRs in three-straight meets to end his outdoor track season (one of which helped him win the BIG South 10k title) suggests that Conan Harper could be a fairly decent name for Ole Miss later this fall. He was the runner-up finisher at the BIG South XC Championships last fall and could end up being a backend scorer for an Ole Miss cross country team that will take any depth and scoring support that they can get on the grass. Louis Vercueil (France to Mississippi State) With a blistering 800-meter PR of 1:46, Louis Vercueil is a Frenchman who could end up being the next focal half-mile star that always seems to end up on Mississippi State's roster. The Bulldogs often develop individual stars in the middle distances and it seems like Vercueil could certainly be their next 800-meter standout in a recent lineage that features Brandon McBride, Navasky Anderson and Tyrese Reid. Lauren Tunnell (VCU to Tennessee) The Tennessee women are already a seemingly deep team, but Lauren Tunnell should help this still-young program establish even greater scoring stability. The former VCU runner won the individual title at the 2023 A10 XC Championships and was the 29th place finisher at the Southeast Regional XC Championships. Expect Tunnell to be a valuable support piece capable of contributing as a backend scorer for the Vols later this fall. Abdinasir Hussein (Oregon to Syracuse) After finishing his time at Oregon, Abdinasir Hussein will now join a Syracuse program that more closely fits his long distance skillset. With plenty of championship experience in cross country and a 10k PR under 29 minutes, Hussein should stabilize the scoring of the Orange's lineup this fall after they seemingly lose Perry Mackinnon, Nathan Lawler, Silas Derfel and Paul O'Donnell (per TFRRS). George Couttie (Charleston (WV) to Virginia Tech) One of the more promising youngsters from the Division Two level, George Couttie is exactly the type of runner who you would expect to see in a Virginia Tech singlet. With personal bests of 1:50 (800) and 3:43 (1500), as well as better cross country prowess than some may realize, Couttie should provide tremendous value to the Hokies who are now under the direction of Coach Ben Thomas. Patrick Cullen (Northeastern to Florida State) With low-stick ace David Mullarkey entering the transfer portal, Cooper Schroeder running out of eligibility, Abdirizak Ibrahim running out of eligibility and Zachary Cloud running out of eligibility (all according to TFRRS), the Florida State men desperately needed an impact scorer for this fall. Thankfully, 28:38 (10k) runner Patrick Cullen has the potential to be a key name for the 'Noles later this fall. That's an important development for FSU, especially after seeing their head coach Bob Braman retire two months ago. Tilly Simpson (Michigan to New Mexico) After running 16:13 (5k) earlier this spring and placing 34th at the Great Lakes Regional XC Championships last fall, Tilly Simpson is a great pick-up for a New Mexico team that needs depth. With All-American Nicola Jansen returning and a handful of overseas standouts also signing with the Lobos, adding backend support to stabilize New Mexico's lineup is something that is seemingly addressed by the introduction of Simpson. Emilia Mikszuta (California Baptist to Ole Miss) Placing 75th at the Nuttycombe Invitational and 121st at the NCAA XC Championships should make Emilia Mikszuta a legitimate impact scorer for Ole Miss later this fall. The Rebels were one of the more pleasantly surprising teams of the 2023 cross country season, but according to TFRRS, they have lost four of their top-seven from the national meet (including their entire top-three). Mikszuta can't make up for all of the lost scoring that the Rebels just sustained, but she can at least replace one of those key scoring gaps. Vasileia Spyrou (Florida to San Francisco) With personal best times of 2:06 (800), 4:18 (1500) and 9:17 (3k), Vasileia Spyrou is a very solid name who should be able to contribute key scoring for San Francisco at future West Coast Conference Championships. That's especially important as we approach the fall months now that Washington State and Oregon State are temporarily joining the conference for the next two cross country seasons (but not track). Peyton McQuillan (TCU to Oklahoma) After spending time at TCU, Peyton McQuillan will venture to Oklahoma. She is more of a developmental name who is still hitting PRs. She could end up being a solid backend contributor on the grass for the Sooners should she continue to make progress. Stephanie Moss (Transfer Portal) A long-time veteran for Oklahoma State who may be slightly better than her resume suggests, Stephanie Moss could be a great pick-up for the right team. Times of 2:05 (800) and 4:18 (1500) are promising, but Moss' 91st place finish at the 2022 NCAA XC Championships (which wasn't a fluke based on her lead-up to that meet) makes her a massive asset for a team looking to close-out a nationally competitive cross country lineup. Yehonatan Haim (New Mexico to George Washington) While his cross country resume don't necessarily stand out, boasting an 8:51 steeplechase PR should make Yehonatan Haim a legitimate threat to win the A10 title in that event come the spring of 2025. And truthfully, with an 8:51 PR over the barriers and water pits, it's only fair to think that Haim can be more impactful on the grass later this fall with George Washington. Cole Nash (Alaska Anchorage to Notre Dame) When he's healthy and at his best, Cole Nash has been a true long distance star at the Division Two level. With a 5k PR of 13:48 and a 6th place finish at the 2022 NCAA D2 XC Championships, Nash has the potential to be a legitimate high-impact scorer for the Notre Dame men this fall. If that happens, then the Fighting Irish should have more room for error in October and November than they did last year. Rosie Hamilton-James (United Kingdom to Cal Poly) Rosie Hamilton-James is seemingly a very solid long distance talent who should pair well with a Cal Poly team which has many women of a similar fitness level. The Mustangs will need greater firepower and scoring to stand out in the fall of 2024, but at the very least, this endurance-centric runner should provide solid depth for her team in October and November. Zach Hughes (NC State to Notre Dame) A valuable long-time veteran who produced very solid times of 1:48 (800), 2:23 (1k) and 3:42 (1500) during his time with NC State, Hughes can be a great utility piece for Notre Dame on the oval when they need middle distance scoring and an impactful relay leg. And if necessary, Hughes has proven that he can also step up to the 8k and 10k on the grass where he has been a very respectable backend/support piece. Austin Gabay (Duke to Butler) After what was seemingly a breakout year on the track where he ran personal bests of 3:40 (1500), 7:58 (3k) and 13:58 (5k), Austin Gabay will now venture to Butler. A top-25 finisher at the ACC XC Championships with some untapped upside, Gabay could end up being one of Butler's more underrated transfer wins from the last few offseasons.

