The 38th annual Manhattan College Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, Nov. 12. Eight individuals and two teams will be honored, bringing the total number of inductees to 253. Every day leading up to the induction, a different member of the Class of 2016 will be profiled on GoJaspers.com.
Mark Hurst '79 (Men's Track & Field)
Sponsored by Joe Ryan '81
Mark Hurst was one of the best hurdlers the Manhattan College track & field program has ever produced. But he was much more than just a hurdler. He competed in a number of events during his time in Riverdale and was a key part of the Jaspers' success in the late 1970s.
One of the most versatile performers on the team, he boasted a personal best of 6'8 in the high jump in addition to being one of Manhattan's top sprinters. It wasn't uncommon for Head Coach Fred Dwyer to enter him in as many as five different events at a dual meet. Including preliminaries and finals, he once raced six times in two days at the Penn Relays.
Hurst's best event, however, was the 400 hurdles. He twice qualified for the NCAA Championships and represented Manhattan at the 1976 National Junior Championships. Hurst also competed in the 400 hurdles at both the 1976 and 1980 U.S. Olympic Trials.
He won multiple Metropolitan Conference championships in the 400 meters, 400 meter hurdles, 120 yard hurdles and 4x400 meter relay, and he was selected All-East four times. Hurst set a school record of 50.7 seconds while finishing second in the 400 hurdles at the 1979 IC4A Outdoor Championships.
That school record in the 400 hurdles is one of six that Hurst established, including three individual marks. Hurst is still the program record-holder in both the sprint medley relay and the 240-yard shuttle hurdles.
Beyond his achievements on the track, Hurst was one of the hardest workers off it. His commitment to success was infectious—and helped the entire team get better. He was a role model to his teammates (many of whom became Hall of Famers themselves), who learned what it takes to be a Division I student-athlete through his example.
An outstanding leader and tremendous all-around athlete, it's time for Mark Hurst, Class of 1979, to receive a long overdue honor and take his place in the Manhattan College Athletic Hall of Fame.
