Courtney Frerichs

Courtney Frerichs, born on January 18, 1993, in Mundelein, Illinois, developed her athletic foundation early, initially participating in gymnastics and soccer before turning to cross-country in high school to maintain fitness. She attended Nixa High School in Nixa, Missouri, where she earned all-conference and all-district honors in cross-country. Frerichs also lettered for four years in soccer and was a two-time regional qualifier in gymnastics. Her collegiate career began at the University of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC) before she transferred to the University of New Mexico. She graduated from UMKC with a Bachelor’s in Chemistry in 2015 and earned a Master’s in Community Health Education from the University of New Mexico in 2017.

Frerichs quickly rose through the ranks in the steeplechase, securing the NCAA national title in the 3000-meter steeplechase in 2016 while at the University of New Mexico, setting a collegiate record of 9:24.41. This marked a significant turning point in her career, leading to her professional debut in the same year. She then joined the Bowerman Track Club and signed a professional contract with Nike in 2016. That year, she made her Olympic debut at the Rio de Janeiro Games, placing 11th in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Her career highlights include a silver medal at the 2017 World Championships in London, where she contributed to a historic 1-2 finish for American women in the event alongside Emma Coburn. In 2021, Frerichs achieved another significant milestone, becoming the first American woman to run the 3000-meter steeplechase under nine minutes, setting an American record of 8:57.77 at the Prefontaine Classic. This performance positioned her as the No. 4 performer on the world all-time list.

Her Olympic success continued at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (held in 2021), where she earned a silver medal in the 3000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:04.79. Frerichs has consistently demonstrated her competitive spirit and dedication, earning multiple silver medals at various USATF Outdoor Championships (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 Olympic Trials). She has also competed in several World Athletics Championships, placing sixth in 2019 and 2022, and securing another silver medal at the 2018 IAAF Continental Cup. These achievements underscore her sustained performance at an elite level in track and field.