Men's Cross Country / Track
Gannon, Chris
Chris Gannon
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- ChrisGannon@creighton.edu
Chris Gannon begins his eighth season as head coach of Creighton's cross country programs in 2025-26.
Creighton has made huge strides in Gannon's first seven campaigns, as he helped the Bluejay women to a seventh-place finish in the rugged BIG EAST in both 2019 and 2020, a sixth-place men's finish at the 2022 BIG EAST Championships and a program-best fifth-place showing in 2023. CU was ranked as the fifth-most improved men's program in the country by The Wood Report in 2019.
CU's 2024-25 campaign was one of its most successful yet. Creighton's men won both home cross country races, with Evan Kraus winning the Platte River Rumble Collegiate race. Marcos Gonzalez established the CU record in the 8K (24:28.1), while Evan Kraus smashed the 10K program-best with a time of 30:56.15 at the NCAA Regionals. The CU women also won the Platte River Rumble Collegiate team title. The Bluejays competed at the BIG EAST Indoor Track Championships for the first time, and its men's 4x800 relay earned a runner-up finish at the BIG EAST Outdoor Championships. Javelin thrower Jacob Ludwick also transferred into the program, earning All-BIG EAST plaudits and qualifying for the NCAA First Round in outdoor track, where he placed 38th.
The spring of 2024 also saw Creighton compete at the BIG EAST Outdoor Track Championships for the first time. Ryan Montera was CU's first male to ever compete in the BIG EAST Track Championships, smashing the school record in the 10K by 25 seconds. Marcos Gonzalez placed sixth in the steeplechase to earn CU's first points ever. One day later both of Creighton's 4x800 relay teams registered points. The women's quartet of Saige Christen, Carly Manchester, Anika Nettekoven and Alexis Huddin placed eighth, while CU's 4x800 grouping of Brian Hiltebrand, Jake Ziebarth, Ryan Hendrickson and Michael Buckley earned a fourth-place showing.
In 2023 the Bluejay men placed 16th at the NCAA Midwest Regionals, its best performance in the Regionals since 2007 and a seven spot jump from its finish in both 2021 and 2022. That came just after CU finished fifth at the BIG EAST Cross Country Championships, matching its best performance since joining the league in 2014. The CU women finished eighth at the BIG EAST Cross Country Championships for a second year in a row. At the Midwest Regional, the Bluejays recorded a four spot improvement as it placed 26th in the team standings.
In 2022-23 Creighton hosted its first home invitational in nearly a decade when it co-hosted the Platte River Rumble. The team also owned the second-best men's cross country GPA (3.77) in the country and 11th-best women's GPA (3.81). That made CU the only school in the country with both teams in the top-11, as well as the only school with both teams at 3.75 or better.
In the classroom, the Bluejays had five men and five women named Academic All-District by the College Sports Communicators in 2022-23.. Boston Small earned the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and was one of three male finalists for the prestigious Walter Byers Scholarship. Tommy Ward received Academic All-American honors from the USTFCCCA during the outdoor track season.
CU also made large gains on the course and track. Marcos Gonazlez set program records in both the 8K and 10K, with his 8K mark later broken by teammate Tommy Ward. Ward made history himself in the spring of 2023 when he qualified for the NCAA Regionals in the 800 meters, the program's first postseason qualifier in track. The CU men placed sixth at the BIG EAST XC Championship, its best finish since 2015.
Gannon oversaw and championed the reinstatement of the track program at Creighton in 2022. This marked the first official track season for the men, since 1962 and a historic first ever official track season for the women.
CU has also recruited aggressively since Gannon took over the program, welcoming its fastest classes in program history. The impact has been immediate, as more than 400 all-time Creighton top-10 performances and 48 school records have been recorded on the course and track in the previous seven years.
