Nike

• Donavan Brazier

Roughly 45 minutes after seeing a Nike logo appear on Donavan Brazier's Global Athletics page, they put out a release on its site announcing that Brazier has indeed signed with Nike.

In the release, Brazier says:

This whole season has been unbelievable, and I can’t put into words what it means to me to run so fast and win the NCAA Championships as a freshman. I can’t thank my coaches and teammates at Texas A&M, my parents and all my friends and family enough for all their guidance and support. Nike is such a huge supporter of track in America and I’m incredibly grateful to them for the opportunity to continue my career as a professional and see where this journey takes me.

Watch Donavan Brazier break the 50-year-old collegiate 800m record:

• Clayton Murphy and Courtney Okolo

After breakthrough collegiate seasons, NCAA Champions Clayton Murphy and Courtney Okolo each signed professional contracts with Nike, as announced by Doyle Management.

Murphy, a junior at the University of Akron, decided to forgo his senior year of eligibility in favor of running as a professional heading into the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Murphy announced his decision at the Portland Track Festival, two days after winning the NCAA 1500m title in Eugene, Oregon. Murphy’s final season at Akron included an NCAA indoor 800m championship and the third-fastest 1500m in NCAA Championships history. He clocked 3:36.38 in the NCAA outdoor final, which is also the second-fastest mark run by an American this year.

Things have happened so quickly in the past few weeks with the NCAA Championships and running multiple competitions since. When coach and I mapped out the season it was always with the Olympics in mind, so needless to say I am really looking forward to the Trials as the next step in the process,” Murphy said in a press release. “I am really excited to announce my partnership with Nike. The company has had such a rich tradition in the sport since its inception and I am proud to be able to carry on that tradition.

Watch Murphy's NCAA 1500m Championship performance:


Okolo is coming off of a breakthrough senior year that included shattering the 400m collegiate record and winning two NCAA outdoor titles. The Texas graduate improved her own collegiate record at April’s LSU Alumni Gold meet when she ran 49.71, improving her own previous record by more than a quarter of a second. Okolo capped off her senior year by winning the open 400m and the 4x400m relay, which marks her fourth open 400m championship of her career.

Okolo currently ranks No. 2 in the world behind Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas.

This has been such a dream of mine for the longest time. All of the preparation and training was to set myself up for this moment. I’ve had a tremendous past four years with tons of progress and I’m just so excited to be able to run for such a great company like Nike during an Olympic year,” Okolo said.

Watch Okolo's final NCAA Championship performance:

• Courtney Frerichs

The 2016 NCAA steeplechase champion and the new collegiate record-holder, has signed a contract with Nike and will join the Portland-based Bowerman Track Club, according to KIMbia Athletics.

Frerichs will train among a stellar team of steeplechase runners, including American record-holder Evan Jager and the 2015 NCAA champion Colleen Quigley, who are under the tutelage of Olympian Pascal Dobert and coach Jerry Schumacher.

I am very excited about continuing my running career with Nike and the Bowerman Track Club,” Courtney told KIMbia Athletics. “I believe the opportunity to work with Jerry and Pascal will help me reach my goals as a runner. Working with the amazing women of the BTC will be a wonderful opportunity to learn more. I can’t wait for the Olympic Trials and to start this new chapter in my career.

Frerichs won the 2016 NCAA steeplechase title in 9:24.41—a new NCAA record that makes her the sixth-fastest steeplechasers in U.S. history. She will make her pro debut on July 4 in the qualifying rounds at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon. The final will be held on July 7.

Watch Courtney Frerichs' dominant 2016 NCAA steeplechase performance:

Brooks

• Shaquille Walker and Brannon Kidder

Two of the fastest NCAA runners who are not Donavan Brazier and Clayton Murphy have joined the Brooks Beasts training group in Seattle.

Shaquille Walker of BYU has decided to forgo his final season of NCAA eligibility and join Brannon Kidder of Penn State as the newest members of the Beasts, a group that features world silver medalist Nick Symmonds and world championship qualifier Cas Loxsom.

Walker finished third in the NCAA indoor 800m this winter before running 1:44.99 on April 9. He finished third at the NCAA outdoor championships in 1:45.17.

Kidder had a storied career at Penn State where he was a seven-time All American and holds the NCAA record in the 1000m (2:18.26).

Watch Kidder throw down a crazy last 300m earlier this spring in the Stanford Twilight 1500m:

• Izaic Yorks and Baylee Mires

On the eve of the 2016 Olympic Trials, Brooks Running has announced that University of Washington standouts Izaic Yorks and Baylee Mires have joined the Seattle-based Brooks Beasts training group.

Yorks signed with KIMbia athlete management agency on June 13 after an outstanding senior season with the Huskies. He finished third at the Pac-12 cross country championships and earned All America honors with his 30th-place finish at the 2015 NCAA cross country championships. His indoor season was one for the history books. He ran a 3:53.89 mile this indoor season, the fastest ever by an American collegian. He continued his success through the outdoor season where he ran 3:37.74 to win Payton Jordan against a field of seasoned professionals and finished runner-up at the NCAA championships. He will compete in the 1500m at the Olympic Trials.

Mires left Washington a four-time NCAA All American. An 800m specialist, she ran her lifetime best mark of 2:02.97 at this year's Brooks PR Invitational to qualify for the Olympic Trials. A valuable asset to the Huskies DMR, Mires was a member of the NCAA winning relay in 2012 and placed fifth (2015) and runner-up (2016) as the 800m leg for three seasons.

Watch Yorks run 3:53 for the indoor mile, the fastest ever by a U.S. collegian!

Asics

• Jarrion Lawson

The first man since Jesse Owens in 1936 to win the 100m, 200m and long jump at the NCAA Championships, has signed an endorsement deal with Asics, according to Darren Rovell of ESPN.

The terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but sources say this is the largest deal ever signed for a male track athlete by Asics.

READ FULL ARTICLE ON LAWSON'S DECISION TO SIGN WITH ASICS

Miscellaneous

• Mason Ferlic

On June 15th, just days after winning the NCAA steeplechase championship,Taylor Dutch broke the news that Mason Ferlic (Michigan) signed with athlete management agency Aurum Sports Group and will be represented by Dan Lilot.

He [Lilot] has a great long-term vision for my career,” Ferlic told FloTrack in a phone interview. “He’s incredibly stats-driven, and as an engineer myself, that really resonates with me.

Ferlic is joining an agency that represents world, Olympic, and national finalists such as Kara Goucher, Dathan Ritzenhein, Chris Derrick, Mo Ahmed, Garrett Heath, Katie Mackey, and Jen Rhines, among many others.

A year after suffering a devastating fall in the NCAA Championship final, Ferlic won a title in the steeplechase on Friday in Eugene, Oregon. He led from the gun and set a blistering pace to distance himself from the field. Ferlic ran solo the rest of the way, and claimed the victory in a new personal best of 8:27.16—three seconds ahead of runner-up Frankline Tonui of Arkansas, and significantly below the Olympic standard.

Watch Mason Ferlic blow the doors off the field at the NCAA Championships:

Ferlic told FloTrack that he hopes to decide on a sponsor and a training plan before the Trials. His personal best currently ranks eighth among the American competition in 2016.

READ THE ARTICLE ON MASON FERLIC'S SIGNING WITH AURUM SPORTS GROUP