Gannon Steps Down From Role as Cross Country/Track & Field Coach
6/18/2026 6:30:00 PM | Men's Cross Country / Track, Women's Cross Country / Track
OMAHA, Neb. – After eight seasons leading Creighton's Cross Country team and five years overseeing the Creighton Track & Field program, head coach Chris Gannon resigned from his post on Thursday, June 18th, to pursue other professional opportunities outside of athletics.
Gannon will remain in the program in a part-time capacity.
Gannon's cross country and track & field teams displayed remarkable growth during his tenure, breaking 74 school records. Seven athletes have earned All-BIG EAST honors, and long jumper Trinity Shadd-Ceres also earned First Team All-American accolades earlier this month.
Creighton's track & field program returned after a more than 60-year absence in the spring of 2022 as a distance-based program utilizing the cross country roster. The program has gradually grown to include various field events, with NCAA qualifiers in the javelin and long jump in the last two years.
Gannon's teams consistently ranked among the national leaders in GPA, finishing first in 2021 (men's cross country) and 2022 (men's track & field) and owning the top combined cross country GPA in 2018, 2021 and 2022. CU has won 11 BIG EAST Team Academic Excellence Awards under Gannon's guidance. Nick Monkemeyer was named the program's first CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American in 2019 and Boston Small was also a CoSIDA Academic All-American and received a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship in 2023.
Gannon also played a pivotal role to develop Olsson Cross Country Course into one of the region's best running venues, and it hosted the BIG EAST Cross Country Championships last October.
"I'm extremely appreciative of all the support and proud of everything we've been able to accomplish the last eight years," said Gannon. "The people of Creighton are what makes it special."
"Chris Gannon has elevated our cross country and track & field programs with his tireless work recruiting outstanding men and women who excel both on and off the course," said Creighton's McCormick Endowed Athletic Director Marcus Blossom. "In fact, before Chris arrived, we only competed in cross country. He helped spearhead the addition of track & field which gives our student-athletes the opportunity to compete year-round."
Blossom said a search for Gannon's replacement is already underway.
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Gannon will remain in the program in a part-time capacity.
Gannon's cross country and track & field teams displayed remarkable growth during his tenure, breaking 74 school records. Seven athletes have earned All-BIG EAST honors, and long jumper Trinity Shadd-Ceres also earned First Team All-American accolades earlier this month.
Creighton's track & field program returned after a more than 60-year absence in the spring of 2022 as a distance-based program utilizing the cross country roster. The program has gradually grown to include various field events, with NCAA qualifiers in the javelin and long jump in the last two years.
Gannon's teams consistently ranked among the national leaders in GPA, finishing first in 2021 (men's cross country) and 2022 (men's track & field) and owning the top combined cross country GPA in 2018, 2021 and 2022. CU has won 11 BIG EAST Team Academic Excellence Awards under Gannon's guidance. Nick Monkemeyer was named the program's first CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American in 2019 and Boston Small was also a CoSIDA Academic All-American and received a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship in 2023.
Gannon also played a pivotal role to develop Olsson Cross Country Course into one of the region's best running venues, and it hosted the BIG EAST Cross Country Championships last October.
"I'm extremely appreciative of all the support and proud of everything we've been able to accomplish the last eight years," said Gannon. "The people of Creighton are what makes it special."
"Chris Gannon has elevated our cross country and track & field programs with his tireless work recruiting outstanding men and women who excel both on and off the course," said Creighton's McCormick Endowed Athletic Director Marcus Blossom. "In fact, before Chris arrived, we only competed in cross country. He helped spearhead the addition of track & field which gives our student-athletes the opportunity to compete year-round."
Blossom said a search for Gannon's replacement is already underway.
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Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country / Track
Wednesday, October 29
Tuesday, October 21
Wednesday, October 15
Wednesday, October 08
