Abby Steiner, track star for Kentucky, signs with PUMA
University of Kentucky track star Abby Steiner officially announced she would join PUMA on July 14, ending weeks of speculation and rumors.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (BVM) – University of Kentucky star sprinter Abby Steiner’s track season has been memorable to say the least this year. The Wildcats’ senior was both the NCAA outdoor 200-meter and 4×400-meter champion and the U.S. outdoor 200m champion earlier this year, setting records in both events as well as in the outdoor 300m.
https://twitter.com/Athleticsglobe/status/1535775756042633216
While those moments would be difficult for any athlete to top, Steiner’s recent news may have just done so.
On July 14, Steiner announced that she officially signed with athletic clothing company PUMA. Though details on the deal were not released, it was rumored to be around $2 million.
“PUMA’s list of high-performance athletes is impressive and being one of them just feels amazing,” Abby Steiner said in a PUMA press release. “I am very happy to be part of the PUMA family now and I cant wait to take off.”
“Abby Steiner is one of the most exciting upcoming stars in Track and Field,” said Pascal Rolling, Head of Running Sports Marketing at PUMA in the statement. “We believe that she will have a brilliant career and we want to be by her side and support her.”
The next chapter .. Officially the newest member of the PUMA family! #foreverfaster @PUMARunning pic.twitter.com/6mSAdQYlXU
— Abby Steiner (@abbysteiner1) July 14, 2022
At PUMA, Steiner will join a number of notable athletes including the NBA’s LaMelo Ball and DeMarcus Cousins as well as track and field stars Usain Bolt, Ristananna Tracey and Marie Lauerence Jungfleisch. While Steiner has proven her worth on the track this past season, that only scratches the surface of what the athlete has accomplished at Kentucky.
Initially joining the Wildcats on a dual-sport scholarship as both a soccer player and runner for the school’s track team, Steiner was clearly a rare athlete coming to Lexington from Dublin-Coffman High School in Dublin, Ohio. Though she would play only one season for the Cats women’s soccer team, she would forever change the school’s track program.
Playing two collegiate sports in one year definitely hasn’t been easy. I’m thankful to have the most supportive parents to have carried me through and to be there when it got hard – couldn’t be more grateful. See you guys again at nationals 🖤 pic.twitter.com/sYP4UTMJbZ
— Abby Steiner (@abbysteiner1) May 26, 2019
Steiner is a 15-time All-American, including 11 first team honors. In addition to that, Steiner was also named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Year this past indoor season, was a two-time NCAA indoor 200m champion in 2021 and 2022, the NCAA indoor 60m runner-up in 2022, a three-time SEC indoor 200m champion, an SEC outdoor 100m, 200m, and 4x100m runner-up, an SEC 60m and 4x400m bronze medalist and an SEC indoor 4x400m silver medalist. Her success helped Steiner claim the Honda Sport Award this year, given to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sports, and a finalist for The Bowerman award, given annually to the best collegiate male and female track and field athletes by the USTFCCA.
🚨 Voting for @thebowerman is now 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍! 🚨#BBN, You know what to do! ⬇️
🔗 https://t.co/EB8JL38Yac#UKTF x #SteinerSpeed pic.twitter.com/Hj7PtwwwHe
— UK Track & Field (@KentuckyTrack) June 28, 2022
Steiner isn’t quite done yet either. After winning the U.S. championship in the 200m, Steiner earned a spot on Team USA for the World Athletics Championships taking place at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon beginning July 15. Steiner will run the 200m event beginning with the heats on Monday, July 18 and, if she qualifies, going until the finals July 21.
ABBY STEINER. U.S. CHAMPION! 🇺🇸🏆
21.77 FOR THE TITLE! THAT'S #SteinerSpeed#UKTF x @abbysteiner1 x @usatf
📺 @nbc pic.twitter.com/C9LxQavtzc— UK Track & Field (@KentuckyTrack) June 26, 2022
With news of her PUMA deal now official, track and field fans across the country will anxiously await news of Steiner’s decision to go pro. Given her success at the NCAA level, it seems more like an inevitably than a question, but fans will have to wait to hear official news from the track star to be sure. Until then, expect Steiner to continue to do what she does best–win. With the World Athletics Championships just around the corner, Steiner will be geared up and ready to go.