Podcast production via Wyatt Barnsley Ben and Garrett are again back with another episode full of big news! The guys set the tone for the podcast with results from the U.S. Olympic Trials before switching focus to the news surrounding Colorado's decision not to extend Mark Wetmore and wrapping the episode with recent transfer news from the last week. Be sure to listen, subscribe and review! Ben and Garrett are again back with another episode full of big news! The guys set the tone for the podcast with results from the U.S. Olympic Trials before switching focus to the news surrounding Colorado's decision not to extend Mark Wetmore. The guys wrap up the episode with recent transfer news from the last week. Be sure to listen, subscribe and review! (2:28) James Corrigan Stuns With 8:13 PR to Book Ticket to Paris in Steeplechase (6:57) Athing Mu Falls in 800m, Will Miss Out on Olympics (9:25) Juliette Whittaker Qualifies for Olympics (13:25) Maggi Congdon Runs 4:02 in 1500m Semi-Final (16:37) Reviewing the Women’s 10k Standard of 30:40 (18:34) Hobbs Kessler & What Could Have Been Had Ventured to the NCAA (20:23) Mark Wetmore Not Renewed By Colorado (38:06) Adam Tribble Leaves California Baptist for Georgia (42:26) Alabama Signs Dismas Lokira Korir (47:33) Pamela Kosgei Transfers to New Mexico (49:16) Emedy Kiplimo Ruto Signs With LSU (53:01) Rivaldo Marshall Enters Transfer Portal (56:23) Abdullahi Hassan Enters Transfer Portal (58:57) Evan Dorenkamp Enters Transfer Portal (1:03:08) Yasin Sado Enters Transfer Portal You can listen to that episode (and others) on our PODCASTS  page! You can also find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Soundcloud. If you like it, be sure to leave us a rating  and a review ! Note: If you're having issues loading the episode on the site via mobile, try refreshing  the episode page. We will look into this issue for future episodes.

Another day, another mass set of transfer updates! As we mentioned yesterday, in order to efficiently track and cover each and every name, we're opting to do a much larger "Transfer Market" article where the list of transfers is far longer. That, however, means that we will need to implement our "three sentences or less" rule when it comes to offering analysis on each of these men and women. And yes, it is possible that we may have yet another update coming tomorrow as well. But for the sake of time and content, we're opting to publish 27 names today. Don't see a certain name? Make sure to check out TRANSFERS page to ensure that we didn't already report on that name. If we didn't, then don't hesitate to shoot us an email at contact@thestridereport.com . Aman Thornton (Clemson to Iowa State) The Iowa State men have established themselves as an 800-meter powerhouse, a reputation that continued this past year with both Finley McLear and Darius Kipyego running 1:45 for the half-mile distance. Now, the Cyclones will be adding graduate transfer Aman Thornton from Clemson, a 1:46 runner who has plenty of experience of battling in the always-loaded ACC. Come 2025, could the men of Ames, Iowa rival (or even overtake) the 800-meter crew found in College Station, Texas? Katie Castelli (Santa Clara to Ohio State) The Ohio State women have shown in recent seasons that they badly need depth on the grass. And while Katie Castelli's 10:27 PR in the steeplechase isn't necessarily jaw-dropping, she does seem to be someone who is on a positive upwards trajectory as far as being a top-seven depth piece for the Buckeyes later this fall. Trevor Coggin (Tennessee to Furman) The 37th place finisher at the 2022 NXN Championships is taking his talents to Furman, a strong mid-major program that is clearly preparing for the future. While it will take time for Coggin to develop into an impact scorer for the Paladins, the Greenville-based men seemingly return a good number of top-seven names from last year's team. That, in turn, should give Coggin a key year of development before a new batch of scorers are introduced at Furman. Charlotte Augenstein (Georgia to Wake Forest) After seemingly having a breakout year on the track over the 800-meter (2:05), the mile (4:42) and the 1500-meter (4:17) distances, Charlotte Augenstein will now join a potentially budding Wake Forest team. With the Demon Deacons looking fairly stable in the longer distances, Augenstein is a great complement to this roster. She is someone who can be in contention to score points at future ACC Championships. Rylan Engels (TCU to Wake Forest) A respectable middle distance talent with solid turnover, Rylan Engels has run 2:07 (800) and 2:47 (1k) during her time at TCU. She'll be a great complementary piece to fellow transfers Maddie Kelly, Molly Dreher and Charlotte Augenstein, especially in a conference like the ACC where middle distance talent is more or less required to have. Of course, taking that core of middle distance runners and developing at least one of them into an impact scorer at the conference level will be the greater point of emphasis moving forward. Maddie Kelly (U. of Chicago to Wake Forest) With seven All-American honors at the Division Three level in anything from the 1500 meters to the 6k on the cross country course, Maddie Kelly is a fantastic transfer win for Wake Forest. Marks of 4:22 (1500) and 9:30 (3k) suggest that she can be a respectable name within the ACC after further development. However, her 7th place finish at the 2023 NCAA D3 XC Championships also indicates that she can be an impact scorer on the grass for a Wake Forest team that needs exactly that. Molly Dreher (St. Mary's (CA) to Wake Forest) With a 4:21 (1500) PR, Molly Dreher has the potential to be a solid name for the Wake Forest women next winter and spring if she can continue to improve. Her 13th place finish at the 2023 West Coast Conference XC Championships also suggests that she'll provide solid value for the Demon Deacons on the grass. Of course, that also requires Dreher to have her best performances on a more consistent basis. Elka Machan (Alabama to Indiana) A two-time top-30 finisher at the SEC XC Championships with tons of experience, Elka Machan is a solid name who could end up cracking the top-20 at the BIG 10 XC Championships later this fall. She isn't necessarily expected to be a true low-stick for the Hoosiers, but there is no denying that Machan would hold good scoring value for most NCAA cross country teams. Taylor Fox (Southeast Missouri State to Indiana) The Indiana women are trying to reestablish their identity with Coach Eric Heins now at the helm of their distance program. Thankfully, Taylor Fox gives the Hoosiers solid turnover via her 2:48 (1k) PR as well as a respectable cross country scorer via her 7th place finish at the 2023 Ohio Valley Conference Championships. And when paired next to incoming transfer Ekla Machan, the Indiana women should have a decent pair of distance runners to help begin their rebuild as a competitive presence within the BIG 10. Madison Trippett (Richmond to West Virginia) With times of 2:08 (800), 4:17 (1500), 4:43 (mile), 9:29 (3k) and 16:30 (5k), Madison Trippett gives West Virginia a solid depth piece for later this fall. That's an important development, especially for a team that loses a few key veterans, but is also expected to return standout star Ceili