Hall of Fame
Men’s Cross Country & Track Coach (1968-88)
Jack Cook spent 21 years as Nevada’s head track and cross country coach. He guided his cross country teams to 10 conference championships, including seven West Coast Athletic and three Big Sky titles. His track teams won six conference titles (three WCAC and three Big Sky). He was undefeated in collegiate cross country dual meets (58-0) and coached 23 All-Americans in the two sports. Cook’s 1968 men’s cross country team won both the NCAA Division II and West Coast Conference titles, but the championships were later taken away when it was found that Nevada was using ineligible student-athletes. Cook was named the Big Sky Coach of the Year three times each in cross country and in track, paralleling his championships (1981, 1982 and 1984 in track and 1979, 1980 and 1983 in cross country. He was District Seven (Rocky Mountain area) coach of the year in track in 1984. Cook retired from coaching in July of 1988. He passed away in 2005 and Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn named July 23, 2005 as a day in honor and remembrance of Coach Jack Cook.
