Oregon Track and Field and Cross Country has found its new leader as Jerry Schumacher, 51, was named head coach, on Monday. Schumacher is currently the head coach of Nike’s Bowerman Track Club, which is based out of Portland, Oregon. The club has produced some of the country’s greatest distance runners. 

Prior to joining Nike, he was the head coach of men’s distance running at the University of Wisconsin from 1998-2008. He led the Badger men to the 2005 NCAA cross country title.

Schumacher, a University of Wisconsin graduate, quickly transitioned into coaching by accepting a position as an assistant coach at the University of North Carolina early in his career. 

He has coached athletes such as Olympic silver medalist and the former American women’s 10,000 meters record holder Shalane Flanagan, former Canadian 10,000 meters record holder Simon Bairu, former men’s American 10,000 meters record holder Chris Solinsky, the men’s American two-mile record holder Matt Tegenkamp, and women’s NCAA 10,000 record holder Lisa Koll. 
Schumacher will take the reins from Robert Johnson, whose contract was not renewed at the end of the 2021-22 season. Johnson spent 10 years with the Ducks winning 14 NCAA championships, 16 Pac-12 Championships, and 14 USTFCCA National Coach of the Year. An official announcement is expected to come out later this week, with the potential of it being as early as later today