July 6, 2010

MADISON, Wis. -- A pair of high school national champions highlight a class of nine athletes that will join the Wisconsin men’s track and field team for the 2011 season, head coach Ed Nuttycombe announced Tuesday.

The Badgers’ signing class includes seven athletes that have won state or provincial championships, three that already boast experience in international competition and two that claimed national prep titles in June.

With the signings, the Badgers will add three distance runners, three throwers, two hurdlers and a horizontal jumps specialist.

“As a staff, we are very excited to bring this group of athletes to Madison,” said Nuttycombe, who will begin his 28th year as the Badgers’ head coach next season. “It’s a group that helps us in several areas and should be able to make an immediate impact on our program.

“I also think this class is a great complement to the very successful group of athletes we brought in last season. Together, they help make us a very strong team.”

The Badgers’ class is made up of distance runners Jake Erschen (Milwaukee, Wis.), Alex Hatz (Fayetteville-Manlius, N.Y.) and Matt McKenna (Madison, Wis.), hurdlers Gregory MacNeill (London, Ontario) and Matt Widule (Menomenee Falls, Wis.), long jumper Justin Bowers (Lake Geneva, Wis.) and throwers Dan Block (Hanover Park, Ill.), Jake Ninneman (Oregon, Wis.) and Alex Thompson (Winnebago, Ill.).

Hatz, who claimed the title in the mile, and Thompson, who won the discus, both were crowned national champions at the 2010 New Balance Nationals in June.

In addition, Thompson was fourth at the 2009 IAAF World Youth Championships and brings international experience to the Badgers, along with Block, who was 13th in the shot put at the 2008 IAAF World Junior Championships, and MacNeill, who took third in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2009 world youth meet.

“There’s no doubt that the experience a number of these athletes have gained from competing on the national and international stage will help them transition to collegiate competition,” Nuttycombe said.

2010-11 Wisconsin Men's Track & Field Signees
Name	Events	Hometown (High School)
Dan Block	Throws	Hanover Park, Ill. (Lake Park)
Justin Bowers	Jumps	Lake Geneva, Wis. (Badger)
Jake Erschen	Distance	Milwaukee, Wis. (Marquette)
Alex Hatz	Distance	Fayetteville-Manlius, N.Y. (Fayetteville-Manlius)
Gregory MacNeill	Hurdles	London, Ontario (Mother Teresa)
Matt McKenna	Distance	Madison, Wis. (Edgewood)
Jake Ninneman	Throws	Oregon, Wis. (Oregon)
Alex Thompson	Throws	Winnebago, Ill. (Winnebago)
Matt Widule	Hurdles	Menomonee Falls, Wis. (Menomonee Falls)

 

Dan Block  ▪  Throws  ▪  Hanover Park, Ill. (Lake Park)

Placed 13th at the 2008 IAAF World Junior Championships in the shot put … runner-up in the shot put at the 2008 USA Junior Outdoor Championships … finished third in the discus at the 2009 USA Junior Outdoor Championships at 191-6 (58.36m) … set all-time USATF Junior Olympic national intermediate discus record at 179-1 (54.58m) in 2007 … 2007 USATF Junior Olympic champion in the intermediate shot put and discus … won Illinois AAA indoor state championship in the shot put as a senior … won Illinois AAA outdoor state championship in the shot put and discus as a senior … 2009 Illinois Gatorade Track and Field Athlete of the Year … 2009 Chicago Tribune/WGN Athlete of the Year and May 2009 Athlete of the Month … 2009 Illinois Senior Spotlight Meet champion in the shot put and discus … set IHSA all-time best shot put record with a toss of 66-3 … set IHSA all-time best discus record with a throw of 208-11 … Illinois AA indoor and outdoor state champion in the shot put as a junior … Illinois AA outdoor state champion in the discus as a sophomore … finished second as a junior in the discus and runner-up in the shot put as a sophomore at the Illinois AA outdoor state championships … conference champion in the discus as a freshman … high school coach: Bob Nihells … three-time honor roll member … played basketball as a freshman … parents are Randy and Cathy Block … has four brothers, Jonathan, Tom, Scott, and Greg … brother Scott competed as a thrower at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville from 2006-2009 and is currently the program’s throws coach Personal Bests Shot Put:     66-3 (20.19m) Discus:        208-11 (63.67m)

