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Production via Wyatt Barnsley On this week’s episode of The Stride Report Podcast, Ben and Garrett break down the NCAA’s major new eligibility rule changes and what they could mean for the future of collegiate track and field. The guys explain the details of the new policies and examine the potential ripple effects across recruiting, roster management, and competitive balance. They also dive into how these changes could impact recruiting services and the broader NCAA landscape before wrapping up with their thoughts on whether these new rules are ultimately a positive step for the sport. Be sure to listen, subscribe and review! (2:50) Breaking Down The New NCAA Eligibility Rule Changes (31:06) How Does This Affect Recruiting Services? (38:27) Are These Good Changes? 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.

USTFCCCA has officially announced the men's and women's 2026 finalists for The Bowerman, the most prestigious individual award in collegiate track and field. On the men's side, Habtom Samuel of New Mexico, Samuel Ogazi of Alabama and Ja'Kobe Tharp of Auburn were the three athletes to make the final cut. On the women's side, the finalists were Adaejah Hodge of Georgia, Axelina Johansson of Nebraska and Dejanea Oakley of Georgia. Men's Finalists Ja'Kobe Tharp, who was a finalist for The Bowerman in 2025, has returned as a finalist for the 2026 iteration of the award. The Auburn product, who still has one year of collegiate eligibility remaining, further heightened his beyond-elite resume earlier this month at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. There, Tharp clocked an unreal time of 12.75 in the 110-meter hurdles (wind legal), setting a world record in the process. Tharp would go on to win the NCAA title in that event. During the winter months, the Tiger phenom set a collegiate record of 7.32 in the 60-meter hurdles. He would go on to win the national title in that same event at the NCAA Indoor Championships back in March. Alabama's Samuel Ogazi was brilliant in his own right. During the winter months, the Crimson Tide superstar clocked a 400-meter time of 44.57. That mark not only sits at NCAA #3 all-time (indoor track), but it also gave him a national title. Then, on the outdoor oval, Ogazi posted an absurdly fast time of 43.38 for 400 meters. That mark broke the former collegiate record of 43.61 (previously held by Michael Norman) en route to the Alabama megastar winning an NCAA title. In total, Ogazi ran under the 44-second barrier for 400 meters three times this past spring. Samuel Ogazi after setting the 400m collegiate record at the NCAA Outdoor Championships // Photo via Andrew LeMay Finally, there is Habtom Samuel. The Lobo standout was an aerobic beast on the indoor and outdoor ovals yet again in 2026. A collegiate two-mile record of 8:11 at the Millrose Games was complemented by an indoor national title over 5000 meters. Samuel initially won NCAA gold over 3000 meters as well, but was later disqualified. On the outdoor oval, Samuel was arguably even better. The New Mexico phenom ran an NCAA outdoor 5000-meter record of 13:03 before breaking his own record one month later with a 12:57 mark. The Eritrean distance star capped an undefeated outdoor track season with dominant national title victories over 10,000 meters and 5000 meters. Notable absences from the list of finalists were Northern Arizona's Colin Sahlman (NCAA indoor 800-meter record, NCAA indoor 3000-meter champion and NCAA outdoor 800-meter champion) and Auburn's Kayinsola Ajayi (tied the NCAA 60-meter record, NCAA #2 all-time over 100 meters, NCAA indoor 60-meter champion, NCAA outdoor 100-meter champion). Women's Finalists Georgia's Adaejah Hodge was simply remarkable throughout the winter and spring months of 2026. The redshirt freshman won the NCAA indoor 200-meter title, the NCAA outdoor 200-meter title, was the national meet runner-up in the 60-meter dash, the national meet runner-up in the 100-meter dash and was a bronze medalist with her teammates in the 4x100-meter relay. Not only that, but Hodge's times and marks were historically elite. The first-year Georgia talent smashed the collegiate record over 100 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships (running 10.63) and comfortably surpassed the former collegiate record over 200 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships (running 21.68) as well. Hodge also sits at NCAA #4 all-time for the indoor 200 meters. Adaejah Hodge competing over 100m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships // Photo via Andrew LeMay It should be noted that Hodge was originally given a two-year doping ban in 2024 by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). That sentence was later reduced to seven months following investigation cooperation and an agreement that the violations were deemed as non-intentional. We then move to thrower, Axelina Johansson. The Nebraska product was historically great in 2026, thriving in nearly every setting she was placed in. The Cornhusker superstar was undefeated in the shot put, dating all the way back to December and earning nine-straight wins in the event. That includes national title victories at both the NCAA Indoor Championships and the NCAA Outdoor Championships. During the winter months, Johansson broke the indoor shot put record twice, ultimately setting the bar at 64-9.5 at the World Indoor Championships. From there, the Swedish star posted a mark of 65-6.25 at the BIG 10 Outdoor Championships, putting herself at NCAA #2 all-time for the outdoor shot put and missing the collegiate record by a mere four centimeters. The last finalist to mention is yet another Georgia athlete, Dejanea Oakley. The Longhorn-turned-Bulldog was masterful on the indoor and outdoor ovals this past winter and spring. At both of the 2026 NCAA Track & Field Championships, the Jamaica native won the indoor 400-meter national title as well as the outdoor 400-meter national title. En route to that latter national title, Oakley also broke the NCAA outdoor 400-meter record with a monstrous mark of 48.79. The Georgia talent also ran 48.92 for 400 meters a month earlier at the SEC Outdoor Championships. Her indoor 400-meter best of 50.47 sits at NCAA #11 all-time. * * * Fan voting is currently open and will close on July 2nd. Each online submission counts as one collective fan ballot toward the final tally, which also includes votes from media members, college administrators and past winners. The men's and women's winners of The Bowerman will be announced on December 17th at the USTFCCCA Convention in Grapevine, Texas.