Gannon's teams continue to annually be honored by the USTFCCCA for Academic Excellence. The 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 cross country programs have all been honored with academic recognition. Both the 2021 men's cross country team and the 2022 men's track team earned academic national titles for having the best GPA in the country, while the women's track team ranked second in 2022. The 2018, 2021 and 2022 teams combined for the highest GPA among all cross country programs in Division I.
The Bluejay men owned a nation-leading 3.77 GPA in 2021-22, while the women's 3.83 GPA trailed only Portland State (3.85). Creighton was the only school with a GPA of 3.75 on both the men's and women's side, and its combined GPA for both programs also led the nation. Creighton had six men own a perfect 4.0 GPA in the spring, while seven women did so. All 12 females on the year-end roster finished with a GPA of 3.67 or better.
CU's 2021 team opened the season with a third-place finish at the Hawkeye Invitational, the 2nd highest Division I invite finish in program history. The men were also regionally ranked by the USTFCCCA for the first time in program history. Both the men and women earned the BIG EAST's Team Academic Excellence Award.
The Bluejays opened a most unusual 2020-21 campaign with a home meet in February, winning the Creighton Winter Classic on both the men's and women's sides. Later that year CU signed Ryan Montera, a top-30 prep nationally to headline a strong recruiting class.
CU started the 2019 season with its first home meet since 2012, winning a dual on the women's side against Drake for the program's first title since 2015. That meet was won by Danielle Hotalling, CU's first meet champion since 2017. Hotalling, who earned Second Team All-BIG EAST acclaim in 2019, led Creighton in all 26 meets she competed in as a Bluejay.
Highlighting Gannon's first year with the program was Nick Monkemeyer, who became the program's first CoSIDA Academic All-American First Team selection. Monkemeyer was also awarded a prestigious NCAA postgraduate scholarship in 2019-20. A member of Gannon's first three teams, Chase Howard, now runs for the Bowerman Elite Track Club.
In 2020-21, the men's cross country program attained a league-best 3.695 GPA to earn the BIG EAST Team Academic Excellence Award. This year marks the second straight recognition for CU's men's cross country program. The Bluejays had five men finish with a perfect 4.00 GPA in the spring and 12-of-14 runners owned a 3.50 GPA or better.
In addition, Gannon has helped initiate the Creighton Running Camps each summer, as well as a series of popular chat/clinics via Zoom for coaches nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
"I am extremely excited for the opportunity to become part of Creighton University," said Gannon at his hiring on Feb. 15, 2018. "I'm looking forward to getting started with our current student-athletes and working to further the success of the cross country program. I have been impressed with the staff and culture of Creighton athletics and truly believe we can build something special here."
"We're excited to welcome Coach Gannon to the Creighton family as our Head Cross Country coach," said Creighton Associate Athletic Director Mark Burgers when Gannon was hired.. "He comes highly recommended and we appreciate his approach in ensuring our student-athletes have a first-class experience. Chris is very passionate about the sport, brings a wealth of expertise to the program, and is committed to the overall Creighton mission. Coach Gannon embodies the values of the university and we feel he will be a great fit as we continue to serve the student-athletes and build on the tradition of the program."
Gannon coached Skutt Catholic High School to a Boys Cross Country state title in 2017 and a runner-up finish on the Girls side in his only year with the SkyHawks. He also served as head coach of the track program while at Skutt.
Prior to taking the job at Skutt, Gannon served as the head track & field coach at Gross Catholic from 2007-14, and was running coach and co-founder of Run Omaha Coaching.
Gannon was a three-time all-conference performer in the triple jump while competing for the University of Nebraska Kearney and Fort Hays State University. He obtained his BS in Sports Administration from UNK in 2003 and a MS in Health and Human Performance in 2006 from FHSU. As a coach at FHSU, Gannon helped coach 16 national qualifiers, five All-Americans and the NCAA Regional Athlete of the Year.
Gannon, his wife Maggie, and family reside in the Omaha area.