 

Justin Bowers  ▪  Jumps  ▪  Lake Geneva, Wis. (Badger)

Finished second in the long jump at the WIAA Division 1 state championships as a senior … finished fifth as a junior and seventh as a sophomore at state in the long jump … also played basketball during his prep career Personal Bests 100 Meters:    10.72 200 Meters:    22.33 Long Jump:    23-10 (7.26m) Triple Jump:   40-9 (12.42m)

 

Jake Erschen  ▪  Distance  ▪  Milwaukee, Wis. (Marquette)

Claimed runner-up finish in 1,600 meters at 2010 Wisconsin Division 1 state championships as a senior … also finished third in 3,200 meters at state meet … ran 9:04.94 to take eighth in the 2-mile at the 2010 Midwest Distance Gala … took 36th at 2009 Nike Cross Country Nationals … also was 31st at 2009 Foot Locker Midwest Regional … finished third at 2009 Wisconsin Division 1 cross country championship as a senior … 2010 sectional champion in cross country … won 2009 Roy Griak Invitational … also took ninth at state cross country meet as a junior ... 2010 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel All-Area Personal Bests 1600 Meters:    4:13.84 3200 Meters:    9:19.87 2 Mile:             9:04.94

 

Alex Hatz  ▪  Distance  ▪  Fayetteville-Manlius, N.Y. (Fayetteville-Manlius)

Claimed national title in the mile at the 2010 New Balance Nationals in 4:08.09 … also finished fourth in the 1,500 meters in 3:52.88 … won national title at 2010 Nike Indoor Nationals with meet- and New York state-record time of 4:05.50 … mark was best ever in an all-high school field and ranks No. 3 all-time … claimed win in junior mile at the 2010 Reebok Boston Indoor Games in 4:12.08 … finished second in 3,000 meters at 2010 Penn Relays in personal-best 8:21.01 … won the 1,600 meters at the New York state outdoor championships as a junior and senior after placing third as a sophomore … set New York state record in the 1,600 meters as a junior … won the 1,600 meters at the New York indoor championships as a senior after placing second as a sophomore … won the 3,200 meters as a senior at the indoor New York indoor championships …  finished second in the mile at 2009 Nike Outdoor Nationals … sixth at the 2008 Nike Cross Country Nationals in the 5,000 meters as a junior Personal Bests 800 Meters:     1:55.81 1600 Meters:   4:06.11 Mile:               4:05.50 3000 Meters:   8:21.01 3200 Meters:   9:08.18

 

Gregory MacNeill  ▪  Hurdles  ▪  London, Ontario (Mother Teresa)

Bronze medalist in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2009 IAAF World Youth Championships, finishing in 13.51 … won the 2010 Ontario high school championship in the 110-meter hurdles, setting an OFSAA record  at 13.33 … also won 2010 Ontario championship at 200 meters in 21.25 … holds Canadian youth record of 13.43 seconds over 36-inch hurdles and the Canadian junior record of 13.72 seconds over 39-inch hurdles … won 110 hurdles at the 2009 Canadian Junior (Under-19) Championships … won gold medals in the 110 hurdles, 400 hurdles and 4x100 and 4x400 relays as part of Team Ontario at the 2008 Canadian Youth (Under-17) Championships to earn athlete of the meet honors … won 300-meter hurdles at 2008 Ontario high school championships, setting an Ontario record at 38.67 … won 110-meter hurdles at 2007 Ontario high school championships, setting an Ontario record … male MVP in track as a freshman and sophomore … coach: Sandy Cooper-Ryder … also competed in soccer and basketball Personal Bests 200 Meters:              21.25 110-Meter Hurdles:    13.21 (36 in.); 13.72 (39 in.) 300-Meter Hurdles:    37.87 400-Meter Hurdles:    53.90

