Josh Hoey is making a very big move following the culmination of his high school career, this week signing a professional contract with adidas, sources with knowledge of the move have indicated.

He is forgoing enrollment to the University of Oregon, where he was previously committed, and has given up NCAA eligibility in favor of a professional career, where he will train with a professional group headed by Terrence Mahon in San Diego, California. Hoey will be represented by Mark Wetmore of Global Athletics & Marketing, Inc. 

The Bishop Shanahan (PA) High School graduate, who was the top 800 meter runner in the country for the Class of 2018 and set an indoor national high school record at the distance in February, was coached independently by Mahon in high school. When reached for comment, Hoey declined to speak about the agreement until an official announcement is made next week. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

Hoey has now paired with one of the more well regarded coaches in distance running. Mahon's resume includes time with the Mammoth Track Club and UK Athletics, and he was the founding director of the B.A.A. Performance Program in Boston. 

The San Diego Union-Tribune recently wrote of Mahon's group that he is "now developing an elite San Diego-based training group comprised of Olympians and aspiring Olympians." 

Mahon currently coaches, among others, Great Britain's Lynsey Sharp, a former gold medalist in the 800m at the European Championships in 2012.  

Hoey is the first high school athlete to turn pro since Drew Hunter signed with adidas in 2016, and he becomes the second prep distance runner to jump to the professional ranks since Hunter. Previously, Candace Hill turned pro out of high school in 2015 with Asics, while Noah Lyles and Josephus Lyles signed with adidas in 2016. 

The 18-year-old Hoey originally committed to Oregon in October, choosing to join his brother, Jaxson, and a strong Ducks program coached by Andy and Maurica Powell. But following the Powell's exit from Eugene in June to the University of Washington, and Jaxson's noted omission from the cross country roster in 2018, Hoey elected to reconsider his future.  

The Pennsylvania native is coming off an appearance at the U20 World Championships in Tampere, Finland, and an outdoor season in which he ran 1:48 in the 800m on five separate instances, including his outdoor career best of 1:48.07 in the semifinals of the U20 Championships (he was fourth in his heat and did not qualify for the finals). He won the 800m at the USA Junior Championships in June. 

Hoey did not race another distance outdoors in 2018, but over the indoor season he set an indoor national record in the 800m at a Last Chance Invitational at Boston University, producing a time of 1:47.67. He also ran a career best of 2:24.64 in the 1K at the VA Showcase and ran 4:07.42 for the full mile at the 111th Millrose Games, winning the high school section. 

In 2017, Hoey split 3:50.71 in the 1500m at the Hoka One One Distance Festival in Pennsylvania, which equates out to a 4:07.67 full mile. 

Over his tenure in Pennsylvania, Hoey won two individual state titles over the indoor and outdoor seasons. 

Related Links: 

• Hoey Drops 1:48 at Mt. SAC
• Josh Hoey Talks With MileSplit LIVE