Extensive studies have been done on nexus between university education and students’ sports talent development. These studies have revealed that university education is a crucial factor influencing development of students’ talents in elite sports. Lack of focused institutional policy to integrate academics and students’ sports talent development through university education can be a challenge. The objective of this study was to determine the challenges in integrating academics and students’ sports talent development in the university education in Kenya. The country is phasing out the 8-4-4 education system to embrace 2-6-3-3-3 Competency Based Curriculum. The embraced curriculum has included talent pillar on sports as an academic pathway in the senior secondary and university education levels. The study adopted systems theory and focused on input, process and output approach. Survey and interview schedules were the main techniques that were used to collect data.The response rate was 93.6% of the targeted sample. Qualitative data was analyzed to identify the challenges so as to come up with interventions to support the implementation of the sports talent pillar in the embraced Competency Based Curriculum for university education. Based on results, the study revealed that, the current elite sports management in the universities has a weak link in integrating academics and students sports talent development. Flexible academic structures, funding of sports, training and competition opportunities should be improved in order to support effective implementation of sports talent pillar as embraced by the Competency Based Curriculum in the university education in Kenya.