Jaime Mendez (American football)
{{Short description|American football player (born 1971)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox NCAA athlete
| name = Jaime Mendez
| image =
| caption =
| college = Kansas State University
| conference = Big 8
| sport = Football
| jersey = 32
| position = Free Safety
| class =
| major = Business Administration
| minor =
| nickname =
| career_start = 1990
| career_end = 1993
| height_ft = 6
| height_in =0
| weight_lb = 200
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|02|20}}
| birth_place = Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse = Essence Atkins (2009-2016)
| highschool = Cardinal Mooney
| former_school(s)=
| career_highlights =
| award = Semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award (1993), Team's co-MVP (1993)
| honors =
- First-team All-American (1993)
- 2× First-team All-Big Eight (1992, 1993)
- Kansas State Hall of Fame (2013)
| records =
| championships =
| championship_list =
| bowl_games = yes
| bowl_list = 1993 Copper Bowl
| tournaments =
| tournament_list =
}}
Jaime Mendez (born February 20, 1971) is a former American collegiate football free safety, who was an All-American at Kansas State University. He is the Wildcats' all-time career leader in interceptions with 15.[http://www.nationalchamps.net/NCAA/database/kansasstate_database.htm All time records]
High school
Mendez was an all-state selection at Cardinal Mooney, the same school that produced former Wildcat co-defensive coordinator Bob Stoops and former defensive ends coach Mike Stoops. His coach was Don Bucci. He helped high school team register eight shutouts in 1987 en route to a 13–1 record and the Division III state title. Jaime's greatest game was his only loss that year but was in double overtime against Elvis Grbac - 1988
Desmond Howard-1988.(both of Cleveland St. Joe's) Cardinal Mooney also captured the league title in 1988. Mendez was a sprinter on the high school track team along with serving as all seniors at Cardinal Mooney do as a football team captain.
College career
After redshirting in 1989, Mendez tied the K-State season record with six interceptions and broke the school standard for interception return yardage with 154 yards as a redshirt freshmen in 1990. He was an honorable mention All-Big 8, as well as newcomer of the year. He was ninth nationally in interceptions. As a sophomore in 1991, he earned first team All-Big 8 as well as being named third-team All-American. He finished third on the team with 79 tackles and fourth in the Big 8 with nine passes broken up. As a junior in 1992, he earned consensus first-team All-Big Eight honors as well as honorable mention All-American honors. He set a modern-day Big 8 record and school record with four interceptions in a win over Temple, including three in the first half. As a senior in 1993, he again earned consensus first-team All-American honors and earned first-team All-Big Eight once again. He was one of eight semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award He was named team's co-MVP and co-captained team to a 9–2–1 record and the school's first bowl victory in a 52–17 blowout against Wyoming in the 1993 Copper Bowl.[http://www.kstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3069&SPID=212&DB_OEM_ID=400&ATCLID=810419 Career notes]{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
=Career statistics=
Personal life
Mendez, who is of Puerto Rican descent, was married to actress Essence Atkins on September 26, 2009 and divorced in 2016. They have a child.{{cite magazine
|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20308491,00.html
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001170208/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20308491,00.html
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=October 1, 2009
|title=Half and Half's Essence Atkins Says I Do
|author=Elaine Aradillas
|magazine=People Magazine
|accessdate=2009-10-15
|date=2009-10-15}}
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mendez, Jaime}}
Category:Kansas State Wildcats football players