Order Tickets Now
Catch all the Hornet action in person by calling 877-341-NEST. Come out and support your teams!
Track Links
ESU TRACK & FIELD COACHING STAFF COMPLETED
July 22, 2009-Emporia State head track and field coach Dave Harris has announced the completion of his coaching staff with the hiring of Steve Blocker as the head assistant coach and the addition of three new graduate assistants for the 2009-10 school year.
"The addition of Steve gives us a very solid and deep coaching staff," said Harris. "He has a history of success in coaching jumpers and multi-event athletes."
Blocker was the first head coach at Culver-Stockton after the program was reinstituted in 2007 after a 30 year absence. In only two seasons as track and field coach, Blocker produced eight Heart of America Athletic Conference champions. In addition, 17 individuals and three relays claimed all-conference honors.
At the national level, Blocker produced five NAIA All-America performers, including four in the pole vault and one in the decathlon. Fourteen individuals, including the first female in 2009, and one relay qualified for the NAIA Indoor and Outdoor championships during his reign.
Blocker went to Culver-Stockton following the 2006-07 season as an assistant coach at Santa Barbara City College in Santa Barbara, Calif. He was in charge of designing and implementing the sprint, hurdle and jump training programs as well as the strength training programs for all events at SBCC. Three of the top eight Vaquero pole vault marks all-time came under his coaching.
Blocker’s first coaching stop was at his alma mater, the University of Northern Iowa, where he served as a volunteer assistant while earning his master’s degree. While at Northern Iowa, Blocker helped develop the 60m hurdle school record-holder and two All-Missouri Valley Conference 60m hurdlers. The Panthers also won the men’s indoor conference championship three times and the outdoor championship once.
As a student-athlete at UNI, Blocker was a member of three Missouri Valley Conference championship teams. He was a regional qualifier in the 110m hurdles in 2003 and named all-MVC in the 60m hurdles in 2002. He left UNI ranked fourth on the all-time performance list in the 110m hurdles and third in the 60m hurdles. Blocker spent his first two years at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, where he was an NAIA outdoor regional qualifier and placed 12th in the 55m hurdles at the NAIA Indoor Nationals in 2000.
Blocker obtained his bachelor’s degree in physical education from the University of Northern Iowa in 2003 and his master’s degree in physical education in 2006.
Harris also announced the addition of three graduate assistants to the program. Michael Coonen, a former sprinter at St. Cloud State; Eric Wellman, a former All-MIAA performer in the distance events for ESU; and Erin Wessely, formerly an assistant at Culver-Stockton and pole vaulter at Kansas and Northern Iowa. They will join assistant coach Rick Ginter and graduate assistant Ross Fellows on the ESU coaching staff for 2009-10.
The Hornet men placed second at the MIAA Indoor Championships and third at the MIAA Outdoor Championships. The ESU women were sixth in the MIAA both indoors and outdoors.
THE BLOCKER FILE
Coaching History
2007-09 Culver-Stockton Head Coach
Five NAIA All-Americans
Four in Pole Vault, One Decathlete
Eight Heart of America Conference Champions
17 Individual All-Conference Performers
2006-07 Santa Barbara City College Asst. Coach
Coached three of top eight pole vaulters all-time at SBCC
2003-06 Northern Iowa Volunteer Asst. Coach
Two MVC 60m hurdle champions
Athletic Career
2001-03 Northern Iowa
Regional Qualifier in 110m hurdles
All-MVC in 60m hurdles
Ranked Third All-Time in 60m hurdles upon Graduation (8.03)
Ranked Fourth All-Time in 110m hurdles upon Graduation (14.04)
1999-2001 St. Ambrose University
Placed 12th nationally in 55m hurdles in 2000
2009-10 ESU Graduate Assistants
Mike Coonen - Sprints
Ross Fellows - Horizontal Jumps
Eric Wellman - Cross Country/Distance
Erin Wessley - Vertical Jumps
###HORNETS###