Maryland’s track and field phenom won’t have to run far to get to his first day of college.
Quincy Wilson, who became the youngest U.S. male track Olympian in history in 2024 and topped it off with a gold medal, committed on Monday to the University of Maryland.
As a 16-year-old, Wilson’s profile exploded when he was selected to represent Team USA in Paris in the men’s 4×400 meter relay. He ran in qualifying heats, helping the team reach the final and ultimately win a gold medal.
“You are better than me in every way, and I cannot be prouder,” Quincy’s father said before Wilson announced his commitment.
Wilson, currently a senior at the Bullis School in Potomac, chose Maryland over some of the top track and field programs in the country, including UCLA, USC, South Carolina and Texas A&M.
Always one for jokes, he teased the crowd at his commitment announcement party by grabbing UCLA and South Carolina hats before finally announcing he’d be staying close to home.
“To my family, friends, coaches, teammates, teachers and mentors, thank you for always being in my corner, supporting me, believing in me and pushing me to be my best,” Wilson said before choosing the Terps.
Wilson specializes in the 400 meters and narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Olympics in the solo 400 meters before being selected for the relay team. He holds the under-18 world record in that distance and is the top track and field recruit in the class of 2026.
“Quincy is a generational athlete who has the upside to continue to thrive at the top of our sport,” Maryland track and field head coach Andrew Valmon said in a news release. “His support system here at Maryland, in his home state, is unmatched. I am excited to get to work on this next phase of his journey.”
An Olympic gold medalist and 400-meter specialist himself, Valmon still owns the 4×400 World Record set at the 1993 World Championships.
U.Md. has produced several track and field Olympians, but Wilson is the first-ever Olympic competitor to sign with the Terps.
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