The USC track and field program added transfers Alyssa and Johnnie Blockburger to its 2021-22 roster. The sophomore twins competed at Arizona during the 2020-21 season.
“USC is excited to add the Blockburgers to our roster,” said Director of Track and Field Quincy Watts in a release. “Johnnie will be one of the most versatile sprinters in USC history. As a freshman he had times of 10.28 in the 100m, 20.70 in the 200m and 44.71 in the 400m dashes. We are also ecstatic about signing Alyssa. She will add tremendous depth to our women’s distance program.”
Johnnie Blockburger was the 2021 Pac-12 400m dash champion with a time of 45.57 and was named the Pac-12 Men’s Freshman of the Year. He set the Arizona school record and posted a personal-best time of 44.71 to win the 400m title at the Jim Click Shootout on April 10. He also had PRs of 10.28 in the 100m and 20.70 in the 200m during the 2021 season. Blockburger ranked No. 6 among NCAA runners in the 400m during the regular season and was the only freshman to run a sub-45.0 time in the 400m dash. Blockburger was called “the 400m Find of 2021” by Track and Field News and finished 12th in that distance at the NCAA Championships, one of three freshman to reach the semifinals. Blockburger also qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the 400m.
Alyssa Blockburger had a season-best time of 2:09.41 in the 800m to place sixth at the Desert Heat Classic on May 1. She finished in the top six in every regular season 800m race in which she competed. She did not reach the finals of the 800m at the Pac-12 Championships but did run a leg on the 4x400m relay which posted a time of 3:44.22 to finish fifth. She also competed with the 4x400m relay at the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds which ran 3:36.08 to finish 13th.
Johnnie and Alyssa Blockburger graduated from Tucson High in 2020 and are the children of Cynthia and Sheldon Blockburger. Sheldon Blockburger served as the USC assistant coach for jumps and multi-events for the 2016-18 seasons.
From news release
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Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014, he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017, a 2019 AZ Education News award winner and he has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. He was the first in Arizona to write about high school beach volleyball and high school girls wrestling. His own children have won multiple state high school championships and were named to all-state teams. Competing in hockey, basketball, baseball and track & field in high school, his unique perspective can only be found here and on AZPreps365.com. Andy is the Southern Arizona voting member of the Ed Doherty Award, recognizing the top football player in Arizona, and he was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Andy was named an Honorary Flowing Wells Caballero in 2019 and he is a member of the Amphi COVID-19 Blue Ribbon Committee. Contact Andy Morales at amoralesmytucson@yahoo.com
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