McCabe. Simply having that backend support should keep the Mountaineers in contention to make it out of the Mid-Atlantic region later this year. Kgadi Monyebodi (Colby CC to Portland) With a 14:04 (5k) PR and two top-10 finishes at the NJCCA XC Championships, Kgadi Monyebodi is exactly the kind of name that Portland typically goes after. The now-former Colby CC runner should provide respectable cross country depth immediately and eventually develop into a respectable scorer. Sona Kourilova (Czech Republic to Utah) With a head-turning 9:56 (steeple) PR, Sona Kourilova looks like someone who could potentially be an All-American on the outdoor oval for Utah in 2025. But maybe just as importantly is her potential to be an impact name on the grass. With many of the Utes' top women from last fall expected to return, Kourilova could evolve into a crucial name who provides great scoring value and catapults this team into the top-15 portion of TSR's fall rankings. Molly Latincsics (Sacramento State to Oregon State) A mid-year pick-up for the Oregon State women, Molly Latincsics is someone who could emerge as a scorer for the Beavers this fall. After placing 57th at the West Regional XC Championships last November, the former Sacramento State runner should offer valuable depth and mid-lineup help. Of course, replacing (some of) the lost firepower of Kaylee Mitchell and Grace Fetherstonhaugh will be the greater point of emphasis for this team. Elizabeth Phillips (Southern Idaho to Utah State) Adding someone like Elizabeth Phillips, a two-time top-10 finisher at the NJCAA XC Championships, to Utah State's roster should help the Aggies this fall. With the USU women losing scorers such as Abby Jensen and Bailey Brinkerhoff, Phillips will at least limit some of the lost scoring value while the rest of the Aggies' lineup further develops. Fabianna Szorenyi (Penn to Johns Hopkins) With a 17:06 (5k) PR from this past spring, Fabianna Szorenyi looks like someone who could be a sneaky-great scorer at the Division Three level. With recent momentum on her side, this now-former Penn runner could be a great addition for a Johns Hopkins team that lost nearly everyone from last year's cross country squad. Emma Puetz (Missouri S&T to Johns Hopkins) Yet another key addition for the Johns Hopkins women this fall, Emma Puetz was the silver medalist at the 2024 GLVC XC Championships and the 13th place finisher at the 2023 Midwest D2 Regional XC Championships. With another year of experience and by dropping down in divisions, Puetz could be a similarly valuable scorer as Szorenyi later this fall. Holly Smith (Iona to Northwestern) With times of 9:28 (3k) and 16:11 (5k), Holly Smith is one of the sneaky-good transfers who Northwestern usually picks up each year. After placing 23rd at the Northeast Regional XC Championships last fall, Smith could be a key piece for the Wildcats this fall as they attempt to get past the fringes of national qualifying and put themselves in Madison, Wisconsin come November. Chloe Wellings (Radford to Northwestern) With marks of 16:22 (5k) and 34:10 (10k), times that were both run this past spring, Chloe Wellings is someone who could be a scorer for Northwestern later this fall. She'll need to further improve her cross country efforts, but her recent progress on the track indicates that she'll naturally make that jump in the coming months. Lucas Rackers (Missouri S&T to Johns Hopkins) With personal bests of 3:48 (1500) and 14:37 (5k), as well as a decent-enough cross country resume at the Division Two level, Lucas Rackers is a very nice depth piece for Johns Hopkins. The Bluejay men looked primed to have a very strong cross country team in 2024. And even if Rackers doesn't contribute to that group in a few months, he'll have a chance to be a key name on the oval (in Division Three) come 2025. Claire Yearby (California to Washington) With times of 4:16 (1500) and 4:42 (mile), Claire Yearby is a very solid developmental miler whose full potential could be maximized under the guidance of Coach Maurica Powell. If she can continue to improve her times next winter and spring, then Yearby could be a very underrated member for the Huskies as they look to score points at the now-loaded BIG 10 Championships. Stephanie Driscoll (United Kingdom to Washington) With a personal best of 2:03 for 800 meters, Stephanie Driscoll's introduction to the University of Washington couldn't have come at a better time. The middle distance runner from across the pond now ventures to Seattle after top-tier half-milers Carley Thomas and Wilma Nielsen have departed the program. And while it's unclear if Driscoll can reach the national-caliber level that those two women were once at, having an impact 800-meter runner as talented as herself should be a massive help for Washington next winter and spring. Ellie Deligianni (Stanford to Washington) Everything that we said about Stephanie Driscoll can largely be applied to Ellie Deligianni, another 2:03 (800) runner. With national meet experience (as an individual) as well as a 4:39 mile PR, Deligianni is a perfect fit for a Washington program that has often been able to fully utilize the talents of their middle distance-centric graduate transfers in recent years. Yonas Haile (Adams State to Tennessee) A former Adams State runner who has finished 42nd and 43rd at two NCAA D2 XC Championships, Yonas Haile could be a vital depth piece for Tennessee this fall. And after seeing the now-former Grizzly earn a 9th place finish over 3000 meters at the NCAA D2 Indoor Championships this past winter, the Volunteers are likely getting someone who is only now beginning to realize his full talent. Fiona McLoughlin (Stony Brook to Wisconsin) After a breakout year on the track where she ran times of 16:16 (5k) and 33:40 (10k), Fiona McLoughlin looks like a sneaky-good depth piece for a Wisconsin team that is quietly becoming very strong. With the Badgers' bolstering their low-stick firepower by adding Lindsey Cunningham from the Division Two level, having a stable veteran like McLoughlin could raise the floor of the Wisconsin women come October and November. EJ Rush (Texas Tech to Texas) There was a one-month stretch from late March to late April of this year where EJ Rush ran four personal bests in four different events in four-straight meets: 1:50 (800), 3:42 (1500), 4:01 (mile) and 13:52 (5k). With some great versatility and newfound upside, the Texas men likely scored a great transfer asset value-wise from their in-state counterparts. Aidan Palmer (Boise State to Drake) In the winter of 2023, we saw Aidan Palmer produce marks of 8:05 (3k) and 14:02 (5k), although we haven't seen him race since last fall. Now, he'll venture to a Drake team that had a moment of promise at last year's Loyola Lakefront Invitational last fall and returns five of their top-six from that squad. Luca Santorum (Cumberlands (KY) to Texas A&M) One of the best middle distance runners to ever come through the NAIA ranks, Luca Santorum was beyond brilliant as just a freshman at Cumberlands. After running all-time NAIA marks of 1:49 (800), 2:22 (1k), 3:41 (1500) and 4:01 (mile), Santorum fits the upper-echelon half-mile mold of the Aggies' roster while also giving them some firepower in a 1500/mile distance that isn't as strong, comparitively.

