Jess Mortensen
Encyclopedia
Jesse "Jess" Philo Mortensen (April 16, 1907 in Thatcher, Arizona
- February 19, 1962) was a NCAA
champion track athlete and coach. Mortensen is one of only three men to win Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship team titles as both an athlete and coach.
Mortensen was captain of the 1930 NCAA
championship track team at the University of Southern California
where he was the three-year track letterman in 1928, 1929, and 1930. In addition, he was a letterman in football in 1928 and 1929 and a basketball letterman in 1928, 1929 and 1930, earning All-American honors in 1929 and 1930. He won the 1929 NCAA
javelin title and set a world record in the decathlon in 1931, earned All-American honors in basketball in 1930 (MVP), and was a member of the 1928 national championship USC football team and played in the 1930 Rose Bowl
.
After a 14-year coaching stint at Riverside Community College
, he returned to become coach of the USC track and field
team in 1951. He led the USC Trojans
to 7 NCAA
titles in his 11 years as coach (1951-1961). His teams never lost a dual meet (64-0) and never finished worse than second in the conference meet. He was an assistant U.S. men's track coach in the 1956 Olympics
. He also served as an assistant football coach at USC from 1951 to 1955. He coached track at the University of Denver
and the United States Military Academy
.
Mortensen is a member of the University of Southern California Athletic Hall of Fame, the National Track and Field Hall of Fame
and the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association
Hall of Fame.
Thatcher, Arizona
Thatcher is a town in Graham County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the town is 4,865. It is part of the Safford Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Thatcher is located at ....
- February 19, 1962) was a NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
champion track athlete and coach. Mortensen is one of only three men to win Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship team titles as both an athlete and coach.
Mortensen was captain of the 1930 NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
championship track team at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
where he was the three-year track letterman in 1928, 1929, and 1930. In addition, he was a letterman in football in 1928 and 1929 and a basketball letterman in 1928, 1929 and 1930, earning All-American honors in 1929 and 1930. He won the 1929 NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
javelin title and set a world record in the decathlon in 1931, earned All-American honors in basketball in 1930 (MVP), and was a member of the 1928 national championship USC football team and played in the 1930 Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
.
After a 14-year coaching stint at Riverside Community College
Riverside Community College
Riverside City College, or RCC, is a community college located in Riverside, California, United States. The college is part of the Riverside Community College District, as well as the larger California Community Colleges System.-History:...
, he returned to become coach of the USC track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
team in 1951. He led the USC Trojans
USC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the Trojans, the women's athletic teams are referred to as either the Trojans or Women of Troy...
to 7 NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
titles in his 11 years as coach (1951-1961). His teams never lost a dual meet (64-0) and never finished worse than second in the conference meet. He was an assistant U.S. men's track coach in the 1956 Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
. He also served as an assistant football coach at USC from 1951 to 1955. He coached track at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
and the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
.
Mortensen is a member of the University of Southern California Athletic Hall of Fame, the National Track and Field Hall of Fame
National Track and Field Hall of Fame
The National Track and Field Hall of Fame located within the Armory Foundation at 216 Fort Washington Avenue, between 168th and 169th Streets, in Washington Heights, in the New York City borough of Manhattan, is a museum operated by The Armory Foundation in conjunction with USA Track & Field...
and the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association
U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association is a New Orleans, Louisiana-based professional association representing men's and women's cross country and track & field coaches in the United States. The organization has about 8,000 members...
Hall of Fame.