Biography

The 6-foot Verzbicas built a legendary resume in just three years. He won three 3A state championships, coming within five seconds of the legendary Craig Virgin’s 38-year-old state record last fall.

After his high-school season concluded, Verzbicas became the first boy to win the Nike Cross Nationals and the Foot Locker Nationals in the same year. In repeating as the Foot Locker Nationals champion, Verzbicas won the race in 14:59. In 2009, Verzbicas became the first sophomore to win the race in its then 31-year history. The last repeat Foot Locker Nationals winner, Dathan Ritzenhein (1999-2000) of Santa Rosa (Calif.) Montgomery High, was named the NHSCA Senior Athlete of the Year in 2001. That performance earned Verzbicas Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year honors for the second consecutive year.

He also was the 2009 Junior Duathlon World Champion. Indoors this year, he posted the No. 2 all-time mark in the 3,000 (8:07.54) and the No. 3 all-time marks in the 1,500 (3:47.60) and the 1,600 (4:03.88). A native of Lithuania, who came to the United States at the age of nine, Verzbicas owns a 3.25 GPA and will graduate from Carl Sandburg this year in just three years. He will attend the University of Oregon.

Verzbicas only ran two races as a Duck before leaving school to train solely for triathlons when tragedy struck. In July of 2012, Verzbicas lost control of his bike and suffered severe injuries including: a broken clavicle, two broken vertebrea, six broken ribs and a collapsed lung. After hours of surgery and two rods placed in his back, Verzbicas was unsure of his future.

Verzbicas was not discouraged.   Within months he was back at it. To this day he is still training for triathlons.

Records

Only the 5th high school athlete to run under a 4 minute mile

3x Illinois State Champion

Professional Achievements

Currently training for triathlons

2x Gatorade National Cross Country Runner of the Year

Personal Honors

Attended the University of Oregon