Creighton has made huge strides in Gannon's first seven campaigns, as he helped the Bluejay women to a seventh-place finish in the rugged BIG EAST in both 2019 and 2020, a sixth-place men's finish at the 2022 BIG EAST Championships and a program-best fifth-place showing in 2023. CU was ranked as the fifth-most improved men's program in the country by The Wood Report in 2019.
CU's 2024-25 campaign was one of its most successful yet. Creighton's men won both home cross country races, with Evan Kraus winning the Platte River Rumble Collegiate race. Marcos Gonzalez established the CU record in the 8K (24:28.1), while Evan Kraus smashed the 10K program-best with a time of 30:56.15 at the NCAA Regionals. The CU women also won the Platte River Rumble Collegiate team title. The Bluejays competed at the BIG EAST Indoor Track Championships for the first time, and its men's 4x800 relay earned a runner-up finish at the BIG EAST Outdoor Championships. Javelin thrower Jacob Ludwick also transferred into the program, earning All-BIG EAST plaudits and qualifying for the NCAA First Round in outdoor track, where he placed 38th.
The spring of 2024 also saw Creighton compete at the BIG EAST Outdoor Track Championships for the first time. Ryan Montera was CU's first male to ever compete in the BIG EAST Track Championships, smashing the school record in the 10K by 25 seconds. Marcos Gonzalez placed sixth in the steeplechase to earn CU's first points ever. One day later both of Creighton's 4x800 relay teams registered points. The women's quartet of Saige Christen, Carly Manchester, Anika Nettekoven and Alexis Huddin placed eighth, while CU's 4x800 grouping of Brian Hiltebrand, Jake Ziebarth, Ryan Hendrickson and Michael Buckley earned a fourth-place showing.
In 2023 the Bluejay men placed 16th at the NCAA Midwest Regionals, its best performance in the Regionals since 2007 and a seven spot jump from its finish in both 2021 and 2022. That came just after CU finished fifth at the BIG EAST Cross Country Championships, matching its best performance since joining the league in 2014. The CU women finished eighth at the BIG EAST Cross Country Championships for a second year in a row. At the Midwest Regional, the Bluejays recorded a four spot improvement as it placed 26th in the team standings.
In 2022-23 Creighton hosted its first home invitational in nearly a decade when it co-hosted the Platte River Rumble. The team also owned the second-best men's cross country GPA (3.77) in the country and 11th-best women's GPA (3.81). That made CU the only school in the country with both teams in the top-11, as well as the only school with both teams at 3.75 or better.
In the classroom, the Bluejays had five men and five women named Academic All-District by the College Sports Communicators in 2022-23.. Boston Small earned the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and was one of three male finalists for the prestigious Walter Byers Scholarship. Tommy Ward received Academic All-American honors from the USTFCCCA during the outdoor track season.
CU also made large gains on the course and track. Marcos Gonazlez set program records in both the 8K and 10K, with his 8K mark later broken by teammate Tommy Ward. Ward made history himself in the spring of 2023 when he qualified for the NCAA Regionals in the 800 meters, the program's first postseason qualifier in track. The CU men placed sixth at the BIG EAST XC Championship, its best finish since 2015.
Gannon oversaw and championed the reinstatement of the track program at Creighton in 2022. This marked the first official track season for the men, since 1962 and a historic first ever official track season for the women.
CU has also recruited aggressively since Gannon took over the program, welcoming its fastest classes in program history. The impact has been immediate, as more than 400 all-time Creighton top-10 performances and 48 school records have been recorded on the course and track in the previous seven years.
Gannon's teams continue to annually be honored by the USTFCCCA for Academic Excellence. The 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 cross country programs have all been honored with academic recognition. Both the 2021 men's cross country team and the 2022 men's track team earned academic national titles for having the best GPA in the country, while the women's track team ranked second in 2022. The 2018, 2021 and 2022 teams combined for the highest GPA among all cross country programs in Division I.
