Charles Jock, one of the most decorated athletes in UC Irvine track & field history, returned to his alma mater as a volunteer assistant coach in 2017-18.
Jock, a three-time All-American and Big West Men’s Track Athlete of the Year, won UCI’s first individual national title in 34 years when he finished ahead of the pack in the 800m at the 2012 NCAA Championships. He was named one of 10 semifinalists for The Bowerman, which is collegiate track & field’s highest award.
Jock was also the NCAA runner-up as a junior and finished ninth at nationals as a sophomore. In addition, he won two Big West titles in the 800m and was part of the 4x400 relay that was crowned conference champions four years in a row.
While still in college, Jock finished third at the 2011 USA Championships in a school-record 1:44.67. That earned him a spot on the U.S. Team for the 2011 IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea. As a sophomore, he also won gold in the 800m at the North American, Central American and Caribbean U-23 Track & Field Championships, placing first with an NACAC meet record of 1:45.65.
Following his graduation in 2012, Jock continued to see success on both the national and international stage, highlighted by a sixth-place finish in his heat of the 800m at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Jock reached the pinnacle of the sport after finishing third in a season-best 1:45.48 at the U.S. Team Trials. He was the first UCI track & field alum to earn an Olympic berth since Steve Scott in 1988.
Jock graduated from UC Irvine with a bachelor’s degree in regional policy planning and design. He prepped at Mission Bay High School in San Diego where he won the CIF state title in the 800m as a senior.
