University of Florida distance coach and former 10,000m American record holder Chris Solinsky will join the University of Oregon coaching staff, per The Stride Report on Thursday.
Solinsky coached female distance runners to over half a dozen All-American performances in five years at Florida — most notably, recent NCAA Cross Country runner-up Parker Valby.
In just a few months as Oregon’s head track and field coach, Bowerman Track Club coach Jerry Schumacher has completely rebuilt Oregon’s distance staff, hiring fellow Bowerman coach Shalane Flanagan and now Solinsky. As part of Schumacher’s 7-year, $3.4 million deal with the Nike-sponsored school, he is allowed to hire five assistant coaches and two administrators. He has hired both administrators, one of whom worked for Bowerman since 2020.
Six out of the seven staff listed under Oregon’s 2021 cross country coaching roster are no longer at Oregon.
Schumacher has also signed several high-profile distance runners this fall, including sub-4 high schooler Simeon Birnbaum.
After Oregon hired Schumacher in August, Bowerman announced they would move to Eugene from the Nike World Headquarters near Portland so Schumacher can remain the club’s head coach.
During his tenure with Bowerman, Schumacher’s athletes have qualified for the Olympic Games nearly 30 times. He coached Flanagan for a decade, during which time she was the first American woman to win the New York City Marathon in 40 years. Flanagan retired in 2019 and shifted to coaching for Bowerman.
It’s not uncommon for athletes to follow coaches around the NCAA, but it’s unclear if Florida’s Valby has any intentions to transfer after Solinsky’s departure. Valby was not listed in the NCAA transfer portal as of Thursday, according to The Stride Report.
Florida posted a job opening for an assistant track and field and cross country coach on Thursday while news broke of Solinsky’s departure — presumably to fill Solinsky’s position.
Solinsky was the first non-African runner ever to break 27 minutes in the 10,000m and is considered one of the most accomplished American distance runners of all time despite no Olympic or World Championship medals.
