SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- The Department of Athletics at John Brown University announced Monday morning (Sept. 2) a historic partnership with Rush Running Co., making the iconic Northwest Arkansas specialty walking and running store the exclusive uniform sponsor for the Golden Eagle cross country and track and field programs.
The deal marks just the third publicly announced uniform sponsorship deal for any college in the U.S.
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), also the first athletic organization to pass Name, Image and Likeness legislation, is the first collegiate national governing body to allow sponsor logos on uniforms during competition. The legislation was passed at the NAIA's National Administrative Council meeting in April of 2024.
"This partnership with Rush Running Co. is a perfect fit," said Peter Cunningham, head coach of the cross country and track and field programs at John Brown University. "Rush has been a staple in Northwest Arkansas for years. They've been an essential part of our community falling in love with running, and we're excited that their passion for the sport will now impact us as well. What an honor and a blessing it is to partner with Mike (Rush) and the team at Rush Running."
Gallery: (9-1-2024) Rush Running Co. Sponsorship Promo
Rush Running Co., a local, family-owned business with stores in Bentonville and Fayetteville, provides a personalized shopping experience with a "small store" atmosphere. The company emphasizes excellent customer service, which includes a Video Gait Analysis to measure feet, analyze stride, and identify any bio-mechanical inefficiencies to recommend the best shoe. Customers can then choose from over 40 models in the store. Mike and Alison Rush, the founders, began running in middle school and continued their passion at the University of Arkansas. Mike has coached at Fayetteville High School and trained runners of all distances, while Alison qualified for the Olympic trials in the 10K – the first female Razorback to accomplish the feat.
"I'm deeply familiar with the realities that collegiate running programs face," admitted Mike Rush, co-founder of Rush Running Co. "It means a lot for Rush Running to be a catalyst for the program. Partnering with the Golden Eagle cross country and track and field teams will bring the running communities of John Brown University, Siloam Springs, and greater Northwest Arkansas together in ways that we haven't seen. My staff and I anticipate the many exciting developments that will come from our partnership with JBU."
John Brown University's cross country and track and field programs have experienced a surge of success at both the conference and national levels. The Golden Eagles' cross country teams boast three NAIA All-Americans, 15 NAIA national championship qualifiers, and four individual titles at the Sooner Athletic Conference championship meet. On the track, JBU athletes have earned three NAIA All-American honors, qualified 16 times for the NAIA national championships, and claimed 12 gold medals at the Sooner Athletic Conference championships.
The Rush Running Co. logo will make its debut on the new white Golden Eagle singlets when John Brown competes in the Distance After Dark meet, hosted by Rogers State (Okla.) on Thursday evening (Sept. 5) at the Mohawk Sports Complex.
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