Craig Toycen – Owner
craig@eauclaireexpress.com
Craig Toycen and The Toycen Baseball Club purchased the Eau Claire Express in February of 2022. Craig was born and raised in Chippewa Falls, Wis. He’s a graduate of Saint John’s University (MN). He and his brother, Mike, are the 3rd generation to run the Toycen Dealerships, which have been a staple in the Chippewa Valley automotive scene since 1952. Craig and his wife, Holly, live in Chippewa Falls. They have two sons, Isaiah and Adrian.
Dale Varsho – Director of Operations / Field Manager
dvarsho@eauclaireexpress.com
Dale has been the Express’s field manager since the inaugural 2005 season. The 2010 Northwoods League Manager of the Year has led the Express to the playoffs four times, winning Eau Claire’s first NWL Championship in 2010. The Express also reached the Championship Series in 2007 and 2016 and the Divisional Series in 2009. The 2023 season was his 18th as the team’s Director of Operations and Field Manager for the Express.
A native of Marshfield, Wis., Dale is no stranger to Eau Claire baseball, having played several years for the Eau Claire Cavaliers. He also served as an assistant coach at his alma mater, UW-Eau Claire. After a short coaching stint at UW-River Falls, Dale served as the head coach and Director of Facilities at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis., from 1999-2001.
Dale and his wife Jennifer live in Eau Claire with their three children: Jake, Averie, and Christian.
Nick Aldrich – Director of Food & Beverage
nick@eauclaireexpress.com
Nick was promoted to Director of Food & Beverage after spending the last year as the Director of Ticket Sales. He joined the Express full-time staff as the Director of Ticket Sales in 2024 after serving as the team’s Ticket Sales intern during the 2023 season. Nick graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in December 2023 with a degree in Marketing and emphasis in Sports Marketing. Nick also interned with the Wausau Woodchucks in 2022 in their Fan Services Department.
Ben Peterson – Director of Media Relations
Ben is entering his first year with the Express full-time staff as Director of Media Relations. It is, however, his ninth season with the Express after previously working part-time as Scoreboard Operator from 2006-2013. He is well-acquainted with the press box he’ll be spending time in during the season.
He is an Eau Claire native and previously worked as a Sports Reporter at the Leader-Telegram (2008-2014) and the Chippewa Herald (2014-2017), where he won multiple Wisconsin Newspaper Association awards. After his career in journalism, he pivoted to a focus on marketing and helped launch several local marketing firms in the Chippewa Valley and beyond.
Ben resides in Eau Claire and is looking forward to beginning his second chapter with the Express organization.
Paul Schommer – Public Address Announcer
Paul returned to the Express in 2016 as PA Announcer after a two-year hiatus. He previously held the position from 2006-2013. During his previous stint with the Express Paul had a role in ticket sales (2011) and public relations (2012). Paul previously spent 12 1/2 years as a Social Studies teacher at Hudson High School and has served as the “Voice of the Titans” at Tartan High School in Oakdale, Minn. where he did PA work for football, basketball, baseball and track and field.
Pete Knutson – Radio Broadcaster
Pete Knutson – NWL Baseball Network Broadcaster
Pete is entering his 11th season in the broadcast booth in 2025 and will broadcast all home Express games on the Northwoods League Baseball Network. Pete has been honored as the Broadcaster of the Year in the Northwoods League three times (2023, 2019, 2016) and won a Wisconsin Broadcast Association 1st place award for play-by-play broadcasting for his work in the 2016 North Division Championship Game. Pete was also selected to broadcast the 2023 NWL Playoffs, including the NWL Championship Game. Pete filled a similar role in his first year with the Express in 2014 before spending 2015 full-time as the Director of Broadcasting & Media Relations. Pete is the voice of the UW-Stout Blue Devils and works as a professor in the UW-Eau Claire Department of Communication and Journalism.
