Western Colorado University Athletics

Jerry Hollingshead attended Western State from 1979 to 1986. He joined the track team after jumping 6-foot, 6-inches while messing around with some friends.
 
Hollingshead was a five-time Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championship. The jumper earned three titles in the triple jump, as well as winning a title in long jump and in the high jump.
 
As well as being an outstanding jumper, Hollingshead was a gifted sprinter, winning a conference title in the 4x400 meter relay and placing in the top-three in the conference in the 400-meter dash multiple times.
 
Hollingshead was an NAIA All-American for Indoor Track and Field in 1982 and 1984, and earned his only outdoor All-American honor in 1982.
 
"I believe he is one of the greatest athletes in Western State history," said Mountaineer Hall of Fame member Samuel Seale. "It was a great pleasure to watch and run with an amazing individual and phenomenal athlete."
 
Hollingshead stayed at Western State two more season as an assistant track coach, before continuing his career as a teacher and coach at Ridgeway High School for a decade, and at Olathe High School for the past 16 years.