PORTLAND, Ore. --- Redshirt sophomore Tayte Pollmann has signed a professional trail and mountain running contract with Nike, and will compete at the World Mountain Running Championships in Premana Italy, on July 30.
 
"This is an exciting opportunity for Tayte and I couldn't be happier for him and his family," said head coach Rob Conner. "He will have to forego his final three years of eligibility but the offer was too good to pass up. I encouraged him to go for it!"
 
Pollmann will have a 4 year contract with Nike until 2020 for professional trail and mountain running. With this sponsorship he will be able to compete in some of the premier mountain races across the US and in Europe, primarily in the 50K distance.
 
"I'm very grateful for this opportunity with Nike to compete in the sport I love at the professional level," said Pollmann. "I want to thank my amazing teammates and coaches here at Portland who have always encouraged me to be the "mountain goat" and share in making this dream a reality!"
 
Pollmann specializes in a specific type of mountain running known as "sky running", in which the race courses are at higher elevations with steeper and more technical climbing and descending.
 
"The harder the course, the better for me," continued Pollmann. "This is a "pilots" kind of race, as coach would say, because pilot training gets you ready for any course!"
 
Pollmann has also been a member of the USA Mountian Running team for two years. Before coming to Portland, he had extensive mountain running experience from living in the mountains of Utah. He has a 5K personal best of 16:09 and finished 6th overall as a junior at the 2014 Foothills 12K trail race, which has over 2600 feet of elevation gain. Pollman also won the 2015 Jupiter Peak Steeplechase Race which is a 16 mile trail race with 3000 feet of elevation gain.
 
"Tayte has been one of the best long distance mountain runners in the US for the past few years so why not take it to the next level," continued Conner. "He has a talent and not a lot of people can do this. It is just about the toughest thing in running. I can't wait to see how he does in the World Championships!"