Covering transfers is one of the more enjoyable pieces of content for The Stride Report each and every summer. Of course, trying to keep track of the numerous on-the-move names can sometimes be an exhausting exercise. In order to efficiently track and cover each and every name, we're opting to do a much larger "Transfer Market" article today where the list of transfers is far longer than usual. That, however, means that we will need to implement our "three sentences or less" rule when it comes to offering analysis on each of these men and women. And don't worry, we have ANOTHER long list of transfer names coming tomorrow or Wednesday. But for the sake of time and content, we're opting to publish only 20 names today. Don't see a certain name? Make sure to check out TRANSFERS page to make sure we didn't already report it. If we didn't, then don't hesitate to shoot us an email at contact@thestridereport.com and we'll look into it! So with that, let's begin with our lengthy discussion piece on transfers... Evan Dorenkamp (Penn State to Oregon) With a 3:55 (mile) PR, sneaky-good cross country credentials, impressive finishing speed and veteran racing IQ, Evan Dorenkamp is the perfect fit for the Oregon men. The now-former Penn State runner can bolster the depth of the Ducks' 2024 cross country team while beautifully complementing the speed-based skillset of focal star, Elliott Cook. Jake Allen (Kentucky to Penn State) While Jake Allen won't necessarily be able to replace the scoring prowess of Evan Dorenkamp (based on his current resume), the Kentucky graduate transfer should still offer great value for Penn State across all three seasons of competition. Allen should be able to contend for points at future BIG 10 Championships in the 1500/mile as well as the 3k, although that task won't be any easier with the introduction of Oregon, Washington, UCLA and USC to the conference this year. Even so, that scoring potential, along with having a possible top-20 finisher at this year's BIG 10 XC Championships, makes Allen a fairly underrated asset for the Nittany Lions. Zach Jaeger (Georgia Tech to Tennessee) With personal bests of 3:43 (1500) and 8:40 (steeple), Tennessee is likely hoping that Georgia Tech graduate transfer Zach Jaeger will be able to translate that fitness to the grass. While the incoming Volunteer runner hasn't been able to be as effective during cross country as he has been on the oval, his steeplechase success signals that he can be a scorer for the Tennessee men this fall if everything breaks in his favor. Megan Johnson (Central College to Oklahoma) After a breakout year on the track where she won the D3 steeplechase title with a personal best time of 10:13, Megan Johnson is a great transfer win for Oklahoma. The Sooners now have someone who can earn them conference meet points across multiple seasons, especially on the outdoor oval. Not only that, but Johnson has the potential to be a Division One national meet qualifier in the spring of 2025 if she's able to further capitalize on her incredible momentum from earlier this year. Lucas Florsheim (Pomona-Pitzer to Minnesota) While his track times of 13:59 (5k) and 29:50 (10k) are relatively unexciting, it's clear that Lucas Florsheim is at his best on the grass. The three-time top-16 finisher at the NCAA D3 XC Championships will head to a Minnesota program that is trying to find ways to stay competitive in a BIG 10 conference that has become significantly stronger with the introduction of Oregon, Washington, UCLA and USC. Thankfully, the Golden Gophers have proven to be fairly effective as of late when it comes to developing veterans and graduate transfers, specifically those who focus in the longer distances. Jonathan Carmin (New Mexico to Portland) A highly underrated piece of New Mexico's success at the 2023 Mountain West XC Championships, Jonathan Carmin can be a great stabilizing scorer for Portland this fall. The now-former Lobo has run 13:52 for 5000 meters and was the 8th place finisher at the Mountain West XC Championships. For a Portland team that has often built their reputation around great depth, Carmin fits the Pilots' mold quite well. Lucy Jenks (Stanford to Georgetown) Potentially one of the more underrated pickups of the entire offseason, Georgetown signing Lucy Jenks is massive for what they are trying to do this fall. With two major All-American threats in Chloe Scrimgeour and Melissa Riggins set to return, Jenks gives the DC-based women a potential third All-American contender. The additional boost of firepower should be supported by a few sneaky-good additions who will keep the scoring stability of this team at a more-than-respectable level. Fiona Max (Princeton to Georgetown) While she hasn't quite replicated her fitness from the fall of 2021 (where she placed 84th at the NCAA XC Championships), Fiona Max is still an excellent pick-up for Georgetown. She's a three-time top-20 finisher at the Mid-Atlantic Regional XC Championships, giving the Hoyas a reliable backend support scorer behind their contingent of low-stick standouts. While Lucy Jenks is certainly the headline addition for Georgetown this fall, the introduction of Fiona Max to this squad is what makes their team look far more complete. Charlotte Tomkinson (Duke to Georgetown) There is no denying that Charlotte Tomkinson's greatest value comes on the track, especially after seeing her post personal bests of 2:02 (800) and 4:14 (1500) earlier this year. That middle distance skillset should mesh perfectly with a Georgetown squad that often thrives in the middle distance events during the winter and spring months. And after seeing Tomkinson finish in 62nd place at the Virginia Invitational last fall, we know that, at her best, she can at least provide some respectable depth on the grass. Almi Nerurkar (United Kingdom to Georgetown) Yet another crucial piece for Georgetown's 2024 cross country lineup, Almi Nerurkar is a major x-factor who could truly decide how high the Hoyas' ceiling rises this fall. With a 16:00 (5k) PR and a bronze medal at the 2024 British University & College Sports (BUCS) XC Championships, there is enough on Nerurkar's to believe that she could be a legitimate top-five scoring threat for Georgetown come October and November. Evan Guzman (East Tennessee State to Furman) One of the more surprising transfer developments of the offseason was seeing Evan Guzman venture to East Tennessee State's conference rival, Furman. Even so, this is a fairly strong fit for both parties. The Paladins will likely be happy to add someone who can be a legitimate impact scorer for them at the Southeast Regional XC Championships and it seems like there is potential for Guzman to be a solid miler under the direction of Coach Robert Gary. Colin Kirkpatrick (Pomona-Pitzer to Georgetown) Colin Kirkpatrick is the perfect runner for Georgetown as far as skillsets are concerned. The now-former Division Three star was briefly the NCAA D3 record holder in the steeplechase with his 8:43 PR and amassed six All-American honors with the Sagehens between all three seasons of competition (which includes a 10th place effort at the 2021 NCAA D3 Championships). Kirkpatrick will bring valuable steeplechase prowess to a school known for exactly that while also offering key scoring (assuming he's at his best) on the grass this fall. Derek Fearon (Pomona-Pitzer to Georgetown) A three-time All-American at the NCAA D3 XC Championships, Derek Fearon could be a sneaky-great pick-up for the Georgetown men going into this fall. Fearon has finished 10th, 12th and 24th place (not necessarily in that order) in his three appearances at the D3 cross country national meet. At the very least, the best version of Fearon can give the Hoyas a key scorer to lean on, especially as key underclassmen on this team transition into becoming more established veterans. James Dunne (Adams State to Georgetown) While he's not expected to