New to the staff for 2001, Jim VanHootegem?s primary area of responsibility will be San Diego State?s field athletes.
A veteran coach with over 10 years of college experience, VanHootegem comes to Montezuma Mesa from Mississippi State, where he served as an assistant track and field coach during the 1999 and 2000 seasons. While at MSU, VanHootegem worked with the Bulldogs? jump and multi-event athletes, guiding five athletes to NCAA-qualifying marks. Before his arrival at MSU, no Bulldog jumper had qualified for the NCAA meet since ?91.
Prior to his stint at Mississippi State, VanHootegem served as an assistant track and field coach at UC Irvine (1998) and Texas-Pan American (1997), and a track and field assistant at Arkansas (1994-96).
VanHootegem received his coaching start as a graduate assistant at Minnesota State - Mankato during the 1990 season. In 1991, he was named head track and field coach at North Park University in Chicago. During his three-year tenure at North Park, VanHootegem produced four NCAA qualifiers and saw his team set 22 school records.
A 1990 graduate of North Central College with a bachelor of arts in physical education, VanHootegem competed in the 400-meter dash and
on the school?s relay teams. North Central?s ?90 team captain and most valuable athlete, he was a seven-time NCAA Division III All-American and captured three conference titles during his collegiate career.
VanHootegem is married to the former Carmen Melendez, a San Diego native. The couple has two children, Tori (age 4) and Quin (age 1), and resides in San Diego.