Wiley, only collegiate athlete and one of two American women to run sub-1:58 in 800 and sub-4:00 in 1,500, decides to forgo remaining eligibility at NAIA Huntington University in Indiana and pursue professional opportunities with Lauren Johnson as coach and Paul Doyle as agent

By David Woods for DyeStat

Addy Wiley will be running as a pro – and for medals – rather than for a small Indiana college.

The 20-year old from Huntington, Ind., a candidate for the Paris Olympics, announced Tuesday on Instagram she has signed a contract with adidas.

Agent Paul Doyle said he will represent Wiley and that the runner would be coached by former Huntington University coach Lauren Johnson.

During the 2023 calendar year, Wiley won eight NAIA titles representing the Foresters.

On Sept. 8, she set an all-dates collegiate 1,500-meter record of 3:59.17. She broke a 14-year-old record held by Jenny (Barringer) Simpson, a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and 2011 world champion. Also last summer, Wiley ran 800 meters in 1:57.54, second-fastest ever by a college runner.

Wiley is the only collegiate female athlete to run sub-1:58 in the 800 and eclipse the 4-minute barrier in the 1,500, and one of two American women to achieve the feat, along with Mary Slaney.

“I am very excited about her future,” Doyle said in a text. “She is an incredible talent and she is a true professional in every sense of the word. I’m amazed at what focus and determination she has at such a young age.

“The sky is the limit for Addy.”

In her last race for Huntington, Wiley won an NAIA cross-country title Nov. 17 at Vancouver, Wash. She was the Foresters’ third champion in five years. The two others, Hannah Stoffel and Emma Wilson, sued the university along with coaches Nick Johnson and Lauren Johnson amid allegations of sexual abuse and doping.

Wiley, a survivor of childhood cancer, set a national high school record for 1,600 meters in June 2022. She de-committed from Colorado to enroll at her hometown university.

“Thankful to @doylemanagement for guiding me through this process and all the opportunities throughout the past year,” Wiley posted. “Last summer I decided there was no better time to go all in on giving myself the best opportunity to make my first Olympic team in 2024.

“My team is in place and I couldn’t be happier! Excited to starting racing! :)”

Wiley has represented Team USA at the World Under-20 Championships, NACAC U20 meet and World Road Running Championships (finishing ninth in the mile).

She is scheduled to open her indoor season this weekend and might aim to qualify for March’s indoor worlds. As a 19-year-old, she was fifth in the 1,500 at last year’s USATF Outdoor Championships.

Contact David Woods at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007