play much of a role in cross country, James Dunne is a huge transfer win for a Georgetown squad that prides itself on having outstanding middle distance runners. With a 3:57 mile PR, as well as the ability to move up to 3k where he has run 7:54, Dunne could be a huge asset at the BIG East Indoor & Outdoor Championships. Dunne could also act as a key member for a future DMR lineup that will likely make the 2025 indoor national meet. Kyle Reinheimer (North Carolina to Washington) While the Washington men often put their focus on the mile and the 1500 meters, it's not uncommon for the Huskies to add one or two high-impact half-milers to their roster each year. And while Kyle Reinheimer hasn't surpassed the 1:48 (800) mark yet, he has been a multi-time scorer at the often-loaded ACC Championships. In our eyes, he is better than what his 1:48 personal best would suggest. Nyah Hernandez (Arkansas to Syracuse) With her Instagram bio now reading, "@cusexctf," it seems safe to say that Nyah Hernandez is now officially headed to Syracuse (TSR had originally confirmed that she was in the transfer portal). While her track times may not be super flashy, Hernandez did prove that she could be a respectable cross country scorer after placing 17th at the South Central Regional XC Championships last fall. The now-former Razorback will be a nice addition for the Orange's cross country team, especially given how effective they have been with capitalizing on their transfers who they add each and every year. Mary Ellen Eudaly (Transfer Portal) One of the more underrated names to enter the transfer portal, Mary Ellen Eudaly could be a big pick-up for the right team. This past year, Eudaly ran a strong 4:36 mile PR and had a great cross country season where she placed 20th at the SEC XC Championships, 6th at the South Central Regional XC Championships and 139th at the NCAA XC Championships. Expect teams such as Tennessee, Florida, Texas and/or North Carolina (among others) to potentially sign the Florida native. Heidi Nielson (Transfer Portal) With times of 4:18 (1500), 4:44 (mile), 9:21 (3k) and 16:02 (5k), Heidi Nielson is a very solid name who could be a great complementary piece for the right team. While her last year of performances have left us wanting more, the best version of Nielson could allow her to be a scorer for a cross country team looking to quickly close out their top-five later this fall. Expect Nielson to (possibly) consider the same schools mentioned above with Mary Ellen Eudaly. Caroline Wells (Stanford to Florida) Admittedly, the two years that Caroline Wells spent at Stanford didn't quite match up with her outstanding high school career. Even so, Wells has flashed brief moments of promise during her time with the Cardinal such as placing 55th at the 2023 Virginia XC Invitational and finishing 64th at the 2022 Cowboy Jamboree. Now, she'll return to her home state where she'll aim to contribute to a Florida cross country team that is attempting to reload instead of rebuild. Brendan Gomez (Transfer Portal) Despite only competing for one season at Tennessee, Brendan Gomez was able to finish 48th overall at the 2023 SEC XC Championships. That result may not catch much attention now, but over the long-term, Gomez may hold respectable value for a team that is still young and in the developmental stages of their roster.

One of my favorite pieces of content during the summer pertains to transfers. And while reporting on each of these moves can be plenty fun, sitting down and dissecting their potential impacts is arguably just as entertaining. That, of course, is where our "Gauging Impact" series comes in. In this series, we evaluate three high-level distance talents who are transferring this summer. The goal is to figure out if an athlete's former team had a greater loss of talent relative to the value gained by the new team that he or she is transferring to. If that sounds complex, it's just because I'm not explaining it well. You'll get the gist when you start reading. As we mentioned last year, there are a few top-tier runners who we didn't mention in this edition of "Gauging Impact". That, however, is because their transfer scenarios are relatively easy to analyze. So with that, let's begin... NOTE: Graduate transfer scenarios (such as Amina Maatoug and Simon Kelati) can sometimes be anticipated by certain schools/coaches. Those moves are not always a reflection of a program's ability to retain (or not retain) talent. Gauging Impact (Part One) Gauging Impact (Part Two) Gauging Impact (Part Three) Gauging Impact (Part Four) Gauging Impact (Part Five) Gauging Impact (Part Six) Gauging Impact (Part Seven) Gauging Impact (Part Eight) Hilda Olemomoi: Bigger Gain for Florida? Or Bigger Loss for Alabama? Each and every summer, there is always one superstar name (at the very least) who headlines the transfer portal. And in 2024, that name was Hilda Olemomoi, the now-former Alabama runner. During her two years with the Crimson Tide, Olemomoi was beyond brilliant. With personal best marks of 8:45 (3k), 15:06 (5k) and 31:51 (10k), the Kenyan ace had an argument of being the second-best long distance runner in the nation behind Parker Valby (although then-teammate Doris Lemngole certainly had an argument for that title as well). With a total of nine All-American honors between all three seasons of competition, two of which were top-10 finishes at the NCAA XC Championships, it's not often that you find someone of Olemomoi's caliber in the transfer portal. It was truthfully not much of a surprise to see Olemomoi sign with Florida. Her former coach at Alabama, Will Palmer, left Tuscaloosa last summer to join that Gators' as their lead distance coach. And with scholarship money likely available with Parker Valby now gone, it made sense that if Olemomoi was going to transfer anywhere, it was going to be to Gainesville. But what does this headline-worthy news mean in the grander scheme of things? Well, let's first start with Florida. The Florida women just lost a massive amount of talent due to expired eligibility and graduations. In fact, the high-octane scoring quartet of Parker Valby, Flomena Asekol, Amelia Mazza-Downie and Elise Thorner are not returning returning for next year. That, in turn, has left Coach Will Palmer with plenty of work to do. Yes, it's true, the Gators are bringing in and returning key names who could contribute as soon as this fall. Allison Wilson, a transfer from Alabama last summer, placed 49th at the NCAA XC Championships last fall and could very easily be an All-American come November. The Florida women have also added Tia Wilson from England, a rising freshman with an eye-catching 8:57 (3k) PR. And yet, despite those decent scoring pieces, it was clear that the Florida women had a ton of work to do to rebuild their scoring base. That, of course, is why adding Hilda Olemomoi is such a massive recruiting win for the Gators. By adding a superstar low-stick to this squad, there is now a core of talented contributors who can truly impact this program in the fall. But for as good as Olemomoi and her projected supporting cast is, greater reinforcements will be needed for the Florida women to return as top-10 threats on the grass, nationally. As it stands right now, Olemomoi is their only sure-thing All-American for this fall (assuming that she's healthy and available). We then turn our attention to Alabama, a team that had a future that was far more promising than some people realize prior to Hilda Olemomoi's departure. In fact, one coach I spoke to even went as far to say that the Crimson Tide women would have been the favorites for the cross country national team title this fall. "Like, huge favorites." they said, specifically. At first glance, that kind of assertion admittedly sounds a bit aggressive. And in some respects, describing this team as "huge" title favorites most certainly is an aggressive take. But if you're