Nike Air Max 97 “Yardrunners” Gets a First Look in “CAU Panthers”

Nike’s Yardrunners program looks to be expanding to the Air Max 97, and the first colorway to surface pays tribute to Clark Atlanta University. Images of the “CAU Panthers” pair have leaked out, giving the earliest indication that the model is getting its own HBCU focused release.

Release Date, Price and Where to Buy

Nike Air Max 97 “CAU Panthers”
Style Code: IW7003-600
Colorway: Challenge Red, Metallic Silver, and Black (Clark Atlanta University colors)
Price: $190
Release Date: TBA

The Yardrunners x Nike Air Max 97 “CAU Panthers” does not have a confirmed release date. Reports vary, with some pointing to a Holiday 2026 launch and others suggesting 2027, coinciding with the Air Max 97’s 30th anniversary. A price of $190 has been reported, though nothing is official yet. When more details land, expect the pair to release through Nike SNKRS and select retailers.

Nike Air Max 97 “CAU Panthers” Design

The Yardrunners initiative already gave the Nike Air Max line a moment in 2025, when the Air Max 95 was outfitted in colorways tied to various HBCU campuses. Clark Atlanta appears to be next in line, continuing Nike’s broader relationship with historically Black colleges and universities that has delivered yearly product for current students, alumni, and the pros who came through those schools. The timing also lines up with a big year already brewing for the Air Max 97, which turns 30 in 2027; recent Paris Fashion Week previews teased a return of the laceless build and the “Silver Bullet” colorway ahead of that anniversary. Whether the CAU pair is a standalone release or part of a wider multi school collection hasn’t been confirmed. JustFreshKicks will track any additional schools that surface and keep updates posted to our Sneaker Release Dates hub.

This build mixes red, black, and grey, with gradient wave detailing running down the sides. “Panthers” pull tabs sit at the heel, and a CAU stamp lands on the tongue, making the school tie unmistakable.

What Is Nike’s Yardrunners Program?

Yardrunners is Nike’s ongoing initiative delivering yearly product tied to historically Black colleges and universities, often through athletes who attended those schools. It previously outfitted the Air Max 95 in 2025 before reportedly moving on to the Air Max 97.

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Images via @kicksdong