While surrounded by friends, family and coaches, four Ellsworth Panthers signed letters of intent to play college sports at various levels during a ceremony at the high school on Friday, March 24.

The four seniors that signed the dotted line included Alex Pazdernik, Anthony Madsen, Drew Gipson and Lance Gipford, all of whom committed at that moment to continue their academic and athletic careers for the next four years.

Pazdernik will attend the University of Wisconsin-River Falls where he will compete in both cross country and track and field. Madsen signed with Valley City State University to play baseball. Gipson committed to play football at Graceland University and Gipford will play football for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Both Pazdernik and Gipford signed with NCAA Division 3 schools in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), which is one of the renowned leagues in America in nearly every sport it competes – especially football.

Madsen and Gipson will continue their athletic careers in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), a non-NCAA league that features 252 member institutions and more than 77,000 student-athletes competing annually.

Anthony Madsen

During his tenure, Madsen has compiled a resume that would rival that of any Ellsworth student-athlete in the last handful of years.

When Masden graduates in May, he will have earned 10 varsity letters during his four years at Ellsworth. He lettered four times in wrestling, three in football and will receive his third in baseball after the season is done this spring.

He won a Northern Badger wrestling title, made multiple trips to Madison for the state tournament, and helped the 2022 football team go to a state championship game at Camp Randall for the first time in more than three decades.

Every coach that Madsen played for during his time at Ellsworth immediately identifies him as one of the leaders of the team. Whether he earned captain status or not – he usually did – Madsen was a leader and his maturity showed both on the field and in his locker room guidance.

Madsen will continue his career this fall at Valley City State University, which is in Valley City, North Dakota.

Drew Gipson

Gipson leaves Ellsworth as a three-time letter winner, all of which he earned on the football field. Gipson leaves a legacy of excellence at Ellsworth, particularly through his toughness and leadership among a veteran Panthers defensive unit.

One could argue that the last three years of Ellsworth football have been the best in program history. During that span, the Panthers have a cumulative record of 30-3, won three Middle Border Conference championships and finished runner-up in the 2022 state championship game.

Although he missed time due to injury in the 2022 campaign, Gipson helped anchor an Ellsworth defensive unit that was one of the best in the state for the better part of three years. His work on the defensive line helped the Panthers become one of the most feared defensive units in Wisconsin.

Gipson leaves a legacy of excellence among one of the most talented defensive lines in school history. He will continue his career this fall at Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa.

Alex Pazdernik

Pazdernik is the lone student from Ellsworth’s class of 2023 that will be a multi-sport athlete at his chosen college. Pazdernik will compete in both track and field and cross country at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

During his four years at Ellsworth, Pazdernik transformed himself into one of the most dominant long-distance runners in program history, for both track and field and cross country.

He leaves Ellsworth as a seven-time letter winner that includes four in cross country and three in track and field, the last of which he will earn after the 2023 spring season is completed.

Pazdernik regularly made trips to the state cross country meet including his senior year last fall when he posted a time of 17:56.9 which earned him eighth place out of 152 total runners.

While Pazdernik certainly has natural talent, his work ethic is what often separates him from the rest of the competition.

Throughout the 2022 season, Ellsworth track and field coach Drew Pechacek spoke glowingly of Pazdernik’s work ethic and offseason effort that made him such a dominant force. That offseason work immediately translated to on-course results.

Pazdernik will begin the next chapter of his life as a student-athlete at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls this August.

Lance Gipford

Last but certainly not least is the aforementioned Gipford, who earned three varsity letters – two in basketball and one in football – during his four years at Ellsworth.

After not playing football during the 2021 season, Gipford returned to the Panthers’ gridiron and made an immediate impact for a team that desperately needed skill position players. Gipford filled part of the void left by program legends Ashten Quade, Max Grand and Jack Janke, who all graduated after the 2021 season.

Gipford exploded offensively during his lone season with the Panthers. His 2022 campaign included 11 starts at wide receiver, 32 receptions for 574 yards and four touchdowns, all of which were team-high figures for an Ellsworth team that went 10-2.

Gipford’s efforts on the perimeter helped the Panthers stretch the field and open up a dominant rushing attack with senior teammate Bo Hines. Ellsworth’s ability to run and pass the ball effectively – largely because of Gipford – made them a force to be reckoned with.

His senior tape immediately attracted collegiate attention from the WIAC, which is largely regarded as the best Division 3 college football league in the country.

Gipford ultimately decided to sign with the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he will begin the next chapter of his life this fall.