BOSTON – The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) today announced the addition of Samuel Ellison and Christian Harrison to the B.A.A. High Performance Team roster. Ellison and Harrison both are familiar faces to B.A.A. fans, having proudly competed as members of the B.A.A. Racing Team in recent years. Both Ellison and Harrison will continue to be coached by Ricardo Santos.
Christian Harrison – Photo by Kevin Morris
“Sam and Christian have sported our B.A.A. unicorn logo to great success,” said Wayne Levy, Director of Athletic Performance for the B.A.A. “They chose the B.A.A. Racing Team to hone their skills on the track, and their performances have showcased each athlete’s growth and potential. We can’t wait to see what they do with the full force of the B.A.A. High Performance team support.”
As part of the B.A.A. High Performance Team, both Ellison and Harrison will receive advanced support and coaching from the B.A.A. and will travel with the team to training camps throughout the year. The objective of the B.A.A.’s High Performance team is to support American runners on their way towards making international teams, with the goal of competing at the highest level: the Olympic Games and IAAF World Championships.
The B.A.A. is sponsored by adidas, which provides comprehensive support for the running club, Team B.A.A., and its events. “Joining the B.A.A. High Performance Team has been a dream of mine for a long time,” said Ellison. “I am looking forward to representing the B.A.A. in this greater capacity.” Originally from Dresher, Pennsylvania, Ellison is a graduate of Villanova University and the University of Birmingham (UK). He was a six-time NCAA All-American on the track.
Sam Ellison, Photo by Kevin Morris
Ellison has seen post-collegiate success on the track, including a runner-up finish at the 2019 USATF Indoor Championships in the 600m (1:15.20, a personal best). Ellison also placed third at the 2019 Millrose Games 800m in a lifetime best of 1:46.13 and was second at the 2018 SC Track Fest 800m in 1:46.20. Ellison held the 2018 world lead over 500 meters indoors thanks to his 1:00.92 performance at the Boston University Scarlet & White Invitational in February. Away from the track, he most recently held the role of Senior Administrator at The Partnership, Inc. Fans of Samuel can follow his training at @SamuelRWEllison on Twitter.
Christian Harrison shares Ellison’s enthusiasm on joining the B.A.A. High Performance Team. “I am very excited to continue my professional running with a great group,” said Harrison. “I have great training partners to run with, a great coach to train under, and great support from the B.A.A.”
Originally from Glenarden, Maryland, Harrison attended North Carolina A&T and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2016. An NCAA All-American, he is a 2016 Olympic Trials Qualifier and five-time U.S. Championship Qualifier. Harrison’s lifetime bests include a 1:46.69 for 800m and 1:46.83 for 800m indoors, the latter set last year en route to winning the Boston University Last Chance Qualifier meet. During the 2019 indoor track season, Harrison set a personal best of 2:23.12 for 1000m indoors at the USATF Indoor Championships.
Fans of Christian can follow his training at @ChristianCash on Instagram. In addition to racing as part of the B.A.A. High Performance Team, both Ellison and Harrison have taken part in the B.A.A.’s various youth and community engagement initiatives to help spread the importance of healthy lifestyles.
To learn more about all B.A.A. athletes, follow @teamBAA on Instagram and on Twitter. A full list of B.A.A. High Performance Team Members can be found below.
Trevor Dunbar – Samuel Ellison – Dana Giordano — Kaitlin Goodman — Christian Harrison — Lauren Johnson — Erika Kemp — Katie Matthews — Samantha Nadel — Elaina Tabb — Jacob Thomson
ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A.’s Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. More than 60,000 runners will participate in B.A.A. events in 2019. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org. For more information on the B.A.A. club, Racing Team and High Performance group, visit www.teambaa.org.