On Thursday, New Balance announced a surprising new signee: six-time NCAA champion and Paris Olympic finalist Parker Valby. The choice of brand is anything but expected; the former Florida Gator, who holds the NCAA records in the outdoor 5,000m, 10,000m and the indoor 5,000m, had previously made history with Nike by becoming their first female track and field athlete to sign a Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) deal.
The 22-year-old will be relocating to Boston to train with the Team New Balance Boston group under the guidance of Coach Mark Coogan.
Industry sources report that Valby’s contract is upwards of USD $700,000 and will be in play until well past the 2028 L.A. Olympic Games. The surprise signing of the talented Pennsylvania native called for an elaborate announcement video and a press release, which reveals that Valby will take part in additional running and lifestyle campaigns to promote the New Balance brand.
“Family is very important to me and it was very clear that New Balance was the brand for me and I can’t wait to get started,” Parker said. “Boston already feels like home and I am honoured to start my professional career with a brand that wants to support my dreams on and off the track.”
Straying from Nike
The majority of the track world thought Valby’s pro contract with Nike was a done deal; the brand had first dibs on signing Valby following graduation. At the NCAA Championships in June, Valby even wore custom-made Nike Vaporfly Next% 3 track spikes when she took gold in the 10,000m event with a new championship record. According to Runner’s World, the right-of-first-refusal clause written into her NIL agreement allowed Nike to match any professional contract offer from other brands within the six months following her final collegiate race; evidently, they declined, and released her.
Endurance star Katelyn Tuohy, who had an NIL deal with Adidas, went pro with the brand following her collegiate career; Maia Ramsden did the same with On Running. Valby is the first high-profile track runner to go in a different direction when signing her pro contract.
Valby will be among the Olympic champions Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Gabby Thomas, who also represent New Balance. She’ll train in the New Balance Boston group alongside the accomplished Team USA Olympians Elle St. Pierre, Heather MacLean and Emily Mackay.