able to look past the limited depth, then the math (sorta) checks out in Alabama's favor, at least to be favorites for the podium. Based on some very rough estimates, let's suppose that Doris Lemngole and Hilda Olemomoi went 1-2 at the 2024 NCAA XC Championships (which is a very realistic possibility). Let's also assume that Brenda Tuwei, a 15:51 (5k) runner who has also run 31:20 (10k) on the roads, places 35th at that same meet while Joy Gill replicates her 53rd place finish from last year's national meet. If you match those finishes to the respective team scores of last year's NCAA XC Championships, then the Crimson Tide women would be scoring 68 points through four runners. Their fifth runner could finish 72nd place overall en route to 54 team points (based on last year's results). That would give Alabama a team score of 122 points, one point better than last year's national title winner, NC State. Now, admittedly, finding a fifth woman who can place among the top-80 of the cross country national meet this fall will not be easy. Thankfully, the reinforcements for this year's Crimson Tide team are expected to be much better this year than they have been in the past. However, Hilda Olemomoi is no longer in Tuscaloosa, leaving a chasm-like scoring gap for the Alabama coaching staff to fill. That's a brutal loss for a team that seemingly had an outside shot at the national title and were potentially once viewed as favorites for the podium come November. And while Olemomoi does stop some of the lost scoring that Florida's roster has been inflicted with, her introduction to the Gators' roster alone would not have made nearly as much of an impact on their team as it would have for the current structure of Alabama's squad. Final Verdict: Bigger Loss for Alabama Amina Maatoug: Bigger Gain for Washington? Or Bigger Loss for Duke? For a moment, it looked like Amina Maatoug was going to be the single-most valuable distance talent in the transfer portal later this year (until Hilda Olemomoi entered the portal). With elite range and multiple All-American honors to her name, the now-former Duke runner was going to make a massive splash wherever she ended up. Sure enough, that's largely what happened as Maatoug was signed to the University of Washington a few weeks ago. Let's begin with Duke, the program that first introduced Maatoug to the NCAA. The Blue Devils are admittedly going through a distance roster rebuild at the moment...and it's seemingly going to be a VERY big rebuild. Not only did Coach Angela Reckart leave the program at the end of the outdoor track season, but six of Duke's top-seven women from their 2024 Southeast regional meet lineup are now gone. And yes, Maatoug was one of those six departees. Coach Kevin Jermyn is seemingly a great hire as Duke's next head distance coach. It also doesn't hurt that he brought in two key transfers from Elon. Even so, when it comes to team implications, having Amina Maatoug stay in Durham, North Carolina would not have necessarily sent the Blue Devils into a dramatically better direction. For the most part, this ACC-based program would have still needed a stronger scoring presence to even flirt with a national qualifying bid as a team on the grass this fall. Although, it is fair to point out that Duke has become a major force within the ACC as a track and field team and the lost points often provided by Maatoug will need to be made up elsewhere. But Washington? Well, their story is much more different. Last year, the Huskies had a strong fall season, upsetting Stanford for the PAC-12 team title in cross country before placing a very admirable 8th place at the NCAA XC Championships. However, arguably more importantly, TFRRS suggests that six of Washington's top-seven women from last year's cross country team are set to return, including their entire top-four. Among those returnees are three women who finished within the top-60 at the national meet. Based on just that information alone, you can already begin to see a path where the Seattle-based women are contending for a podium spot later this fall. And assuming Maatoug is back in top form by November, then the Huskies should have an elite low-stick star with some of the most stable support scoring of any team in the country. Of course, what truly puts this team over the top is the fact that Maeve Stiles (via Penn) and Samantha Tran (via Michigan) are both joining Washington later this fall. Both of those incoming graduate transfers have finished among the top-100 of the NCAA XC Championships before. Sure, both Tran and Stiles were likely going to make positive impacts on their team this fall regardless of whether or not Maatoug signed with Washington. But now, Maatoug offers an outstanding amount of firepower to prop up an experienced team with one of the highest floors in the country. And it's truly because of Maatoug that we would argue that Washington is now a podium favorite the fall of 2024. Final Verdict: Bigger Gain for Washington Simon Kelati: Bigger Gain for Tennessee? Or Bigger Loss for Western Colorado? There has never been any question about Simon Kelati's impact as a national-caliber star at the Division Two level. During his time with Western Colorado, Kelati racked up a total of nine D2 All-American honors. However, it also seems fair to say that Kelati reached a new tier of fitness this past year, appearing to be in far greater control of his fitness than ever before. The Mountaineer star snagged silver at the NCAA D2 XC Championships last fall and went on to secure gold at the NCAA D2 Indoor Championships over 3000 meters in March. He capped his time at Western Colorado with marks of 7:57 (3k) and 13:34 (5k). He also ran 3:43 for 1500 meters after an altitude conversion. The Volunteers have evolved into a consistent national qualifying cross country team in recent years under the direction of Coach Sean Carlson. However, the recent departure of Yaseen Abdalla to the transfer portal has left this team looking for more firepower and lead scoring going into 2024. It also doesn't help that last year's supporting cast of Brandon Olden, Jacob Lewis and Eli Nahom are all now out of cross country eligibility, per TFRRS. Would Tennessee still have made the NCAA XC Championships this fall with Kelati? Sure, it certainly would have been possible. Both Gabe Sanchez and Dean Casey look like great lead scorers and the Vols' roster is generally deep enough where they can find a few good enough contributors to stay competitive. It also doesn't hurt Tennessee that the South region may be getting easier to navigate out of now that Coach Bob Braman is out of Florida State and his top low-stick, David Mullarkey, is in the transfer portal. But by adding Kelati to the mix, the likelihood of the Tennessee men returning back to the national meet seems substantially higher. The now-former D2 star doesn't necessarily need to be a D1 All-American to have an impact in Rocky Top later this fall. Instead, if he can simply match the performances that we're expecting to see from Sanchez and Casey, then Tennessee should be able to keep themselves among the top-25 of The Stride Report's rankings. So...what about Western Colorado? The Division Two landscape among men's cross country teams is slowly beginning to shift. Teams such as Wingate, West Texas A&M and East Central are beginning to threaten the conventional powers out of the RMAC (which includes Western Colorado) as well as GLIAC powerhouse, Grand Valley State. And yet, despite that, the Mountaineer men looked like they were going to be podium favorites later this fall had Kelati stayed with the team. Last year, Western Colorado finished 5th place overall (among men's teams) at the NCAA D2 XC Championships. If Kelati had opted not to transfer, then the Mountaineers would have returned their entire top-five, including three All-Americans. Their only loss would have been their sixth man who finished in 86th place at last year's national meet. Sure, a podium spot would not have necessarily been guaranteed for Western Colorado even if Kelati opted to stay. However, they certainly would have been favored to finish among the top-four in November with him leading their group. But now, without Kelati, the men of Gunnison, Colorado will need to find greater firepower to pair with Tyler Nord if they want to remain as podium favorites. And while it is certainly still possible for WCU to become a podium team without Kelati, accomplishing that goal would have been much easier with an individual national title contender on their roster. Final Verdict: Bigger Loss for Western Colorado

