No. 32 | |
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Personal information | |
Born | Youngstown, Ohio, U.S. | February 20, 1971
Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
Weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
Career history | |
College | Kansas State Wildcats (1990–1993) |
High school | Cardinal Mooney (Youngstown, Ohio) |
Career highlights and awards | |
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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. [1]
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.
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. [2]
Year | Team | G | Tkl | Ast | Int |
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1990 | Kansas State | 11 | 40 | 20 | 6 |
1991 | Kansas State | 11 | 79 | 32 | 1 |
1992 | Kansas State | 11 | 67 | 26 | 6 |
1993 | Kansas State | 11 | 127 | 58 | 2 |
Career Totals | 44 | 313 | 136 | 15 |
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. [3]