MONROE - It's official. Another Monroe High School track and field standout will be heading to the University of Wisconsin.
Monroe senior Jordan Hirsbrunner signed her National Letter of Intent Wednesday to attend Wisconsin next year and run on the track and field team.
"I never thought I would be in this position," Hirsbrunner said. "It's always been a dream of mine since I was a little girl. It's (Wisconsin) close to my heart. I've always grown up cheering and supporting the Badgers, and now I'm going to be a Badger."
About 100 family and friends, including the Monroe girls and boys track teams, filed into the gym for Hirsbrunner's signing. Hirsbrunner announced in December that she would be attending UW. She made it official by signing with the Badgers on Wednesday.
"This doesn't happen very often," Monroe girls track coach Matt Davis said. "This is a pretty special occasion for the track program and the Hirsbrunner family."
The last Monroe athletes who signed with Division I colleges came in 2014 when Ethan Moehn signed with Arkansas and Jordan's brother, Jake, signed with Wisconsin. Moehn is running track and cross country for Arkansas. Jake Hirsbrunner battled some injuries and competed for the Badgers track team for two years and then transferred to UW-Platteville where he is on the track team for the Pioneers.
Jordan Hirsbrunner will compete in the heptathlon for the Badgers. Heptathletes compete in seven events - long jump, high jump, shot put, javelin, 200 meters, 100 hurdles and 800.
"It's fitting because one of the legacies Jordan has left here is a jack-of-all trades," Davis said. "That has really helped our track team the last several years. It's that balance."
Hirsbrunner is the only girl to medal in four events in a single year at the state track meet in the history of the Monroe program. She is the defending WIAA Division 2 state champion in the 300 hurdles. Hirsbrunner ran on the Cheesemakers' 800 relay team that took fourth at state last year. She also ran on the 1,600 relay team that finished sixth at state and she was sixth in the high jump at state last season.
Hirsbrunner owns nine school records. The five outdoor school records she has are the 100 hurdles (14.8 seconds), 300 hurdles (43.6), 800 relay (1:44.8), 1,600 relay (4:00.8) and 800 medley relay (1:51.85). The four indoor school records she owns are the 55 hurdles (8.6), 200 (27.1), 800 relay (1:50.2) and high jump (5 feet, 5 inches).
"She (Hirsbrunner) didn't get this good by accident," Davis said. "Track is her life. Her accomplishments are the result of numerous years of dedication and practice."
Davis said Hirsbrunner often would work on drills at home at night after practice and during summer school in an effort to excel.
Jordan Hirsbrunner thanked her family, coaches and teammates for helping her get this opportunity to run with the Badgers.
She thanked her father, Dave, for his countless hours of tutelage and video work in various events, including the hurdles and high jump where she is a four-time conference champion.
"You have high expectations, and you do all you can to help me achieve my goals," she said of her father.
Hirsbrunner captured the 300 hurdles championship at the Kansas Relays this year. She is expected to compete in her first heptathlon at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals June 16-18 in Greensboro, North Carolina. To qualify for the event, prep athletes had to compete in a heptathlon and score 4,200 points or set season-best times in various outdoor invitationals this season and garner 4,500 points.
Hirsbrunner said that is why she competed in the shot put and other out-of-the-ordinary events this season.
She thanked her mother, Cory, for continuing to push her and striving for her to improve her times. Then she thanked her teammates and several came up to her in tears after her signing.
"Thanks for always pushing me and supporting me to be the best I could be," she said to her teammates.
Monroe senior Jordan Hirsbrunner signed her National Letter of Intent Wednesday to attend Wisconsin next year and run on the track and field team.
"I never thought I would be in this position," Hirsbrunner said. "It's always been a dream of mine since I was a little girl. It's (Wisconsin) close to my heart. I've always grown up cheering and supporting the Badgers, and now I'm going to be a Badger."
About 100 family and friends, including the Monroe girls and boys track teams, filed into the gym for Hirsbrunner's signing. Hirsbrunner announced in December that she would be attending UW. She made it official by signing with the Badgers on Wednesday.
"This doesn't happen very often," Monroe girls track coach Matt Davis said. "This is a pretty special occasion for the track program and the Hirsbrunner family."
The last Monroe athletes who signed with Division I colleges came in 2014 when Ethan Moehn signed with Arkansas and Jordan's brother, Jake, signed with Wisconsin. Moehn is running track and cross country for Arkansas. Jake Hirsbrunner battled some injuries and competed for the Badgers track team for two years and then transferred to UW-Platteville where he is on the track team for the Pioneers.
Jordan Hirsbrunner will compete in the heptathlon for the Badgers. Heptathletes compete in seven events - long jump, high jump, shot put, javelin, 200 meters, 100 hurdles and 800.
"It's fitting because one of the legacies Jordan has left here is a jack-of-all trades," Davis said. "That has really helped our track team the last several years. It's that balance."
Hirsbrunner is the only girl to medal in four events in a single year at the state track meet in the history of the Monroe program. She is the defending WIAA Division 2 state champion in the 300 hurdles. Hirsbrunner ran on the Cheesemakers' 800 relay team that took fourth at state last year. She also ran on the 1,600 relay team that finished sixth at state and she was sixth in the high jump at state last season.
Hirsbrunner owns nine school records. The five outdoor school records she has are the 100 hurdles (14.8 seconds), 300 hurdles (43.6), 800 relay (1:44.8), 1,600 relay (4:00.8) and 800 medley relay (1:51.85). The four indoor school records she owns are the 55 hurdles (8.6), 200 (27.1), 800 relay (1:50.2) and high jump (5 feet, 5 inches).
"She (Hirsbrunner) didn't get this good by accident," Davis said. "Track is her life. Her accomplishments are the result of numerous years of dedication and practice."
Davis said Hirsbrunner often would work on drills at home at night after practice and during summer school in an effort to excel.
Jordan Hirsbrunner thanked her family, coaches and teammates for helping her get this opportunity to run with the Badgers.
She thanked her father, Dave, for his countless hours of tutelage and video work in various events, including the hurdles and high jump where she is a four-time conference champion.
"You have high expectations, and you do all you can to help me achieve my goals," she said of her father.
Hirsbrunner captured the 300 hurdles championship at the Kansas Relays this year. She is expected to compete in her first heptathlon at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals June 16-18 in Greensboro, North Carolina. To qualify for the event, prep athletes had to compete in a heptathlon and score 4,200 points or set season-best times in various outdoor invitationals this season and garner 4,500 points.
Hirsbrunner said that is why she competed in the shot put and other out-of-the-ordinary events this season.
She thanked her mother, Cory, for continuing to push her and striving for her to improve her times. Then she thanked her teammates and several came up to her in tears after her signing.
"Thanks for always pushing me and supporting me to be the best I could be," she said to her teammates.
