Shaquille Walker Turns Pro Early, Joins Brooks Beasts with Brannon Kidder

Shaquille Walker Turns Pro Early, Joins Brooks Beasts with Brannon Kidder

Two of the fastest NCAA runners who are not Donavan Brazier and Clayton Murphy have joined the Brooks Beasts training group in Seattle.Shaquille Walker of B

Jun 24, 2016 by Meg Bellino
Shaquille Walker Turns Pro Early, Joins Brooks Beasts with Brannon Kidder
Two of the fastest NCAA runners who are not Donavan Brazier and Clayton Murphy have joined the Brooks Beasts training group in Seattle.

Shaquille Walker of BYU has decided to forgo his final season of NCAA eligibility and join Brannon Kidder of Penn State as the newest members of the Beasts, a group that features world silver medalist Nick Symmonds and world championship qualifier Cas Loxsom.

Walker finished third in the NCAA indoor 800m this winter before running 1:44.99 on April 9. He finished third at the NCAA outdoor championships in 1:45.17. 

Kidder had a storied career at Penn State where he was a seven-time All American and holds the NCAA record in the 1000m (2:18.26). 

Both Kidder and Walker will compete in the 800m at the U.S. Olympic Trials in July.

Watch Walker take third in one of the greatest NCAA 800 finals ever:

And watch Kidder close like crazy at Stanford this spring: