Seniors Announce Plans For 2012-13 
National Signing Day ~ National Letter Of Intent
Early signings: November 9-16, 2011. Regular signings: February 1, 2012 to August 1, 2012
Please check back as new athletes will be added when their signing or choice of school is announced
| Aquinas 1 2 | Arrowhead | Belmont | Big Foot | Brodhead - Juda | Brookfield East | Dodgeville-MP | Dominican |
| Ellsworth | Fond du Lac | Homestead | Kaukauna |
| La Crosse Logan | Mad East 1 | Mad West 1 2 | Saint Mary's Springs Academy 1 2 |
| Somerset | Two Rivers | University Lake School | Verona |
| Waunakee 1 2 | Wausau West | West Bend West 1 2 | Whitefish Bay | Whitewater |
This feature is an ongoing project. Coaches and parents are encouraged to send information to Wisconsin Track Online so that we can share the news about an athletes plans for their future college experience.
According to the NCAA Eligibility Center which oversees the operations of the National Letter of Intent program the National Letter of Intent has many advantages to both prospective student-athletes and participating educational institutions:
- Once a National Letter of Intent is signed, prospective student-athletes are no longer subject to further recruiting contacts and calls.
- Student-athletes are assured of an athletics scholarship for one full academic year.
- By emphasizing a commitment to an educational institution, not particular coaches or teams, the program focuses on a prospective student-athlete's educational objectives.
Most colleges that offer NCAA Division I and II athletic scholarships use the NLI. Ivy League institutions and the service academies (Army, Navy, etc.) participate in Division I athletics but offer no athletic scholarships. No Division III schools, NAIA schools, junior colleges or preparatory schools are members of the NLI Program. However, many NAIA institutions and junior colleges do use a Letter of Intent, implemented either by the national association, their individual conferences, or even individual schools. When athletes announce that they will attend a Division III or NAIA school for athletics Wisconsin Track Online would also like to include that information in the Seniors Announce Plans feature. Send information.
Shavana Talbert will still be a 'Cardinal' when she graduates. Talbert a senior from the Fond du Lac Cardinals gave a verbal commitment on a full scholarship on Monday, January 23, to the Stanford University Cardinals. Talbert has been a versatile athlete while at Fond du Lac. Excelling in the triple jump, high jump and throws. Last season at the State Meet in La Crosse she threw the shot 40' 02 to place 5th in D1. She had a 'PR' in 2011 of 44' 08 at the Fox Valley Association Meet which set a new Conference Record.
In 2010 she threw 41' 07.25 at the State Meet [7th]. At the 2009 State Meet she was 2nd in the TJ [37' 10] and 4th in the SP [39' 05]. She is #25 on the All-Time SP List.
Brodhead-Juda senior Heather Clankie has announced that she will attend UW-Oshkosh and participate on the Titans Track and Field Team. Clankie will join a program with a strong history of success in the throws.
As a sophomore Clankie was 9th in the D2 discus throw at La Crosse [122' 01]. Last year she emerged as the D2 Discus Champion with a throw of 129' 03. Clankie competes in the Rock Valley Conference. The Rock Valley returns 5 of the top 6 SP athletes and 4 of the top 5 discus throwers for the 2012 season.
Above and left: Heather Clankie at the 2011 D2 Regional at Orfordville Parkview High School.
Madison West senior Olivia Pratt has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, and participate in cross country and track. As a junior Pratt [above left] placed fourth in the D1 3200m run at the State Meet. At the 2011 Big 8 track and Field Meet she was 2nd in the 1600m and 3200m runs. At the 2011 D1 State Cross Country Meet she placed 5th overall helping her team to a third place finnish.
Pratt is pictured above right and below at the 2011 Midwest Invitational hosted by Janesville Craig where she placed second behind winner Molly Seidel.
Waunakee senior Sarah Heinemann has signed a National Letter of Intent to run cross country and track for the Badgers. At the 2011 D1 State Cross Country Meet Heinemann finished third. She was a qualifier in the D1 1600m at the 2011 State Track And Field Meet. Heinemann is shown above at the UW-Whitewater 2011 Nelson-Daniels Indoor [small] and to the right and below at the 2011 Midwest Invite hosted by Janesville Craig.