Written by Conor Daly, additional edits and commentary via Garrett Zatlin At the culmination of any academic year, it’s natural to see the transfer portal light up all at once. Even so, seeing this trio of national-caliber half-milers all enter the portal this summer leaves us with must-see headlines and plenty to analyze. So without further ado, let’s not waste any more time and get straight into it... Rivaldo Marshall (Transfer Portal) The Stride Report has confirmed that Iowa standout Rivaldo Marshall has entered the transfer portal as a regular transfer. According to TFRRS, the current Hawkeye star is expected to have at least one year of both indoor track eligibility and outdoor track eligibility remaining. The Jamaica native began his collegiate career at Indian Hills Community College. There, Marshall had a very successful two years, leaving IHCC as a two-time JUCO national champion over 800 meters while boasting a then-personal best of 1:47.35 in the event. This past year, Marshall joined the Division One ranks at Iowa where he has only continued to develop his talent. In just his first season with the Hawkeyes, the Iowa standout saw plenty of success. Entering the indoor national meet seeded 7th overall, Marshall exceeded expectations to win the half-mile national title with a brilliant display of positioning and well-timed surges. In his first outdoor track race of the 2024 spring season, Marshall went on to break the 1:46 (800) barrier for the first time in his career, dropping a huge 1:45.86 personal best. He would go on to run 1:46 over 800 meters two separate times after that. Unfortunately, after running that PR, the remainder of Marshall’s outdoor track campaign was underwhelming relative to the expectations that we had placed upon him following the winter months. After a decent, but not overly exciting, 4th place finish over 800 meters at the BIG 10 Outdoor Championships, the reigning indoor national champion struggled in the prelims of the outdoor national meet, falling to 7th place in his heat to make a disappointing early exit. While it may seem criminal for Marshall to flip his allegiance to in-state rival Iowa State, it’s certainly a sensible landing spot. The former JUCO star has gone to school in Iowa for the last three years and considering that he is from outside of the United States, there is seemingly no other geographical preference for Marshall, at least not that we know of. After all, Iowa State has done their fair share in developing nationally competitive half-milers. This past year, the Cyclones fielded the duo of Darius Kipyego and Finley McLear, both of whom hold personal bests of under 1:46 for the 800 meters. It doesn’t hurt, either, that both of those men will be returning to Iowa State next year (per TFRRS), theoretically giving Marshall a pair of ideal training partners. Outside of Iowa State, there are many SEC programs that focus on the middle distances that could be a good fit for the reigning indoor national champion. Texas A&M in particular sticks out as a possible landing spot for Marshall. The Aggies have been an all-time powerhouse over 800 meters, acting as the home to some of the greatest half-milers that the NCAA has ever seen, both men and women. In fact, it wasn’t all that long ago that names like Donavan Brazier, Brandon Miller and Devin Dixon headlined the College Station-based program. Marshall is more than qualified to be an Aggie if that is the route that he chooses. Coach Paul Ereng, who is the current collegiate record holder for the indoor 800 meters, currently oversees the middle distance group at Texas A&M. That squad features 1:44 (800) man Sam Whitmarsh as well as All-American Kimar Farquharson and outdoor national meet qualifier, Caden Norris. Other key contenders to consider include Florida, Alabama and Georgia, schools that all have history of producing upper-echelon half-milers within the SEC. Abdullahi Hassan (Transfer Portal) The Stride Report has confirmed that Wisconsin standout Abdullahi Hassan has entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer. According to TFRRS, the soon-to-be-former Wisconsin ace is expected to hold one season of indoor track eligibility and one season of outdoor track eligibility.  Entering the collegiate scene in 2021, it seemingly took no adjustment for Hassan to race with the best of the best, qualifying for the indoor national meet in just his first season. There, he ended up placing 11th overall. The then-youngster continued to see the same success the following outdoor track season, placing 12th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. That summer, he ran a jaw dropping 800-meter personal best of 1:46.16 at the age of 18. Now three years older, the 21-year-old has remained as a national-caliber threat in the collegiate scene. He has run countless fantastic races through his years, too many to list. In fact, the 800-meter BIG 10 champion during the 2022 outdoor track season has contested the half-mile event at five national meets. Last year’s 4th place finish at the outdoor national meet stands as his best finish to date. Most recently, Hassan holds an 8th place finish over 800 meters at the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships. With it being an Olympic year, the 800-meter specialist opted to save a season of eligibility and did not compete for Wisconsin this spring. That decision seems to be part of Hassan’s long-term plan as he aims to have a fruitful racing season deep into the summer and eventually become a member of Canada’s Olympic team. Those Olympic dreams are not far-fetched, either. It was just a year ago that Hassan placed 2nd at the 2023 Canadian National Championships and finished place 5th in his preliminary heat at the World Championships in Budapest. In short, few men in the NCAA have proven that they can consistently perform as well as Hassan has in the last few years. It’s that veteran status that makes him so valuable when it comes to tactical 800-meter races that are so common during many of the NCAA’s most important races. He’s at the point where making an NCAA final is expected. While it’s hard to say where Hassan will land, Penn State could be a great spot for Hassan as he could train with a handful of standout half-milers on a regular basis. Admittedly, moving to a conference rival would be a big aspect to look over, but Happy Valley's middle distance crew is among the most talented and deepest in the country. No, the Nittany Lions have not been particularly active in the transfer portal as of late, but with a trio of men running in the 1:46 range over 800 meters this past season, the BIG 10 counterpart certainly seems like a strong option. But if loyalty to Wisconsin is too much of a barrier for Hassan to look past, then a move into the SEC or ACC would likely make the most sense. Schools such as Texas A&M and Texas have often been viewed as middle distance powers responsible for producing numerous elite-level half-milers. That reputation has been plenty evident as of late with the rise of guys like Yusuf Bizimana (Texas) and Sam Whitmarsh (Texas A&M). Would east coast middle distance schools like Georgetown, Virginia Tech or Virginia make a run at signing the Canadian Badger? That