RMAC Hall of Fame

Joe Vigil

From 1967-94, coach Vigil put Adams State cross country on the international map. He coached 425 All-Americans and 89 individual national champions. His teams won 20 national championships, including a perfect score in 1992 with the top five individual men's winners. His runners graduated at a 96 percent rate. As a coach with the USA national team, he led athletes in 17 international events including The Olympics, the Pan American Games and the World Championships. As the only American coach invited to lecture and give clinics on all five continents of the World, he was named national coach of the year 14 times and has been inducted to five hall of fames. The Alamosa, Colo. native graduated from Adams State in 1953 and earned one of his three master's degree from ASC in 1959. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico in 1972. While a student at ASC, he participated in football and track, earning All-RMAC honors in football.