Paige Sheppard Announces That She Will Attend Stanford

Paige Sheppard, one of the greatest track and field athletes in New Jersey history and one of the top recruits in the nation for the Class of 2027, announced on Sunday night that she has committed to attend Stanford University.

Sheppard, a junior at Union Catholic, is a 2-time national champion, owns four NJ records - the mile outdoors, the 1,600 indoors and outdoors, and the 800 indoors, and has run on several national championship and national record-breaking relay squads for the Vikings.

"l'm super excited to announce my commitment to Stanford University to continue my academic and athletic career,'' Sheppard wrote in an Instagram post. "Thank you so much to Coach McCabe, Coach Sam, and Coach Kopnicki, as well as my teammates, friends, and family for always supporting me and pushing me to be my best. I'm incredibly grateful to Coach Clark and Coach Addy for this amazing opportunity and for believing in me. Can't wait to be a Cardinal!!''

Sheppard has already established herself as an all-time NJ legend!

Check out her remarkable resume! And she still has another year before she graduates to add to this. 

Sheppard had one of the best sophomore seasons in U.S. history last year.

At the New Balance National Championships last June at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Sheppard outkicked defending champion Sadie Engelhardt of Ventura, Calif. to finish first in a stunning and eye-popping 4:33.67, the fastest time in the history of the world for a 15 year old!!!! And it's the fifth fastest time in U.S. high school history.

The 4:33.67 by Sheppard broke the girls' world record for a 15 year-old of 4:35.16 that Engelhardt ran at the 2022 Arcadia Invitational, and took down the national sophomore record of 4:33.87 set in 2018 by the great Katelyn Tuohy of North Rockland, N.Y, smashed the NJ record of 4:39.25 set in 2006 by Danielle Tauro of Southern, and shattered the meet record of 4:37.04 that Engelhardt ran in 2024.

Sheppard also shattered the NJ 1,600m outdoor record when she ran 4:37.65 to place first at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions last June, and she burned a 2:01.50 in the 800 to finish first at the Brooks PR Invitational, which is a national sophomore record, NJ No. 4 all-time, and U.S. No. 12 all-time.

This past indoor season, Sheppard ran a NJ record 2:02.35 in the 800m when she competed against the pros at the USATF National Championships at Ocean Breeze, and dropped a NJ record 4:35.71 to finish first in the 1,600 for a record third straight time at the Meet of Champions.

The 2:02.35 by Sheppard broke the NJ record of 2:03.98 that 2-time Olympic gold medalist Athing Mu of Trenton ran in 2019. Mu won the 800 at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo and holds the American Record in the event at 1:54.97. 

Sheppard has been her usual sensational self this season!

This past Friday at Track Night NYC at Icahn Stadium, Sheppard won a great 800 duel against a loaded field when she came from 15 meters back with 200 to go to rally for the win in 2:02.37, the No. 1 time in the nation this season! Sheppard defeated All-American Jane Hickey of Ursuline in N.Y., who was second, and NJ 800 outdoor record holder and reigning NB Outdoor National 800 champ Natalie Dumas of Eastern High in NJ, who was third.   

Sheppard, who arguably has the craziest range of any runner in NJ history from 400 through 5K, has also put together one of the best XC careers in NJ history.

At the NJ XC Meet of Champions, she finished first as a junior and was second as a freshman and junior. She owns a Holmdel Park PR of 17:17, the fourth fastest time ever run on the 3.1-mile state championships layout! She's also won two Nike Northeast Regional XC titles (2024 and '25), led her team to 4 straight Meet of Champions titles, three straight Nike NE Championships, and this past December, Sheppard placed 22nd at the Nike National XC Championships to spark her squad to a third-place finish, the highest in NJ history, to cap the greastest season in NJ XC history for a girls' squad. Sheppard finished her historic XC campaign by placing 13th at the Brooks National XC Championships to earn All-American honors.

There is more!

As spectacular as Sheppard has been on her own, she's been equally as impressive when running on relays, where she's been part of an astounding 6 national championship teams, run on 5 national record-setting teams, and has run on 3 Championship of America winning teams in a row at the Penn Relays!! 

Here are the 6 New Balance National Championships relay teams that Sheppard has run on.