Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
North Central College Athletics Hall of Fame Gallery
NOTE: This is the fifth of 12 profiles (three team, nine individual) of the upcoming inductees to the North Central College Athletic Hall of Fame Oct. 7.
Sept. 1, 2023 - After four years spent competing in what is traditionally one of the final events in a track and field competition, David Jones '94 was ready for his moment when it came and delivered a personal-best performance on the final attempt of his career to win a national championship for the Cardinals at their home facility.
A competitor in several events as a high-school athlete, Jones came to North Central intent on specializing in the triple jump, an approach which received full support from coaches Al Carius (H) '16 and Frank Gramarosso.
"They said the most important thing to them was that I improve and have fun," Jones said. "I hadn't planned on participating in sports after high school, but their support got me engaged in competing again."
Jones earned All-America honors for the first time at the 1992 indoor national championship, placing sixth in the triple jump as the team placed sixth in the team standings. A year later, Jones placed sixth indoors and seventh outdoors to claim two more All-America certificates and won the CCIW triple jump title as North Central placed eighth indoors and fourth outdoors.
A fourth-place finish at the 1994 indoor national finals brought Jones All-America accolades for the third straight year as North Central placed fourth as a team. Jones repeated as CCIW triple jump champion before the Cardinals hosted the 1994 outdoor national championship.
As had been the case in most meets in his career, Jones was scheduled to compete near the end of the championship's final day. As the team competition was expected to be fierce, Jones prepared for the prospect that his performance could determine the meet's outcome.
"At the start of our senior year, Brian Johnson '95 said, 'How cool would it be if it all came down to you?' We had that conversation more than once. That's when I started preparing for it mentally in case that happened."
The Cardinals staged a neck-and-neck duel with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse for the top spot at the championship, and Jones' performance would indeed prove pivotal, though he was seeded 11th out of 13 entries following the preliminary attempts. As Jones prepared for the final jump of his collegiate career, his event coach, Doug Malinsky, paid Jones a visit.
"After four years, Doug knew me and what motivated me," Jones said. "He told me, 'We need you to jump this distance. If you want this ring, you have to jump this far.' And he walked away from me, because he knew that's what I wanted. He let me think about it."
Jones started down the runway for the final time and delivered a personal-best effort of 48 feet, 8.25 inches, which lifted him to third place in the final standings and six points in the team race.
"I took the last jump and that was it," Jones said. "Thats where (Malinsky) and I were at that point as far as the chemistry between the coach and athlete. He knew exactly what button to push to get me to do something I had never done before."
Jones' effort enabled the Cardinals to secure victory in the meet by a single point (75-74) over Wisconsin-La Crosse, triggering a celebration befitting a national title achieved at home.
"When it happened, I remember Brian Fennelly '94 grabbing and hugging me so tight," Jones recalled. "My parents, family and friends were there. The students at North Central really support their athletes, and I remember the football, baseball and soccer teams being there helping run the meet, and there were a lot of faculty there as well, and finally just looking at the trophy and thinking, 'we did it.'
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