By Chris Chavez
November 3, 2023
Four-time U.S. champion Elise Cranny has announced she has decided to leave the Nike Bowerman Track Club. This comes just days after American record holder Grant Fisher and former U.S. champion Cooper Teare also decided to part ways with coach Jerry Schumacher.
Here’s what you need to know:
– Cranny signed with Nike and joined BTC after graduating from Stanford in 2018. While with the team, she has run personal bests of 2:00.25 for 800m; 3:58.88 for 1500m (No. 9 on the U.S. all-time list); 4:16.47 for the mile (No. 2 on the U.S. all-time list); 14:33.17 for 5000m indoors (American record); 14:48.02 for 5000m outdoors and 30:14.66 for 10,000m (No. 3 on the U.S. all-time list).
– Cranny has qualified for every major global championship since 2021. She finished 13th in the 5000m at the Tokyo Olympics; 9th in the 5000m at the 2022 world championships and doubled for the first time at the 2023 world championships, where she finished ninth in the 5000m and 12th in the 10,000m.
– This year, she won the U.S. titles in the 5000m and 10,000m to become just the second American woman to pull off the double victory after Molly Huddle, who won the 5000m and 10,000m at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.
Johnny Zhang / @jzsnapz
Here's what she said (via Instagram):
"Damn, change is hard. And having the opportunity to be part of such an incredible community at every level of the sport from youth to masters has made this decision extremely challenging. But the time has come for me to make a change.
I feel blessed to have been surrounded by the most incredible teammates, supporters, mentors, but most importantly friends these last four years. It is truly the people and community that make a place so hard to leave. And the Bowerman community tops the list in terms of communities go. A very very special, unique, powerful, inspiring, genuine group that I feel so lucky to have been a part of - Bowerman will always be my second family.
Beyond grateful for my time on this team and for the friendships and memories that will last a lifetime. I wouldn’t be where I am today without Jerry, @shalaneflanagan, Chris, @pascaldobert, @colleen0205, @emily_pritt, @elliottheathbar, @liamruns, the entire BTC brand team, @bowermantc community, my teammates, training partners and friends. Thank you all for making me the person and athlete I am today ❤️⚡️"
Here's what the Bowerman Track Club said (via Instagram):
“If you’re lucky, you get to come across a person like Elise only a handful of times in your life. At Bowerman Track Club, we’ve had the privilege of growing alongside her throughout the last four years. And, just like you, have learned the epitome of perseverance by watching her climb to be one of the fastest in the world.Elise holds the awe-inspiring ability to channel between fierce intimidation on the track yet profuse support to teammates, fans and rising stars alike off of it.We are forever grateful for the value Elise brought to our club and wish her the absolute best for 2024 and beyond. Go Elise!!!”
Justin Britton / @JustinBritton
The Bowerman Track Club Exodus
The Bowerman Track Club has seen a wave of departures in the past three years.
– Colleen Quigley left the team and then signed a pro contract with Lululemon. (May 2021)
– Marielle Hall moved to the East Coast to work under coach Kurt Benninger. (Sept. 2021)
– Sinclaire Johnson didn’t see a good fit and joined the Union Athletics Club with Pete Julian. (Sept. 2021)
– Emily Infeld and Kate Grace left and then joined Team Boss to be coached by Joe Bosshard. (Jan. 2022)
– Vanessa Fraser moved to San Francisco for a job but continued to work with Shalane Flanagan. (Aug. 2022)
– Gabriela DeBues-Stafford and her sister Lucia Stafford parted ways with the team after Shelby Houlihan’s positive test and suspension for nandrolone. (April 2022)
– 2016 Olympic 1500m champion Matthew Centrowitz was with the team from 2019 through 2021.
– After Schumacher accepted the Oregon head coach job and decided to move the team from Portland to Eugene, Woody Kincaid (now coached by Mike Smith) Marc Scott (NN Running Team) and Amos Bartelsmeyer (Union Athletics Club) chose to go separate ways.
– Grant Fisher announced he was leaving the team but has yet to announce his future plans.
– Cooper Teare also announced he was leaving the team but has not announced his next move.
Who is left on the team?
– Christina Aragon, Moh Ahmed, Courtney Frerichs, Evan Jager, Sean McGorty, Thomas Ratcliffe, Karissa Schweizer, Andrea Seccafien, Josh Thompson, and Kieran Tuntivate were all on the roster in 2023.
– This summer, the team announced 2022 NCAA cross country champion Charles Hicks and Canadian Olympian Justyn Knight were joining the roster heading into the 2024 Olympic year.
Chris Chavez
Chris Chavez launched CITIUS MAG in 2016 as a passion project while working full-time for Sports Illustrated. He covered the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and grew his humble blog into a multi-pronged media company. He completed all six World Marathon Majors and is an aspiring sub-five-minute miler.
