Gayle Hopkins

Gayle Hopkins won the NCAA long jump in 1964, competing for the University of Arizona. At the AAU meet, he placed in the top six in the long jump in 1964-65 and 1967-68, with a best of third place in 1965. Hopkins started out at Trinidad State (Colorado) Junior College where he competed in track and was the starting quarterback on the football team. He later transferred to the University of Arizona. Hopkins eventually earned a master’s degree from San Francisco State College and a PhD from Claremont College, where he worked as a track coach and director of physical education.

In 1983 Hopkins returned to the University of Arizona, where he spent 27 years as an assistant athletic director and an athletics administrator at his alma mater. He retired in 2010, being noted as a role model and positive influence on generations of Wildcat athletes. Hopkins was a member of the University of Arizona Sports Hall of Fame. He was involved with the Urban League Caucus, the NAACP and the University of Arizona Black Alumni Association, and various other civic organizations

Personal Bests: HJ – 2.02 (6-7½) (1962); LJ – 8.16 (26-9¼) (1964); TJ – 15.75 (51-8) (1964).