Washington State University Athletics

In 1980 Doug Nordquist came to the Palouse from Brea, Calif., with a penchant for the high jump and music. He was known for his disciplined work ethic and it paid off as he set a Washington State University record with a high jump of 7-4 1/2 inches in 1981. He earned All-America honors in 1982 as runner-up at the NCAA Indoor Championships, one of the 13 times during his WSU career that he topped seven-feet. Nordquist was also very proud to be the Cougar Marching Band drum major in 1981 and 1982. Adding a foot-high hat to his 6-4 frame made his high-stepping routines highly entertaining during football halftimes. Nordquist developed a reputation of jumping his best at big meets. At the 1984 Olympic Trials he cleared 7-7 to finished second and went on to fifth place at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Nordquist also earned gold medals at the 1986 and 1988 USATF Championships and at the 1986 Goodwill Games where he had his lifetime-best mark of 7-8, just 3/4 inch off the American record and No. 3 in the world. He finished fifth at the 1988 USA Olympic Trials.