"We are looking forward to our men's signing class joining Shocker track and field," Steve Rainbolt, director of Shocker track and field and cross country, said. "Sixteen new athletes will certainly make a positive impact on the Wichita State track and field program.

"Our men's signing class has many very good athletes, in particular we are excited about the national junior college champion in the javelin Jon Rizzo joining a long line of great javelin competitors at Wichita State. Tomas Cotter comes to Wichita State with terrific credentials as a middle distance and distance runner. Alex Reed is a very talented athlete from Kansas in the sprints and jumps. Ethan Pearson had a great career at Emporia High School. These athletes will certainly be terrific leaders for this talented group of newcomers."

The Shocker men finished in third place during two tight team races in both the 2011 Missouri Valley Conference men's indoor and outdoor championships. Wichita State won the 2010 MVC men's indoor and outdoor titles.

A list of incoming women's track and field student-athletes will be released later this week.

A closer look at the men's signees:

Jon Rizzo (Goddard, Kan./Coffeyville CC) - Rizzo will join the traditionally strong group of Shocker javelin throwers, and will try to add his name to the long list of All-Americans in that event. He won a national javelin title at the NJCAA National Outdoor Track and Field Championships. His personal best in the event is 209-5.

Tomas Cotter (Dundalk, Ireland/Iowa Central CC) - Cotter will add quality to the men's distance squad. In his junior college career, he was a NJCAA national champion in the mile run and distance medley relay and placed second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. His personal bests are 1:54 (800), 3:52 (1500) and 9:03 (3000 steeplechase).

Thomas Kirop (Eldoret, Kenya) - Along with Cotter, Kirop will add a terrific one-two punch in distance events for the Shockers. His personal bests are 3:50 (1500) and 14:40 (5000).

Alex Reed (Great Bend, Kan./Great Bend HS) - A very talented, all-around athlete, Reed will compete in sprints and jumps for Wichita State. He won the Class 5A 400 at the KSHSAA 2011 State Track and Field Meet and finished third in the 200. His personal bests are 22.1 (200), 48.37 (400) and 23-10 (long jump).

Ethan Pearson (Emporia, Kan./Emporia HS) - Pearson will compete in the pole vault for the Shockers and will look to continue to develop after a terrific high school career. He was a Kansas state finalist in the pole vault in 2010 and 2011 and his personal best is 15-6.

Aaron Leung Woo-Gabriel (Arima, Trinidad and Tobago/Hillview College) - Gabriel will look to make an immediate impact in MVC sprinting events. He placed fifth in the 100 at the 2010 Carifta Trials. His personal bests are 10.69 (100) and 22.02 (200).

Chris Dubree (Bloomington, Ill./St. Ambrose University) - A high school teammate of current Shocker Alex Freshour, Dubree will look to be an immediate force in the MVC. He set the St. Ambrose school record in the men's shot put with a personal best toss of 52-8¾ in 2011.

Marcus Moeder (LaCrosse, Kan./LaCrosse HS) - Moeder will continue the tradition of small-town western Kansas athletes looking to make a difference for the Shockers. He won the Class 2A boys' long jump at the 2011 Kansas state meet. His personal bests are 10.6 (100) and 23-1½ (long jump).

Grant Ralston (Andover, Kan./Andover HS) - Ralston will join the strong Shocker multi-event group, as well as continue to develop in the jumping events. He won the Class 5A boys' triple jump at the 2011 Kansas state meet. His personal bests are 10.8 (100), 21-7 (long jump), 46-3½ (triple jump).

Bryce Fisher (Derby, Kan./Derby HS) - Fisher is a talented high school thrower who should develop into a solid MVC-level shot and discus thrower. He posted a fourth-place finish in the Class 6A boys' shot put at the 2011 Kansas state meet and also finished sixth in the boys' discus. His personal best in the shot put is 54-6½ and in the discus is 152-0.

Samuel Glomstad-Foster (Galesville, Wis./Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau HS) - Glomstad-Foster will join a talented group of newcomer sprinters for Wichita State. He was a Wisconsin state finalist each of the last two years in both the 100 and 200. His personal bests are 10.95 (100) and 22.28 (200).

Cayd Bloomquist (Emporia, Kan./Butler CC) - Bloomquist is a very talented pole vaulter who has yet to reach his full potential. He was hampered by injuries throughout his junior college career. He played basketball at Butler in addition to participating in track and field. His personal best in the pole vault is 15-6.

Chris Seiler (Ellsworth, Kan./Neosho County CC) - Seiler will add quality and depth to the Shockers' group of throwers. He finished fifth in the men's weight throw at the 2011 NJCAA National Indoor Championships and seventh in the men's hammer throw at the 2011 NJCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. His personal bests are 53-0 (weight throw), 144-4 (discus) and 161-4 (hammer).

Adam Esau (Walton, Kan./Butler CC) - Another solid, all-around thrower from the junior college ranks, Esau will look to contribute in a variety of throwing events. He competed in the shot put and hammer throw at the NJCAA outdoor championships. His personal bests are 49-8¼ (shot put), 46-11 (weight) and 142-11 (hammer).

Cristian Valdez (Newton, Kan./Newton HS) - Valdez is another solid sprints newcomer who will look to make an impact for the Shockers. He ran on the 2011 Class 5A Kansas state champion 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams. His personal best is 10.91 in the 100.

Brian Dewey (Cheney, Kan./Cheney HS) - Dewey will follow in the footsteps of fellow Cheney High School athlete Aaron Young in the pole vault. He was a state finalist in the Class 4A pole vault at the Kansas state meet. His personal best mark in the pole vault is 14-0.

- Wichita State -