BOULDER, CO (June 4, 2025) – Today, Team USA Olympian Colleen Quigley, alongside a distinguished cohort of track & field athletes, announced the launch of Meridia—a reimagined professional track & field team based in Boulder, Colorado. Rooted in empowerment, inclusivity, and performance, Meridia is designed by athletes, for athletes, to foster a high-performance environment where they can thrive and compete on the world’s biggest stages.
Joining Quigley as founding members are Annie Rodenfels, Katie Camarena, Madie Boreman, Molly Sughroue and Skylyn Webb, with others to be announced in the coming months.
Breaking from the traditional mold of professional track & field teams—often operated by major footwear companies—Meridia emerges as the only independent and athlete-led organization with a strong foundation in female leadership. At the forefront is Quigley, a 2016 Olympian whose concept set Meridia in motion, bringing to the initiative her experience as an athlete and a clear vision for what track and field athletes need.
Renowned track & field coach and athlete Juli Benson will act as an advisor to the team, and personal coach to Quigley among other team members. Leading the creative strategy is LA-based creative director and renowned sports photographer, Jason Suarez.
“Over the past decade as a professional athlete, I’ve gained a deep understanding of what it truly takes to succeed in this sport—on and off the track,” Quigley said. “When I looked at the current landscape of teams, I didn’t see a model that fully met the needs I had identified, both for myself and for others in the sport. In the process of building Meridia, I spoke with dozens of athletes and listened to stories that helped shape our vision. Meridia is a reflection of that collective insight, and I’m incredibly excited to see how it evolves as we grow and build this team together.”
Meridia champions a brand-agnostic business model that empowers athletes with the freedom to collaborate with any footwear or apparel brand of their choice. This open framework not only supports diverse sponsorship opportunities but also attracts investment from non-endemic partners seeking to expand their presence in the sports arena. Meridia’s distinctive model empowers the athletes themselves to maintain autonomy within a team whose direction, brand identity, and partnership decisions they have a voice in driving. Guided by its values, Meridia is uniting engaged athletes, creative strategy, and collective reach in ways that forward-thinking brands are increasingly looking to be part of.
Meridia is committed to enhancing athlete visibility through strategic storytelling and marketing. By crafting authentic narratives that go beyond competition results, Meridia will help athletes build deeper fan engagement and long-term brand value.“Meridia is truly built by athletes, for athletes, designed to meet our needs in a real, tangible,and refreshingly unique way,” Webb said. “It reflects the kind of environment I’ve been seeking throughout my professional career and one I’m proud to be part of.”
Redefining the financial framework of professional track and field through a progressive, athlete-first payment model, Meridia will operate as a collective, compensating its athletes directly. The team’s revenue-sharing model ensures that athletes are true stakeholders with a portion of all income generated through sponsorships, events, and merchandise flowing directly to the individual athletes, while the remaining is reinvested into the team’s shared budget to support operations and team infrastructure.
Located at 5,500 feet, Meridia’s Boulder, Colorado, base offers a premier altitude training environment and a tight-knit community. While the team encourages athletes to live and train locally, it also supports flexible living arrangements, supplemented by regular training camps in Boulder to foster team connection and alignment.
In line with Meridia’s values, the team partnered with EAT Studio, a creative strategy firm based in Paris and Los Angeles, to lead its brand direction. EAT Studio crafts bold design systems for lifestyle and entertainment brands, blending strategy, agile processes, and rich storytelling that scales. The studio values diverse cultural perspectives and partners with brands that are reshaping their industries: just as Meridia is doing.
In addition to its in-person debut, Meridia will host a virtual community event titled The Meridia Mile on August 7, inviting runners everywhere to join the team by running a mile in celebration of community and shared goals. Registration includes access to exclusive content from Meridia athletes, including training plans, workout tips, and recovery advice, to help participants prepare to run their best mile yet.
Participants will get access to products from some of Meridia’s favorite brands, as well as a grand prize drawing for an all-expenses-paid trip to Boulder this fall to meet the team and participate in Boulderthon, one of the region’s premier running events. The Meridia Mile supports the team’s ongoing operations and long-term sustainability. More information, including registration details and participation guidelines, can be found here.
