On Wednesday, the University of Oregon announced that they have signed Koitatoi Kidali, a 2024 Paris Olympian from Kenya. It is unclear what eligibility he will have once he joins the team. The 21-year old joins the Ducks with a jaw-dropping personal best of 1:42.66 for 800 meters as well as a mark of 3:43 for 1500 meters. However, he has not run faster than 1:45 over 800 meters in any of his other efforts.
The introduction of Kidali to the NCAA is a massive development. His commitment to Oregon not only alters the collegiate 800-meter national title conversation, but also alters our understanding of what we can expect in a new collegiate landscape as far as recruiting is concerned.
Previously, when we looked ahead to the 2025 track seasons, we were expecting names like Sam Whitmarsh, Finley McLear, Rivaldo Marshall and maybe Tyrice Taylor to be the focal contenders for the NCAA 800-meter title(s).
But now, none of those men hold an 800-meter personal best that is within a second-and-a-half of what Kidali has run. Sam Whitmarsh is the closest to Kidali time-wise via his 1:44.46 PR.
It is undeniable that Kidali's raw fitness is now the best in the NCAA. However, his indoor track resume is truthfully very limited and he has only ever run under 1:45 once for 800 meters -- it just so happened to be by a significant margin.
There are still questions that need to be answered about Kidali as we prepare for a new academic year. Can the Kenyan superstar effectively translate his elite fitness to the indoor oval? Will Kidali be able to validate his stunning 1:42 (800) personal best? How will he respond in more nuanced championship races?
The addition of Kidali to Oregon's roster, as well as a large handful of other newly-committed overseas distance standouts who we have not yet reported, feels like a not-so-subtle signal of what is to come with future NCAA recruiting.
Multiple coaches who The Stride Report has spoken to expect overseas recruiting to rise significantly now that there are greater incentives and less restraints in the NCAA. With recent legislation now allowing schools to share revenue -- and new "Name, Image, and Likeness" (NIL) bylaws being passed -- recruiting within the track and field and cross country spaces will likely become far more aggressive in the coming years.
Comentários