 

Matt McKenna  ▪  Distance  ▪   Madison, Wis. (Edgewood)

Won state titles in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters and was runner-up in the 800 meters as a senior at the 2010 Wisconsin Division 2 state championships … his 1,600-meter time of 4:12.12 was less than two-tenths of a second off the state record of 4:11.93 … also qualified for the state meet in the 1,600 and 3,200 as a junior … won sectional titles in 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters as a senior … named 2010 All-Area in track and cross country by Madison.com … earned All-Southern Badger Conference honors as a senior and junior … three-time letterwinner and a two-time state qualifier in cross country …  cross country co-captain as a senior … earned all-city and All-Southern Badger first team honors in cross country … in cross country, won the Southern Badger Conference and Platteville Sectional titles … finished fifth at the Wisconsin Division 2 state cross country meet as a senior, earning all-state honors … as a junior, earned all-city and all-conference honors, was fifth at sectionals and 20th overall at the Division 2 state meet … played linebacker in football his freshman year … also played doubles in tennis as a freshman … member of ‘E’ club … volunteer work includes Attic Angels and Edgewood in the Community work days … coach: Jim Hanson … parents are Pat and Pam McKenna … has a brother, Joe, and three sisters, Kelly, Erin and Meghan Personal Bests 800 Meters:      1:55.89 1600 Meters:    4:12.12 3200 Meters:    9:08.94 5000 Meters:    16:15.47

 

Jake Ninneman  ▪  Throws  ▪  Oregon, Wis. (Oregon)

Won Wisconsin Division 1 state championship in discus as a senior with personal-best mark of 180-0 … also finished eighth at state meet as a junior … a preferred walk-on to UW football team … earned all-conference and all-area honors in football as a senior … also honorable mention all-conference as a junior … member of National Honor Society … parents are Thomas and Melodie Virning … mother, Melodie Virning, ran for the Badgers from 1980-1984 Personal Bests Discus:    180-0 (54.86m)

 

Alex Thompson  ▪  Throws  ▪ Winnebago, Ill. (Winnebago)

Claimed national title in the discus at 2010 New Balance Nationals with winning throw of 192-8 (58.72m) … won the Illinois Class A state championship in the discus as a junior, breaking the Class A state discus record … also finished fourth at state in the shot put … won discus and shot put at the conference and sectional meets as a junior … placed fourth in the discus at the 2009 IAAF World Youth Championships with a throw of 195-10 (59.69m) … won state, sectional, and conference championship in the discus as a sophomore … finished third at state in the discus as a freshman, after wining the event at the sectional and conference championships … high school coach: Bruce Johnson … 2010 Illinois State Scholar … member of the Winnebago Wind Ensemble and Winnebago Symphonic Band … parents are Dave and Rose Thompson … has a brother, Chris Personal Bests Discus:     201-6 (61.41m) Shot Put:  58-1 (17.70m)

 

Matt Widule  ▪  Hurdles  ▪  Menomonee Falls, Wis. (Menomonee Falls)

Won 2010 Wisconsin Division 1 state titles in the 110-meter hurdles (14.21) and the 4x200-meter relay, setting a state record in the relay at 1:27.94 … also finished runner-up in the 300-meter hurdles at the 2010 state meet by one hundredth of a second … won state title in the 110-meter hurdles (14.37) as a junior … Wisconsin’s 2009 Gatorade Track and Field Athlete of the Year … won a school-record nine medals at the state meet during his prep career … career state medals consist of three gold medals, two silvers, two bronze, a fourth and a sixth … coach: Mike Burling … also played football … member of student council and German Club Personal Bests 110-Meter Hurdles:    13.96 300-Meter Hurdles:    37.50 Long Jump:              21-8 1/2 (6.61m)