Jose Hernandez begins his fifth season as assistant coach for the track and field teams at Concordia.

In his first four seasons at Concordia, Hernandez has coached three NAIA All-Americans and his athletes have broken 37 school records.

In six years as an assistant at Adams State (Colo.), Hernandez guided three individual national champions in track & field as well as 42 All-American sprinters and hurdlers in his six-year stint.

He was also a jumpers coach at Strake Jesuit College Prep High School for one season, guiding the state champions in both the high jump and triple jump.

Hernandez spent his career as an athlete at Rice University (Texas) where he was an NCAA Div.I qualifier in the 4x400m relay. Hernandez also competed in the World Junior Track & Field Championships in 1988 and earned four gold medals at the Central American and Caribbean Junior Games in the 200m and 400m.

Hernandez earned his bachelor's in Human Performance and Health Science at Rice in 1994 and went on to earn his master's in Health Physical Education and Recreation from Adams State in 1998.

Hernandez and his son, Daven Jose Tjaarda-Hernandez (11), live in Irvine.