Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
Jay Dirksen graduated from General Beadle High School in Madison, South Dakota, where he won the State Class B Championship in the mile.
He attended South Dakota State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education in 1968 and a master’s degree in 1969. Following graduation, he served as the men’s cross country and track coach at South Dakota State University, where he also established a women’s cross country program. In 1977, he became the assistant men’s track coach at the University of Illinois. In 1982, he accepted a position as the head women’s track and field coach at the University of Missouri. After one year at Missouri, Dirksen joined the University of Nebraska–Lincoln as head cross country coach and assistant head track coach, overseeing distance runners. He spent 29 seasons at Nebraska before retiring in 2011.
Jay Dirksen married Diane Stewart in 1972. They have two children, a son, Derek, and a daughter, Kristi.