MSU'S Peters, Arop to forgo remaining eligibility to go pro

With appearances in the IAAF World Championships finals under their belts, juniors Anderson Peters and Marco Arop will forgo their remaining two seasons of eligibility at Mississippi State to pursue professional careers.

The pair of Pan American Games champions combined to score 47 points over four Southeastern Conference Championship meets and 36 points in NCAA Championship competition while leading the Bulldog men to consecutive top-15 finishes at the outdoor national championships.

“What Anderson and Marco have done for our program is unmatched,” MSU head coach Chris Woods said. “I'm extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with them as closely as I have. Very few people, if any at all, can say that they've done the same things. They're truly legends when it comes to Mississippi State track and field.”

Peters, the reigning world champion in the javelin, won consecutive SEC and NCAA titles in 2018 and 2019 while twice breaking the meet record in both meets. He also holds the Pan American Games record, MSU school record and the Bulldogs' freshman record in the event.

The St. Andrews, Grenada, native is a two-time Bowerman semifinalist and ranks third on the all-dates collegiate all-time list. He has medaled in six international competitions over the past two years. In what proved to be his final collegiate season, Peters boasted the top 15 throws in the nation.

“I just want to express my gratitude to everyone that has supported me over the years,” Peters said. “After the world championships, I've been considering what path my future will take in track and field. There's no guarantee that I would break the NCAA record, and I think it's best that I begin competing on the professional circuit. Right now is the perfect time for me since I just won the world championship. There's only one other gold medal that I can win, which is the Olympic championship.”

Arop, whose competitive track and field career began just a year before he enrolled at MSU, is one of Canada's rising stars. The Edmonton, Alberta, native advanced to the 800-meter finals at the World Championships in October where he was the youngest in the field. He has also represented his country at the NACAC games where he won a silver medal and won the Athletics Canada championship in 2018.

Arop was twice the NCAA runner-up in the 800 meters and broke numerous records over his career. He holds MSU'S school record in the indoor and outdoor 800 meter along with the freshman record in the event. Arop also holds the Canadian national indoor record and the Pan American Games record and was part of MSU'S fastest 4x800 meter relay team in program history.

“This wasn't an easy decision to make, but it was one I would have to make eventually,” Arop said. “I would like to thank God for putting a lot of amazing people in my life. I wouldn't be where I am now without them. Ever since I was introduced to Mississippi State, it's been my goal to be the best athlete I can be for this program. Although I won't be running in a Bulldog uniform anymore, I'll still be a Bulldog for life.”

Peters and Arop will join former Bulldogs Brandon Mcbride, Erica Bougard and Marta Pen Freitas as 2020 Tokyo Olympic hopefuls. Those five athletes combined for six individual NCAA Championships over their careers.

“I speak on behalf of the entire program when I wish them nothing but the best on the next level,” Woods added. “I have no doubt that they will be extremely successful. Both of them have very strong families and great backgrounds. I'm really excited for their families as well. I'm excited for them to be able to go and show people that you can come to Mississippi State as a track and field athlete and leave as an elite, world-championship athlete.”

State will open the 2019 indoor track and field season on Jan. 10 at the UAB Blazer Invite in Birmingham, Alabama. MSU returns five student-athletes that earned either ALL-SEC or All-american honors in 2019 along with 48 of its 128 combined points at the indoor and outdoor SEC Championships.