certainly seems possible, especially for the Hoyas, a group that would likely love to pair an experienced veteran with rising sophomore stars Tinoda Matsatsa and Gabriele Angiono. And with Tim McInerney now out of eligibility, a scholarship spot in the middle distances would likely be Hassan's for the taking. Evan Dorenkamp (Transfer Portal) The Stride Report has confirmed that Penn State standout Evan Dorenkamp has entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer. According to TFRRS, the Nittany Lion veteran is expected to hold one season of cross country eligibility and one season of indoor track eligibility. Dorenkamp is not expected to hold any remaining outdoor track eligibility. The soon-to-be-former Nittany Lion has proven to be one of the more underrated middle distance talents in the country with many sneaky-good marks to be found on his resume. In 2021, Dorenkamp was an outdoor national meet qualifier over 800 meters (somewhat surprisingly, we should add). Since then, the veteran has focused his efforts on the mile or metric equivalent, punching his ticket to the national meet on the track on two additional occasions. At the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships, Dorenkamp claimed his only All-American honor with an 8th place finish in the 1500-meter finals. With personal bests of 1:48 (800), 2:21 (1k), 3:39 (1500) and 3:55 (mile), as well as tons of national meet experience and outstanding finishing speed, the best version of Dorenkamp has proven to be a very dangerous name on the oval. While Dorenkamp is undeniably at his best on the track, it should also be noted that he holds great value on the cross country course as well. This past fall, Dorenkamp won Lehigh’s Paul Short Run, placed 17th at the BIG 10 XC Championships and was the 16th place finisher at the Mid-Atlantic Regional XC Championships. That latter performance was only 10 seconds away from qualifying for the NCAA XC Championships as an individual. There is no denying that Dorenkamp boasts strong cross country credentials, enough to potentially be a scorer for a national qualifying squad. However, whatever program lands Dorenkamp will almost certainly be more interested in using his talents on the oval. That’s why Virginia Tech is a seemingly great fit for this Penn State talent as the Hokies tend to be more competitive on the track than the cross country course. It also doesn't hurt that Coach Ben Thomas has proven to be one of the best coaches in the entire NCAA when it comes to developing 800-meter and 1500-meter talents. With names such as Vincent Ciattei, Cooper Teare, Cole Hocker, Reed Brown, Charlie Hunter, Neil Gourley, Pat Joseph, Drew Piazza and Nick Plant all thriving as national-caliber middle distance stars under Thomas, it would only make sense if Dorenkamp joined that lineage. Don’t count out Virginia or Georgetown as landing spots for Dorenkamp, either. Both of those schools were able to break the elusive sub-16:00 barrier for the 4xMile relay at the Penn Relays earlier this year and have thrived across the entire middle distance spectrum. Simply put, the former is the class of the ACC when it comes to the middle distances while the latter is a factory when it comes to producing sub-1:47 (800) and sub-4:00 (mile) talents.

Earlier today, The Stride Report confirmed that the Alabama men have signed Dismus Lokira Korir from Kenya for the upcoming academic year. The incoming distance star is expected to boast freshman eligibility upon joining the Crimson Tide. Scholarbook Premier's Instagram account, Future Champs, was the first to report the news this past Thursday. With personal bests of 3:43 (1500), 13:56 (5k) and, most importantly, 28:44 (10k), the incoming freshman looks to be a potential high-impact piece for the Alabama men as soon as this fall. It should be noted that Korir's 10k mark of 28:44 was run at altitude, specifically at 5800 feet. After conversions, Korir's 10k PR would yield a final mark of 27:22 while his 5k time would read 13:21, per Final Surge . The Alabama men are seemingly loading up for one last major run while they still have veteran stars such as Victor Kiprop and Hillary Cheruiyot. And with Dennis Kipruto coming off of a spring campaign in which he qualified for the outdoor national meet over 10,000 meters, it seems fair to suggest that the Crimson Tide may have four men on their roster who are talented enough to be All-Americans come November. Admittedly, the men of Tuscaloosa have often faced challenges with consistency on the grass, specifically on the national stage. While it is more than fair to believe that their top-four men are capable of earning top-40 finishes at the NCAA XC Championships, having them all deliver on that potential on the same day is by no means a given. And yet, despite that, it is impossible to dismiss how Korir's introduction to this lineup dramatically alters the way that we view Alabama moving forward (for the better). While depth will still be a major point of emphasis for the SEC stalwart, the mathematical edge gained from their raw firepower has been plenty apparent in a handful of cross country meets in recent years.

Earlier this week, the University of Georgia announced that Adam Tribble, the now-former coach at California Baptist University, has accepted the head distance coaching role at the University of Georgia. It should be noted that Tribble is a Georgia alum, previously running for the Bulldogs in the early 2000s. Tribble is responsible for turning the California Baptist men and women into national powers in the longer distance events in recent years, specifically on the cross country course. Despite only recently clearing the four-year waiting period to compete at official NCAA D1 Championships (after moving up from D2), CBU has been an instant-impact program. This past fall, the Lancer men placed 16th at the NCAA XC Championships while the women placed 17th. However, a pair of top-10 finishes at the Nuttycombe Invite as well as a pair of wins at the Griak Invite suggested that the men's and women's cross country programs at CBU were closer to that of top-10 teams, nationally. With a heavy influx of international names, specifically from Europe, Tribble was able to lead the mid-major program towards being one of the most impressive risers of the 2020s. With a large handful of national-caliber individuals also coming out of Riverside, California, including top-tier steeplechase star Greta Karinauskaite, Tribble's time at CBU can be characterized as nothing less than fantastic. Tribble will now overtake a Georgia distance program that has admittedly faltered in the SEC ranks during cross country. Last fall, the UGA women finished last out of 14 teams at the SEC XC Championships while the men's team finished 10th out of 12 teams. The Bulldogs have also lacked continuity at the head distance position of their program. Tribble is now the fourth different distance coach at Georgia in the last four years. The chances of Tribble transforming Georgia's distance program in the same way that he did with California Baptist seem relatively low (although not for any reason related to his coaching abilities). The Bulldogs have historically put far more resources and scholarships into their sprints and field events compared to distance. Even so, there is certainly room for Tribble to make progress with his new cross country teams, especially if the ever-evolving NCAA landscape eventually presents new opportunities for funding. When it comes to California Baptist, there are a handful of coaches who were once assistant coaches of Tribble who could take over his Director role. Jordan Pingel, a current assistant coach at Alabama, previously worked under Tribble for a brief period of time at CBU. The same can be said for current Duke assistant coach Adam Cooke, someone who has proven to be an excellent recruiter for both the Lancers and the Blue Devils.