Jon “J.T.” Thiesen returned to the FPU coaching staff in 2016. He is responsible for overseeing athletes in the sprints, hurdles, jumps and multi events.
Student-athletes under his tutelage have broken 31 of the 40 indoor and outdoor school records in these events. In the same timespan, Thiesen's athletes have produced 82 national NAIA championship qualifiers, and a total of 64 All-Americans. Nine of those 64 All-Americans have been national champions. Most recently, Thiesen guided Ethan DeJongh to the US Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon in the triple jump. DeJongh, FPU’s first ever qualifier for the US Trials, finished 15th in the event.
Thiesen graduated cum laude from Fresno Pacific University in 1996 with a liberal studies major and math minor, while participating on the men’s basketball and track & field teams.
In his final year as an undergrad, he became the first male Academic All-American in FPU Track & Field history. He earned his teaching credential the following year and taught for seven years before coming to FPU full time. In 2004 he joined the athletics staff as Associate Athletic Director, a position he transitioned from in 2006 after assuming his current role as Associate Head Track & Field coach.
Since he arrived in 2004, Thiesen has served the university as Director of the Sunbird Association, college academic success coordinator, Director of Athletic Events, Director of Athlete Ministryvand as an instructor in the kinesiology department.
From 2006-2011, coach Thiesen served as a summer tour director for Athletes in Action. AIA is the sports ministry for Campus Crusade for Christ. Thiesen and his wife have led groups of 20-30 collegiate athletes and coaches to other countries where they use track & field as a platform for ministry. More than 20 current and former members of the Fresno Pacific University track & field team have participated on these trips.
As a result of the relationships that he has built overseas, Coach Thiesen has had the opportunity to serve as a national team coach for the South Pacific country of Fiji. He has served as head coach for the Fiji National Athletics (Track and Field) team in 2009 in India at the Commonwealth Games. Thiesen also served as an assistant coach for Fiji in 2007 in Samoa at the South Pacific Games.
Thiesen currently resides in his hometown of Reedley. He enjoys fishing, long boarding, and playing table tennis with his wife, Shannae (Castellanos – FPU 1997).
