Jackson State University Men's Track

Harris was named as the assistant coach for the JSU Mens Track and Field program, coaching the sprints, hurdles, jumps and throws. From the time that he began as a graduate assistant in 2006, until the present day, Harris has used his coaching knowledge to coach 40 SWAC Champions, 37 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Regional Qualifiers, three NCAA Indoor All-Americans and one NCAA Outdoor All-American. His extensive coaching knowledge stems from his experience as an athlete and his continued and constant coaching education.  Harris began his track career as a member of the New Orleans Comets USATF youth track team in 1998. As a member of this youth track team, Harris competed in four USATF Outdoor National Junior Olympic Championships and won a bronze medal in the javelin. As a two sport athlete in high school, Harris was All State and All District  for three years in both football and track and field. He was also named MVP for the Nokia Sugar Bowl and district and regional track meets. In 2002, Harris received a full track scholarship to Jackson State and became a contributing member of the 2005 and 2006 Mens SWAC Indoor Championship teams. Jonathan Harris was named 1st Team All SWAC in the Discus, Javelin, and Shotput; however, track and field was not the only collegiate sport that he excelled in. Harris was also a two year starter for the Jackson State football team. As an athlete, Jonathan led by example with his hard work and dedication. As a coach, he takes his craft just as seriously, participating in Coaches education and having professional memberships in MAHPERD (Mississippi Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance) and USA Track and Field, where he also has earned his Level 1 Coaching Certification from the USTFCCA (US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association). He earned his Bachelors degree in Health, Physical Education, and Recreation in 2007 and his Masters degree in Health, Physical Education, and Recreation in 2010 from Jackson State University. Jonathan Harris, Sr. is married to Tamika Harris. They have one child, Jonathan Harris, Jr. who is four years old. Jonathan M. Harris, Sr. is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana who is in his inaugural season as the associate head coach for the Jackson State University men and womens track and field program.  However, he is not new to the JSU coaching staff. He began his coaching career at Jackson State in 2006 as a graduate assistant in the womens track and field program. While a graduate assistant, he helped to guide the womens team to two Southwestern Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships and one SWAC Indoor Championship. In 2010, Harris was named as the assistant coach for the JSU Mens Track and Field program, coaching the sprints, hurdles, jumps and throws. From the time that he began as a graduate assistant in 2006, until the present day, Harris has used his coaching knowledge to coach 40 SWAC Champions, 37 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Regional Qualifiers, three NCAA Indoor All-Americans and one NCAA Outdoor All-American. His extensive coaching knowledge stems from his experience as an athlete and his continued and constant coaching education.  Harris began his track career as a member of the New Orleans Comets USATF youth track team in 1998. As a member of this youth track team, Harris competed in four USATF Outdoor National Junior Olympic Championships and won a bronze medal in the javelin. As a two sport athlete in high school, Harris was All State and All District  for three years in both football and track and field. He was also named MVP for the Nokia Sugar Bowl and district and regional track meets. In 2002, Harris received a full track scholarship to Jackson State and became a contributing member of the 2005 and 2006 Mens SWAC Indoor Championship teams. Jonathan Harris was named 1st Team All SWAC in the Discus, Javelin, and Shotput; however, track and field was not the only collegiate sport that he excelled in. Harris was also a two year starter for the Jackson State football team. As an athlete, Jonathan led by example with his hard work and dedication. As a coach, he takes his craft just as seriously, participating in Coaches education and having professional memberships in MAHPERD (Mississippi Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance) and USA Track and Field, where he also has earned his Level 1 Coaching Certification from the USTFCCA (US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association). He earned his Bachelors degree in Health, Physical Education, and Recreation in 2007 and his Masters degree in Health, Physical Education, and Recreation in 2010 from Jackson State University. Jonathan Harris, Sr. is married to Tamika Harris. They have one child, Jonathan Harris, Jr. who is four years old.

Mark Thorne begins his sixth year as Jackson State University’s Director of Track and Field and Cross Country in 2024, his 17th year overall working with the program. In his current position, which he was promoted to in the fall of 2019, Thorne is responsible for directing the coaching staff and coaching student-athletes on performance and achievement in indoor and outdoor track and field as well as cross country. He manages the cross country/track and field budget, handles scholarships, develops practice and competition schedules and strategies, monitors the academic performance of his student-athletes, monitors the health and wellness of his competitors, and ensures abidance to institutional, Southwestern Athletic Conference and NCAA policies and regulations. Thorne held similar responsibilities while holding the title of Head Men’s Track and Field Coach for the Tigers from 2010 to 2020, and while serving as the program’s Assistant Head Men’s Track and Field Coach from 2007 to 2010. During Thorne’s tenure, Jackson State has produced numerous All-Southwestern Athletic Conference performers in running as well as field events, several NCAA Preliminary Round qualifiers, and three All-Americans in Anaso Jobodwana, B.J. Lee and Sherman Hawkins. Jobodwana of South Africa and Adell Colthrust of Trinidad & Tobago are two of Thorne’s JSU pupils who have gone on to compete in Olympic Games. Meanwhile, in cross country, Thorne has also coached several of his runners to individual all-conference accolades, with two runners capturing individual outright cross country titles. Thorne is a three-time SWAC Cross Country Coach of the Year. His team most recently captured the 2017 SWAC Cross Country Championship and his indoor and outdoor track and field teams finished second during last season’s conference championships. Thorne has earned several coaching certifications, including USATF Level 1, USATF Level 2 Endurance, and USTFCCCA Level 2 in Sprints Hurdles and Relays. During his time as a college student at Jackson State, Thorne was a Dean’s List student academically and a letterman on the Tigers’ track and field team from 1989 to 1993, the latter three seasons serving a team captain. He earned All-SWAC honors each of his years on the team. Thorne holds two degrees from Jackson State –  a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Master of Science degree in Mass Communication. He is a proud member of the MU Sigma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and he serves as Advisor to the Alpha Beta Chapter of the fraternity. Thorne and his wife, Dr. Dianne Thorne, reside in Byram, Miss. and are the parents of three children.