Rosen, Jacket Elected as Olympic Coaches

Mel Rosen of Auburn University and Barbara Jacket of Prairie View A&M; were elected coaches of the U.S. men’s and women’s track and field teams for the 1992 Olympic Games.

The International Competition Committee of The Athletics Congress, meeting Sunday, the day before the official start of TAC’s annual convention, elected the U.S. staffs for three major events.

In the 1984 L.A. Olympics, Rosen was an assistant coach, handling the sprinters, hurdlers and relay teams. His athletes won 13 medals, including seven golds, and set one world record.

He also was men’s head coach of the 1987 U.S. World Championship team and is chairman of TAC’s Men’s Track and Field Committee.

He has coached more than 125 All-American athletes, including 62 Southeastern Conference outdoor and 58 indoor champions. His dual meet record is 92-27.

Jacket, 53, who started the women’s track and field program at Prairie View A&M; in 1966, has guided the Lady Panthers to the last eight NAIA outdoor titles.

Meanwhile, Tom Tellez of the University of Houston, who coached the 1987 men’s Pan American Games team, was named coach of the 1991 World Championship team, and Joe Vigil of Adams State (Colo.) was elected coach of the 1991 men’s Pan American Games squad.

Dave Rodda, an assistant women’s coach on the 1988 Olympic team and head of the Nike Coast Track Club in Long Beach, was chosen coach of the women’s 1991 World Championship team, and Dorothy Doolittle of the University of Tennessee was selected coach of the women’s 1991 Pan American Games team.