The Bluejay men owned a nation-leading 3.77 GPA in 2021-22, while the women's 3.83 GPA trailed only Portland State (3.85). Creighton was the only school with a GPA of 3.75 on both the men's and women's side, and its combined GPA for both programs also led the nation. Creighton had six men own a perfect 4.0 GPA in the spring, while seven women did so. All 12 females on the year-end roster finished with a GPA of 3.67 or better.
CU's 2021 team opened the season with a third-place finish at the Hawkeye Invitational, the 2nd highest Division I invite finish in program history. The men were also regionally ranked by the USTFCCCA for the first time in program history. Both the men and women earned the BIG EAST's Team Academic Excellence Award.
The Bluejays opened a most unusual 2020-21 campaign with a home meet in February, winning the Creighton Winter Classic on both the men's and women's sides. Later that year CU signed Ryan Montera, a top-30 prep nationally to headline a strong recruiting class.
CU started the 2019 season with its first home meet since 2012, winning a dual on the women's side against Drake for the program's first title since 2015. That meet was won by Danielle Hotalling, CU's first meet champion since 2017. Hotalling, who earned Second Team All-BIG EAST acclaim in 2019, led Creighton in all 26 meets she competed in as a Bluejay.
Highlighting Gannon's first year with the program was Nick Monkemeyer, who became the program's first CoSIDA Academic All-American First Team selection. Monkemeyer was also awarded a prestigious NCAA postgraduate scholarship in 2019-20. A member of Gannon's first three teams, Chase Howard, now runs for the Bowerman Elite Track Club.
In 2020-21, the men's cross country program attained a league-best 3.695 GPA to earn the BIG EAST Team Academic Excellence Award. This year marks the second straight recognition for CU's men's cross country program. The Bluejays had five men finish with a perfect 4.00 GPA in the spring and 12-of-14 runners owned a 3.50 GPA or better.
In addition, Gannon has helped initiate the Creighton Running Camps each summer, as well as a series of popular chat/clinics via Zoom for coaches nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
"I am extremely excited for the opportunity to become part of Creighton University," said Gannon at his hiring on Feb. 15, 2018. "I'm looking forward to getting started with our current student-athletes and working to further the success of the cross country program. I have been impressed with the staff and culture of Creighton athletics and truly believe we can build something special here."
"We're excited to welcome Coach Gannon to the Creighton family as our Head Cross Country coach," said Creighton Associate Athletic Director Mark Burgers when Gannon was hired.. "He comes highly recommended and we appreciate his approach in ensuring our student-athletes have a first-class experience. Chris is very passionate about the sport, brings a wealth of expertise to the program, and is committed to the overall Creighton mission. Coach Gannon embodies the values of the university and we feel he will be a great fit as we continue to serve the student-athletes and build on the tradition of the program."
Gannon coached Skutt Catholic High School to a Boys Cross Country state title in 2017 and a runner-up finish on the Girls side in his only year with the SkyHawks. He also served as head coach of the track program while at Skutt.
Prior to taking the job at Skutt, Gannon served as the head track & field coach at Gross Catholic from 2007-14, and was running coach and co-founder of Run Omaha Coaching.
Gannon was a three-time all-conference performer in the triple jump while competing for the University of Nebraska Kearney and Fort Hays State University. He obtained his BS in Sports Administration from UNK in 2003 and a MS in Health and Human Performance in 2006 from FHSU. As a coach at FHSU, Gannon helped coach 16 national qualifiers, five All-Americans and the NCAA Regional Athlete of the Year.
Gannon, his wife Maggie, and family reside in the Omaha area.
Creighton Cross Country's Matthew Fayers Media Availability - 9/3/25
Wednesday, September 03
Creighton Cross Country Media Availability - 8/27/25
Wednesday, August 27
Creighton Media Availability - 8/20/25
Thursday, August 21
Creighton Javelin thrower Jacob Ludwick - NCAA First Round (5/28/25)
Wednesday, May 28
