University of Northern Iowa Athletics
Panther Athletics Mourns the Loss of Jack Jennett
10/23/2019 12:22:00 PM | Track and Field
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Hall of Fame UNI track and field coach Jack Jennett passed away Sunday in Cedar Falls, he was 89.
Jennett, originally from Sac City, Iowa, was a state champion in the pole vault in 1948 and attended Drake University where he played football and earned a conference championship in the pole vault in 1953. He coached at Morningside College and Buena Vista College before coming to UNI in 1962.
He was the head track and field and cross country coach at UNI for 14 years. He won 11 North Central Conference track and field championships, including six outdoor and five indoor titles. Twenty athletes earned All-American honors under his tutelage in track and field and six earned AA honors 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.
He served as the referee of 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 was enshrined in the UNI Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998. He is also a member of the North Central Conference Hall of Fame and the Sac City High School Hall of Fame.
Since 2009, UNI has honored Jennett as the namesake of the Jack Jennett Open, an annual indoor track and field meet hosted at the UNI-Dome.
"Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family of Coach Jack Jennett," UNI Director of Athletics David Harris said. "He was a Hall of Fame coach who won championships and coached Panther student-athletes to incredible individual and team accomplishments. As a member of the Panther family, his loss will be felt by all of us with UNI Athletics. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time."
"The UNI track and field family lost a great man early this week," head track and field coach Dave Paulsen said. "Jack Jennett is a Hall of Fame coach for the UNI Athletics but was undoubtedly a better person. His love for his family, care for his athletes and his treatment of others will always be his true legacy."
Services are scheduled at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 at First United Methodist Church with burial in Fairview Cemetery, both in Cedar Falls. Visitation is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25 at Richardson Funeral Service and for one hour prior to the Saturday's service.
Jennett, originally from Sac City, Iowa, was a state champion in the pole vault in 1948 and attended Drake University where he played football and earned a conference championship in the pole vault in 1953. He coached at Morningside College and Buena Vista College before coming to UNI in 1962.
He was the head track and field and cross country coach at UNI for 14 years. He won 11 North Central Conference track and field championships, including six outdoor and five indoor titles. Twenty athletes earned All-American honors under his tutelage in track and field and six earned AA honors 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.
He served as the referee of 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 was enshrined in the UNI Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998. He is also a member of the North Central Conference Hall of Fame and the Sac City High School Hall of Fame.
Since 2009, UNI has honored Jennett as the namesake of the Jack Jennett Open, an annual indoor track and field meet hosted at the UNI-Dome.
"Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family of Coach Jack Jennett," UNI Director of Athletics David Harris said. "He was a Hall of Fame coach who won championships and coached Panther student-athletes to incredible individual and team accomplishments. As a member of the Panther family, his loss will be felt by all of us with UNI Athletics. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time."
"The UNI track and field family lost a great man early this week," head track and field coach Dave Paulsen said. "Jack Jennett is a Hall of Fame coach for the UNI Athletics but was undoubtedly a better person. His love for his family, care for his athletes and his treatment of others will always be his true legacy."
Services are scheduled at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 at First United Methodist Church with burial in Fairview Cemetery, both in Cedar Falls. Visitation is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25 at Richardson Funeral Service and for one hour prior to the Saturday's service.
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