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Controversy has exploded less than two weeks before the NCAA DIII Indoor Track Championships. A top performer is alleged to have used illegal substances.
His competitors are now calling for an investigation into the accusations, as well as a suspension. The runner has denied all claims.
The scandal involves Rowan University star Seth Clevenger. Previously a member of the highly ranked Iowa State Cyclones, he transferred amid drama in the offseason.
Clevinger spent more than three years in Ames. He burst into the rotation in 2025 after a quiet start.
He posted personal bests in an October meet at the Nuttycombe Invitational. It would be his final race with the school.
Seth Clevenger is no longer with Iowa State.
Suspicions of illegal substance use were voiced to the coaching staff by teammates. They were reportedly worried about potential repercussions given the team’s No. 1 ranking.
LetsRun.com has more on those details and his exit.
Two former teammates of Seth Clevenger from his days at Iowa State told LetsRun.com that during the 2025 cross country season, Clevenger admitted to them that he used a peptide, which is a banned substance under NCAA rules…
Multiple athletes reported their concerns about Clevenger to a member of the Iowa State coaching staff. Multiple members of the 2025 Iowa State cross country team told LetsRun.com that Clevenger then admitted to the Iowa State coaching staff to having used peptides but denied using EPO and that Iowa State coach Jeremy Sudbury then suspended Clevenger.
Multiple Iowa State team members were suspended last year. At the time, no reason was given aside from “breaking team rules.”
Clevenger left the school at the end of the fall semester. He landed at Rowan in the spring. His success has continued with the Profs.
Seth Clevenger just DESTROYED the NCAA D3 5k record! 😳💥
With a time of 13:32.09 (5k), Clevenger has reset the NCAA D3 indoor 5k record, previously held by John Carroll’s Alex Phillip (13:44.98).
Clevenger also broke the outright NCAA D3 5k record of 13:41.96 (5k) set by… pic.twitter.com/MKqdeHS82w
— The Stride Report (@TheStrideReport) February 13, 2026
The indoor championships are set to take place March 13-14. Competitors do not want Seth Clevenger in the field.
A petition has been started.
DIII cross country champion Emmanuel Leblond of Johns Hopkins started the push. He’s since gotten nearly 600 athletes to join.
That petition expresses concern with the “documented doping allegations” demanding Clevenger be barred from competing “without a public resolution.”
The document cites video evidence and screenshots of receipts linked to Clevenger’s alleged purchase of banned substances, as well as the track star’s supposed admission to the use of an illegal substance following his final performance at Iowa State.
“We demand a full and public investigation into Mr. Clevenger’s eligibility and an immediate provisional suspension pending its results.”
Seth Clevenger has denied these claims. He posted a statement from his lawyer to Instagram earlier this month.
“Seth Clevenger is not taking and has not taken drugs to enhance his running performance. An inquiry was conducted during his time at Iowa State University, during which Seth underwent testing and was cleared of any wrongdoing,” said Louis Guzzo.
Clevenger, too, has spoken on his Iowa State exit. He said the transfer to Rowan was a personal decision.
“Some people said some things about me,” the runner said. “[They] weren’t true. So, I just didn’t feel respected at my previous institution. Decided to come to [Rowan] where people actually respect me.”
Rowan released a statement on the allegations after his addition to the team. They are aware of the accusations but would not comment further, only saying that the school operates under NCAA guidelines and is committed to maintaining the integrity of its programs.
What will happen?
That is unclear. The NCAA anti-doping outlook is clouded. There is a loophole that can be exploited. More from LetsRun:
“The NCAA is not a signatory to the WADA Code, which means it operates its own in-house anti-doping program — one which features lighter penalties and less transparency than those operated by USADA and the Athletics Integrity Unit in professional track & field…
“Athletes who test positive for a banned drug as the result of a test administered by the NCAA are ineligible to compete in the NCAA for a period of one year… However, NCAA Bylaws say almost nothing about a situation in which an athlete is found to have admitted, purchased, or possessed a banned substance…
“In essence: without a positive test, it is up to the school to decide punishment.”
Clevenger does not have a positive test, only alleged admissions of purchasing said substances. Furthermore, suspensions are limited to specific schools.
His punishment from Iowa State does not carry over to Rowan. He is currently eligible.
The US Anti-Doping Agency is aware of the claims. It has referred the case to the NCAA due to jurisdictional constraints. The USADA has expressed concern with the NCAA’s policy citing lack of transparency and limited testing.
“USADA has consistently raised serious concerns regarding the NCAA’s anti-doping program…Under the current structure, the entities responsible for promoting and profiting from collegiate athletics are also tasked with regulating it… creating a clear conflict of interest.
“These shortcomings are even more troubling in the current NIL environment, where hundreds of millions of dollars now circulate through collegiate sport, heightening both pressure and temptation for athletes to seek performance advantages…
“USADA continues to receive credible intelligence and tips involving NCAA athletes, reflecting genuine and increasing concern within the athlete community about doping in college sports. When such information falls outside our jurisdiction, we refer it to the NCAA; however, our understanding is that they currently lack the capability to effectively act on it.”
The NCAA DIII track and field community is pushing for punishment. For now, Seth Clevenger remains eligible to compete.