MILWAUKEE, Wis. (July 28, 2006) - Seven high school seniors have signed National Letters of Intent to attend the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and join the men's track and field team, head coach Pete Corfeld announced today.

Tyler Bucholz of Crystal Minn., Quinn Mongoven of Genoa City, Wis., and Leonard Ward/Buckner of Wauwatosa, Wis. have signed NLIs to compete in track and field. Meanwhile, Malachi Cate of Iola, Wis., Matt Dreifke of Kenosha, Wis., Ryan Mleziva of Luxemburg, Wis., and Andrew Fox of Waukesha, Wis. will participate in both track and cross country for the Panthers.

"This class should add depth to our already strong core," Corfeld said. "They should help to keep us competitive in the league and region in the years to come."

Bucholz, a sprinter from Robbinsdale Cooper High School, finished his senior year ranked second in the state of Minnesota in three events, including the 100m (10.83) and two relays, and third in the 200m (21.96). He won a state championship with the 4x400m relay, while also competing at the state meet in the 100m and with the 4x200m relay. For his career, he owns two more top-10 finishes in state competition.

A high jumper out of Wilmot Union High School, Mongoven comes to Milwaukee after a third-place showing in the high jump at the 2006 Wisconsin state meet. He placed second in the event as a junior after a 13th-place showing as a sophomore in 2003. His personal-best height in the event is 6-10. As a senior, he also competed in the triple jump, taking 15th.

Cate is a two-time state champion out of Iola-Scandinavia High School. As a junior, he won both the 1600m and 3200m events at the state meet. He also competed at state as a sophomore, while attending New London High School. That year, he finished fifth in the state in the 3200m and also ran in the 1600m.

Ward/Buckner is a state qualifier in both the 800m and 4x800m from East High School in nearby Wauwatosa. As a senior in 2006, he placed sixth in the 800m after an eighth-place showing as a junior. His 4x800m relay competed at the state meet in each of his last three years.

Dreifke comes to Milwaukee after competing as a state qualifier in both track and cross country events at Kenosha Tremper High School. As a senior, he placed fifth with the 4x800m relay at the state meet, while also running in the 1600m. In cross country, he posted his best state finish, taking 12th. He added an eighth-place showing with the 4x800m and 11th-place finish in the 1600m as a junior. Dreifke also played basketball at Tremper, leading the team with 15.7 points per game in his final season.

Mleziva was a three-time state qualifier in cross country for Luxemburg-Casco High School, posting a 12th-place finish at the state meet as a senior. Fox, who graduated from Waukesha South High School, competed at the state meet as a junior and senior. After taking 24th in 2004, he posted a 20th-place finish as a senior.