Add Angela Bizzarri to the Brooks Beasts mix!

In a post on Brooks Beasts coach Danny Mackey's Twitter account, he announced that University of Illinois alum Angela Bizzari (above, with new teammate Brie Felnagle at 2012 Nike Prefontaine Classic/photo by Paul Merca) will make the move to Seattle and run as part of his group.

Bizzari was a three-time NCAA champion, winning crowns over 5000 meters outdoors, 3000 meters indoors, and the 2009 cross country title.

Bizzarri finished third in the 2011 USA Championships in the 5000m, running her personal best of 15:16.04 in Eugene.  She didn't get to go to the world championships in Daegu, as she was just short of the A standard of 15:14.00, which winner Molly Huddle had, along with eighth placer Lauren Fleshman.  Under the 2011 IAAF world championships qualifying rules, countries were allowed two A standard athletes and one B standard athlete, which meant second place finisher Amy Hastings got the nod.

In 2010, Bizzarri was fifth in the 5000 at the USA championships in Des Moines, Iowa.

When Bizzarri turned pro after the 2010 collegiate season at Illinois, she was coached by Terrance Mahon at the Mammoth Track Club in California, and signed a sponsorship deal with Brooks.

According to Brooks Beasts coach Danny Mackey, she was injured for most of the 2012 season, though she competed at the US Olympic Trials in the 5000, running 16:05.01 in the semis, where she was 11th in her heat.  When Mahon left the Mammoth TC to take a coaching position with the British federation, she moved to San Diego, where she was coached by former Columbia University coach Jon Clemens.

The current training group consists of Brooks-sponsored runners Katie Mackey, Deborah Maier, Jamie Cheever and Jessica Tebo, along with Nike runners Phoebe Wright, Erica Moore & Lindsay Allen, and adidas runner Brie Felnagle.

On the men's side, the group consists of Cas Loxsom, Mark Wieczorek, Riley Masters, and Matt Scherer.

In an email, Mackey said that he's allowed non-Brooks runners like Felnagle and Allen to train with the team this past season because their presence has helped the group dynamics.