Another Kenyan Has Been Competing in the NCAA While Suspended — TCU Scratched Tabitha Ngao From NCAA Championships

For the second time in a month, the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya confirmed to LetsRun.com that a Kenyan athlete has been competing in the NCAA this season while serving a provisional suspension for an anti-doping rules violation. On February 28, ADAK confirmed that Tulane’s Caroline Jeptanui, who finished 12th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in November, has been provisionally suspended since September 28. And on March 13, ADAK’s Stanley Mwakio confirmed to LetsRun.com that Texas Christian University’s Tabitha Ngao is also currently serving an provisional suspension. Ngao won the 1000 meters at the Big 12 Indoor Championships on March 1.

Ngao, 24, arrived at TCU in the fall of 2023 and was the team’s top finisher at last fall’s Big 12 Cross Country Championships in 49th place. Her season’s best of 2:01.71 in the 800m was fast enough to qualify for last weekend’s NCAA Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach, and Ngao was among the initial entrants when the fields were released on March 5. However, TCU scratched Ngao days before the meet, with her spot going to the next-fastest woman on the NCAA descending order list, North Florida’s Smilla Kolbe.

Ngao en route to winning the 1000m title at Big 12s

Ngao’s provisional suspension is for whereabouts failures and she is understood to be appealing it.

“Tabitha’s mandatory provisional suspension is still in effect until the determination of the matter is reached by the Sports Disputes Tribunal,” Mwakio wrote in an email to LetsRun.com.

ADAK did not say when Ngao’s provisional suspension began, but LetsRun.com first learned of it on February 28, meaning Ngao was suspended while competing at Big 12s — and potentially other meets (she competed in eight meets in total during the 2024-25 indoor season).

It also remains unclear when TCU became aware of Ngao’s provisional suspension. As with Jeptanui, Ngao’s name was not on ADAK’s list of provisionally-suspended athletes published on its website. TCU coach Khadevis Robinson did not respond to multiple emails for this story.

Ngao came to TCU via Townhall Athletics, an organization that helps connect Kenyan athletes to NCAA scholarships. In recent years, recruiting services have become an increasingly popular way for American college teams to sign Kenyan athletes.