Posted 8/14/07
UW-Platteville added seven new assistant coaches to its athletic department while removing the interim tag from two more coaches.
New to the staff are Jackie Parsley in women's basketball, Chris Rotzenberg in cross country and track, Jude Blocker in soccer, Jason Watson in baseball, and D.J. Lawrence, Ryan Munz and Derek Hoff in football.
In addition, head baseball coach Eric Frese and assistant men's basketball coach Jeff Gard were hired in permanent positions after serving as interim coaches in 2006-07.
Parsley was a former Kodak All-American center at North Dakota State, playing on the 1991 and 1993 NCAA II national championship teams. She most recently taught and coached at Paynesville (Minn.) High School. Parsley was the head coach since 2003. She also previously was the head high school coach at Cromwell-Wright in Cromwell, Minn., at Central Cass in Casselton, N.D., and at Kindred, N.D. Parsley scored 1,162 points during her North Dakota State career and holds the Bison career field-goal percentage record, making 54.2 percent of her shots. She earned bachelor degrees from North Dakota State and Valley City State as well as a master's in education at Hamline. Parsley replaces Mike Huser, who is moving over to the UW-Platteville financial aid office.
Rotzenberg has extensive coaching experience with UW-Platteville, UW-La Crosse and most recently UW-Madison, where he helped coach the Badger women sprinters. He was a Pioneer assistant in 2002-04 before going to UW-La Crosse, where he worked with Olympic Gold Medalist Andrew Rock. Rotzenberg earned his bachelor's degree from UW-Whitewater in 1997 and his master's from UW-La Crosse in 2006. He taught and coached at Cuba City from 1997 until 2004, when he began his master's program. Rotzenberg is a USA Track and Field Level I and II certified coach. He replaces Dan Schwamberger, the new cross country coach at UW-Eau Claire.
Blocker led the University of Dubuque to its first-ever winning season in 2006. The goalkeeper earned all-Iowa Conference academic honors as well as earning the Spartans' defensive MVP honors. He earned his bachelor's degree this spring from UD and will assist first-year Pioneer Coach Enzo Fuschino with both the men's and women's programs.
Watson will remain with the baseball team after volunteering as a student assistant last year. The Boscobel native was a four-year letterman for the Pioneers, earning all-WIAC honors in 2006 after hitting .316. He finished his stellar career with 80 stolen bases, the second-most in conference history. Watson will graduate in December and then continue to coach as a graduate assistant.
Lawrence joins the Pioneer football program after coaching the past two seasons at Alsono High School in Tampa, Fla. His coaching stint also includes Southhamton High School in Courtland, Va. and West Middlesex High School, Pa. He is a 2001 graduate of Youngstown State University in Ohio and is pursuing his master's degree at UW-Platteville.
Munz earned UW-Platteville's George Chryst Award for leadership in 2006. He was a four-year quarterback for the Pioneers. The Highland native earned his bachelor’s degree in finance and is pursuing his master's at UW-Platteville.
Hoff was an all-conference receiver in 2006, catching 35 passes. He finished his Pioneer career with 130 catches for 1,449 yards and six scores. The physical education major is completing his student teaching.