"Runners Won't Have An Opportunity To Run If This Goes Through!" Ole Miss Stone Smith On The Implications Of The New SEC Roster Limits & How They Could Kill Our Sport

Last week, the SEC announced that they plan to set men’s roster limits to 10/35 for XC/TF. Earlier last week, coaches and administration from the Southeastern Conference were informed of the proposed conference roster limits for cross country and track & field. Currently, the average SEC men’s XC roster is ~17. One of the athletes who came out against this news is Ole Miss athlete, Stone Smith. Stone is an accomplished runner who was a 5xAlabama 6A State Champion in high school and ran 1:55 (800m), 4:12 (Mile), and 9:08 (2-Mile), and 15:21 in the 5k. Stone won the Mobile Meet of Champions Mile in 2023, where he set the meet record. He redshirted the bulk of last year but ran 3:52 in the 1500m, which converts to a 4:08 (1600m). As Stone discusses in this conversation, he would most likely be on the chopping block if this goes through. Stone walks me through the implications of this news if it goes through, what it would do for the programs within the SEC, how it could set a precedent in other programs around the NCAA, how this will destroy walk-ons, ways to fix the issue, and much more! PLEASE PLEASE share this episode with a friend. Let's get the word out on this episode so that we can hopefully turn some heads within the leadership of the SEC / NCAA. Tap into the Stone Smith Special. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend! S H O W N O T E S -REGISTER FOR FOOT LOCKER REGIONALS: http://footlockercc.com -THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ -My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -My Newsletter: https://therunningeffect.substack.com