John "Jack" Jennett (1998) - Hall of Fame

John "Jack" Jennett

Induction:
1998

Although not a University of Northern Iowa graduate, Jack Jennett has some very strong ties to the school. He's a 1949 Sac City (Iowa) High School graduate, where he lettered in four sports - football, basketball, track and baseball. He was all-conference in three of the sports and a state champ in the pole vault in 1948.

Jennett attended Drake University where he received his B.S. in 1953 and his M.A. in 1956. He was a two-sport standout with the Bulldogs in football and track. He was a pulling guard in football and was elected captain in the 1952 season. He participated in track as a pole vaulter and was the Central Collegian Champion his senior year. Graduating with a B.S. in physical education in 1953, Jennett stayed with the Drake football team as a graduate assistant before heading to Lake City, Iowa, as the head football and track coach in 1954. His Lake City track team won both indoor and outdoor state track championships in 1955.

From Lake City, he went to Morningside College as head track and assistant football coach. He spent six years reviving Morningside's track program, and the 1956 football team won the North Central Conference title. In 1961, he moved to Buena Vista College where he was head football and track coach before coming to UNI in 1962.

In his 14-year tenure with the Panthers, he won 11 North Central Conference track crowns, including six outdoor and five indoor titles. Jennett-coached athletes earned 20 all-America honors in track and six in cross country. His most successful cross country team was the 1964 North Central Conference champions which went on to place third in the NCAA national meet. His knowledge of the sport has made it possible for him to referee the 1975 Drake Relays Decathlon and the 1995 NCAA men's and women's cross country championship held in Ames. He coached fellow Hall of Famers Larry McCready, Mike McCready, Dennis Schultz, Bill Bergan and Wayne Carpenter.

He has been inducted into the Iowa High School Track Coach's Hall of Fame. His success has landed him a spot in the North Central Conference Hall of Fame and Sac City High School Hall of Fame.