Entering his seventh season at the helm of the cross country team, Joe Jaketic will have his work cut out for him, as he continues to build the Viking program into one of the top teams in the Horizon League. A Cleveland State graduate in 1972, Jaketic has never been able to shake his enthusiasm for the Vikings, and that has truly carried over into his head coaching career.

Last year, Jaketic guided the squad to its best season in program history, culminating with a fourth place finish at the Horizon League Championship. CSU's fourth place finish at the 2011 championship marked the highest finish in program history.

Over his seven years at the helm of the cross country team, Jaketic has continued to build the program into a Horizon League contender year-in and year-out. He has worked hard on the recruiting trail to bring in student-athletes that not only succeed on the cross country course, but also in the classroom since he has a personal philosophy that academics come first in his program.

During his tenure, 22 student-athletes have earned John Konstantinos Athletic Academic Honors, including seven who earned the accolade during all four years of their career. Since the 2006 season, the Vikings have earned USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors four times (2011, 2010, 2009, 2008), been named Cleveland State's `Best of the Best' three times (2011, 2010, 2006) and won the Academic Progress Rate Award four times (2011, 2010, 2009, 2008).

Prior to becoming head coach, Jaketic served as the equipment manager for CSU athletics. He retired from that position in December of 2008 after 37 years. Jaketic ran cross country at Maple Heights High School and spent time running at Ohio University before transferring to run cross country and track at Cleveland State.

While a student at CSU, Jaketic was a member of the Viking cross country team and spent two years in the equipment room as a part-time job before being offered the equipment manager position in 1972.