Hall of Fame
Jonathan Lee Howard was a four-time letterman in track & field and a two-time letterwinner in basketball at Jesuit Dallas. As a junior in the state track meet, Howard won gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m races, leading the Rangers to their first track & field state championship in 21 years. His senior year at the same meet, he won gold medals in all five events in which he participated: the 100m, 200m, 4x400m, long jump, and triple jump. Voted captain and MVP, his high school-record time of 21.16, is one of the fastest ever run in the state of Texas.
This track and field success followed a path already paved during his senior year basketball season in which he was also team captain, MVP, and a TCIL First Team All-State selection. Howard paced the rangers to a 27-6 overall record and a second-place state finish. He was selected to the all-tournament at every tournament that season, including the nationally-renowned Gonzaga Tournament in Washington, D.C. He finished the 1995 campaign as Jesuit’s top scorer, rebounder, three-point shooter and free-throw shooter. At graduation, Howard was awarded the Bishop Patrick J. Lynch Award, which is given to the student exemplifying the best combination of academic success, community service, and athletic achievement.
As a freshman at Georgetown University, Howard was given a walk-on spot on the basketball team under Hall of Fame head coach John Thompson. He eventually earned an athletic scholarship in track & field, becoming a team captain, Big East champion, a multi-time IC4A champion, Penn Relays champion, and ultimately, an NCAA All-American. In 1999, Howard was selected as the Big East Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
