Mankato, Minn.--- Jeff Decock and Mark Schuck were paid with both high praise and respect on Saturday.

First, Jeff Decock, a native of Lamberton, Minn., was a field athlete in his time with the Minnesota State track and field program. Jeff tragically passed away in May of 2017.

Jeff earned two NSIC individual titles in 2016 and 2017 in the high jump. He also was invited to the national Indoor Track and Field Championships both of those years.

Jeff had a personal best of 2.16m (7-1) in the high jump which is good for fifth all-time on the Minnesota State top ten list.

Former Maverick head coach Jim Dilling expressed how Jeff was talented, dedicated, and coachable - truly a rare a combination. It was also mentioned Jeff was always willing to offer help to his teammates and his strong faith and generous soul shone brightly.

Jeff's parents Doug and Sandy, as well as siblings Heidi Langin, John Decock, Mary Portner, Michelle Van Engen, Andrew Decock, Sarah Walker, Caitlyn Dafni, Hannah Decock and Emily Decock were present to receive a commemorative plaque of the "Inaugural Jeff Decock Memorial High Jump".

Mark Schuck had a 34-year stint as the Minnesota State men's cross country coach and another 15 years as the head men's track and field coach.

Schuck coached four different national individual champions and under his guidance Minnesota State won nine North Central Conference cross country titles (1981, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2004, 2005 and 2006) and one Northern Intercollegiate title (1979). A nine-time league Cross Country Coach of the Year (eight times in the NCC, once in NSIC), he was named North Central Regional Men's Coach of the Year in 1988 and 1999. The Nicollet, Minn., native led the  Mavericks to NCAA Division II cross country title in 1988 when team tied with Edinboro. He had four national individual champions during tenure and gained NCC Indoor Coach of the Year accolades in 2004, 2006 and 2008 and NSIC ITF Coach of the Year honors in 2009, 2010 and 2012.  In 2006, 2009 and 2010 he was selected as North Central Region Indoor Men's TF Coach of Year, he was a four-time league Outdoor TF Coach of Year (2008 in NCC, 2009, 2010 and 2012 in NSIC) and the indoor track & field team finished second in the nation in 1989. A three-time national coach of the year (2006 USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Men's Indoor Track Coach of the Year and 1988 and 1993 NCAA DII Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year), he was a student-athlete at Minnesota State, participating in cross country, track and field and basketball before graduating in 1969.

As of Saturday, the meet formerly known as the MSU Open & Multi has now become the "Mark Schuck Open & Multi". Mark's wife Jane, his daughters Angie and Kelly shared the special moment.

Mark and the Schuck family received a commemorative plaque symbolizing the meet's name change.
 
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