About the Team
Menlo School’s track & field program has had memorable moments and a strong list of outstanding individuals in its history.
The Knights track & field teams posted one of their most successful seasons in program history in 2023. Six Menlo School athletes–runners and jumpers–qualified for the state meet. The Knights boys’ 4x800 team (Justin Pretre ’23, Aiden Deffner ’23, Will Hauser ’25, and Landon Pretre ’25) set a Central Coast Section record and secured a place in the history of the inaugural season of the event in the state final with their time of 7:39. The boys placed third, becoming the smallest school with the highest podium team finish in CCS Championships history.
Herbert Fleishhacker ’25 was the first athlete in San Mateo County history to capture a title at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) meet when he won the shot put (12 pound and 16 pound) in 1925. More recently, Libby Jenke ’05 won the state title in the 800-meter race in 2005. In 2012, the boys’ and girls’ teams each won the West Bay Athletic League crown for the first time. The girls have won five titles in the last six seasons, including a current three-year run 2015-2017.
The Coach
Jorge Chen (10th Season)
Jorge Chen, is entering his 10th season as track & field program director and has been coaching in the program for 23 years.
Chen, who was just named CCS Honor Coach - Track & Field - has led the charge in taking the Knights to the state level, and generating high participation numbers in the sport. Menlo’s longtime cross country, track & field coach and assistant soccer coach won a Positive Coaching Alliance National Double-Goal Coach® Award in 2019 for his positive impact on youth sports and was one of four to be recognized at the National Youth Sports Awards.
He has developed a successful middle school cross country and track program with Donoson FitzGerald, and was honored by Menlo in 2009 with the Bagshaw Family Award for Coaching Excellence as an assistant cross country, soccer, track and field and Middle School coach.
At Stanford, Chen ran the 200 and 400 from 1993-1995 and competed in crew in 1996 and 1997. Chen was a top-level runner for San Mateo High School track and field, including the Peninsula Athletic League 1990 and 1991 championship teams.