On Sunday, Texas A&M announced that they have hired Leroy Burrell as the program's newest Director of Cross Country and Track & Field. The hiring comes less than two weeks after news broke that the Aggies' former Director, Pat Henry, was retiring. Burrell previously served as the Director of Cross Country and Track & Field for Auburn, a Southeastern Conference (SEC) rival of the Aggies. During his time with the Tigers, Burrell led his program to four top-five team finishes at the NCAA Championships on the track. Prior to being hired by Auburn in the summer of 2022, Burrell was the long-time Director at the University of Houston. There, he developed the Cougars into a sprints powerhouse that was capable of being competitive with many of the NCAA's most elite programs. As an athlete, Burrell was once one of the globe's fastest sprinters, having set world records in numerous short distance events, including the 100 meters where he ran a time of 9.85 in 1994. He also secured multiple medals on Olympic and World Championship stages. Burrell's decision to join Texas A&M carries significant implications, specifically when it comes to transfers and coaching changes. Kayinsola Ajayi (sprints) and Ja’Kobe Tharp (hurdles), two phenom-caliber athletes currently residing at Auburn, both have one additional year of eligibility remaining. Should they choose to pause their professional ambitions, both men could theoretically transfer to Texas A&M for their final year in the NCAA. Ja'Kobe Tharp (center) competing in the 110m hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor Championships // Photo via Andrew LeMay It is also fair to wonder what will happen to the current coaching staff at Texas A&M, specifically those overseeing the middle and long distance events. Despite limited investment, the Texas A&M men and women have slowly developed into respectable cross country programs in recent years. The Aggie women qualified for the NCAA XC Championships last fall while their men's team took 3rd place at the South Central Regional XC Championships. The men's and women's longer distance athletes have been led by Coach Wendel McRaven since 2011. However, it's the middle distance events that will be eyed with greater scrutiny moving forward. That, of course, is because Texas A&M has developed a reputation as one of the single-most elite middle distance powerhouses in the NCAA, specifically over 800 meters. Sam Whitmarsh celebrates winning 800m gold at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships // Photo via Andrew LeMay Between Athing Mu, Sammy Watson, Jazmine Fray, Donavan Brazier, Devin Dixon, Brandon Miller, Sam Whitmarsh and, most recently, Peter Narumbe, few-to-no NCAA institutions have developed as many high-end superstars over 800 meters than College Station has. Milton Mallard previously oversaw the men's and women's middle distance events at Texas A&M before former UTEP coach Paul Ereng replaced him in 2023.

On Wednesday night, Logan Stanley of the Arizona Central was the first to report that Arizona State has parted ways with Dion Miller, the school's Director of Cross Country and Track & Field. Miller took over the role of Director with the Sun Devils back in 2019, leading the men's and women's programs since then. It is unclear on what the current status is for the rest of the ASU coaching staff. During Miller's tenure at ASU, the Sun Devil men and women saw mixed success. In 2021, both the men's and women's track and field teams placed among the top-10 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. In total, the Sun Devils have secured six individual national titles, as well as one relay national title, under Miller. Success, however, has not been a consistent aspect of the men's and women's programs in Tempe, Arizona. This past year, the men's team scored zero points at both the NCAA Outdoor Championships and the NCAA Indoor Championships. Separately, the women's team sent zero athletes to the NCAA Indoor Championships. The Arizona State men and women have also struggled to stay competitive within the BIG 12 across all three seasons of competition. The Sun Devil women took last place at the 2026 BIG 12 Indoor Championships this past winter. Since joining the BIG 12 in 2024, the highest team finish by a men's or women's Arizona State team at their conference meet (indoor track or outdoor track) was 9th place. Dayton Carlson on the 800m starting line at the NCAA Outdoor Championships // Photo via Andrew LeMay On the grass, the Sun Devils have finished at or near the bottom of the team standings at the BIG 12 XC Championships over the last two years (although the women's team did place 9th out of 16 teams in 2024). Jayden Davis, a star-caliber sprinter for the Sun Devils who was local to the state of Arizona, recently announced that he was entering the transfer portal. Davis is a BIG 12 champion over 400 meters as well as a multi-time All-American at that distance. Davis is one of multiple names across a variety of disciplines who have transferred out of the program in recent years. It should be noted that the University of Arizona, an in-state rival of Arizona State, revamped their own track and field and cross country programs around the same time last summer. Since hiring Andrew Dubs as the Wildcats' new Director of Cross Country and Track and Field, the Tucson-based men and women have found far greater success. The Arizona men and women both placed among the top-three at the BIG 12 Outdoor Championships this past spring. Meanwhile, the Wildcats' distance program has seen a noticeable uptick in talent, specifically for their men's team. A national search is currently underway for the next leader of Arizona State's track and field and cross country programs.