Heinemann was the champion of the Badger North Cross Country Championships in 2011.
At the Badger North Conference Track and Field 2011 Championships she won the 1600m run, placed second in the 800m run, and ran the 2nd leg of the winning 4x4.
Emma-Lisa Murphy a Whitefish Bay senior signed her National Letter of Intent on February 1 to run for the University of Wisconsin. XC | T/F. Above left L-R: Whitefish Bay Cross Country Coach Mike Miller and Parents Alan and Sandy Murphy look on as Ema-Lisa signs her National Letter of Intent. Signing photo by John Gustavson. Above right: Murphy with the most famous 'Badger' of all!
At the D1 State Cross Country Meet in 2011 Murphy finished in 12th place helping the 'Blue Dukes' to an 8th place finish. At the 2011 North Shore Conference outdoor meet Murphy placed 2nd in the 1600m and 3200m runs despite battling injuries for most of the 2011 track season.
- Whitefish Bay NOW Signing story
- Whitefish Bay Patch article/pictures
Above front row left to right: Shavana's mother Charlotte Trotter, Shavana Talbert signing her NLI to Stanford on February 1, and her grandfather John Hoffman.
Above back row left to right: FHS Athletic Director Brian Skortz, FHS Girl's Shot and Discus Coach Ed Hammer, and Girl's Head Track and Field Coach Tom Stokes.
Shavana will be attending Stanford University under an athletic scholarship in Track and Field. Shavana will participate in the shot for the Cardinal's Track and Field Program under Head Coach Edrick Floreal and assistant coach Andrew Ninow [throws coach]. Shavana plans to earn a major in medicine at Stanford.
Photo above supplied by Tom Stokes
Ellsworth High School senior Abbey Ristow signed her National Letter of Intent to compete for Division II Winona State University on February 6, 2012.
Abbey is a three sport athlete competing in volleyball, basketball, and track and field. Abbey finished in 8th place at the WIAA Division II State meet in discus as a sophomore in 2010. As a junior in 2011, she finished in second place in D2 with a throw of 128'7" which broke her own Ellsworth High School record. On February 1, 2012 she had surgery to repair a torn ACL which occurred in early January while playing basketball causing her to miss the remainder of the her final season of basketball and her senior year of track and field. Photo above by Karolyn Campbell.
Front row above L-R Abbey's mother Deb Ristow, Abbey Ristow, Abbey's father Brad Ristow
Back row above L-R Athletic Director - Ann Anderson, Track coach - Kim Huggett, Track coach- Craig Olson, Track Coach- Rich Powers, and High School Principal- Mark Stoesz
Abbey Ristow, D2 Discus 2nd place
La Crosse 2011
Abbey Ristow at La Crosse.
Photo by Karolyn Campbell
Ristow with Ellsworth Head Girl's Coach and Throws Coach, Craig Olson at the 2011 WIAA State Meet
Photo by D. Ristow
Lauren Holtz, a senior at Homestead High School , signed her National Letter of Intent to run cross country and track for the Wisconsin Badgers. Back row L-R: Lauren's father Rob, her mother Ann, her twin sister Alexandra, and assistant track coach Victor Vilar.
Photo [above and below left] by Claire Exley
Lauren Holtz [above left, 2010] in the 4x8 and the D1 800m run [2011]. In 2011 the Homestead 4x8 consisting of anchor Lauren, her sister Alexandra, Maggie Stolz, and Keali Bjork finished 5th in the D1 4x8. All return except the graduated Bjork.
Lauren Holtz Running Bio
- She was the D1 WIAA 6th place finisher in the 800m run with a time of 2:14.99 in 2011
- She has been a D1 WIAA state qualifier leading Homestead 's 4x800m relay to 8th, 3rd, and 5th place finishes
- She was the North Shore Conference Champion in both Indoor and Outdoor 800m run in 2011
- She has been a D1 WIAA state qualifier all four years in cross country and helped Homestead to 8th, 4th, and 18th place finishes
- She has been a four-time MVP in Cross Country and four-time Wisconsin Academic All-State Individual
Lauren Holtz at the 2011 Wisconsin Addias Meet High School competition
Photo by Pat Miller