Jason DiJoseph, B.A. ’89

Jason DiJoseph is one of the most accomplished athletes in the history of Paul VI High School, for any sport. In addition, he was known by his teachers, parents, teammates, and competitors as a great guy, a great teammate, and a class act. Throughout his career he was coached by Michael Glavin ’74, who is already in the Paul VI Hall of Fame, and who was recognized as one of the best and most accomplished cross country and track coaches in New Jersey and the region throughout the 1980s.

 

As a senior in the fall of 1988, Jason won every race he ran except for the National Championship in California, where he placed second among the best of the best in the entire United States. That year, he led the Paul VI cross country team to an undefeated regular season, stretching its regular season’s unbeaten streak to more than 100 meets, nearly 10 years of undefeated competition, dating back to 1980. 

 

He led the team to victories in Conference Championships, South Jersey Championships, the Camden County Championships, and numerous regular season meets and invitational meets in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and New York that year. The team also beat the top five teams in New Jersey several times. He led the team to victory and won the race individually in the prestigious Eastern State Championships held in Van Cortland Park in Manhattan. This race was attended by the best teams from Virginia to Maine. In addition to the Eastern States Championship Title, Jason led the team to a Parochial A State Championship Title and an All Group Meet Championship Title as the best team in the state of New Jersey. Paul VI beat Christian Brothers Academy, which was nationally ranked and recognized as one of the best teams in the country, for the State and All Group Titles. In both races, Jason beat the top runner from Christian Brothers Academy, who had been nationally recognized as the best runner in the country, for the individual championship titles.

 

Jason’s accomplishments did not stop there. He won the Regional Championship Qualifier in New York before competing and coming in second in the National Cross Country Championship Race, which was held in California and included the best runners in the country.

 

Jason’s cross country accomplishments were not limited to his senior year. From his sophomore year until graduation, Jason went long stretches without losing a single regular season or championship race. His only losses came at the Kinney Regional Championship (a 10-state national qualifier race) and the national level. He was awarded Runner of the Year as the top runner in the region and was named All South Jersey for 3 years in a row, and he was either the best runner or the second best runner in the state of New Jersey for all 3 years. He is one of only a few New Jersey runners ever to qualify for the national championships 3 times in his high school career, and that record spans the entire history of cross country in New Jersey.

 

Jason was also very accomplished in spring track. He was an All South Jersey Runner several years, and he won Olympic Conference, Camden County Championship, and State Sectional Championship titles multiple times and in multiple events. In 1987, he won the New Jersey Meet of Champions as the top runner in the state of New Jersey in the 3200 meter (metric 2 miles), running 8:59.6 which is the tenth fastest time that year by any high school runner. In 1988, he won the Meet of Champions as the top runner in New Jersey in the 1600 meter (metric one mile) race in 4 minutes, 13 seconds.  In 1989, he was part of the State Championship Track Team.

 

Jason recalled, “I was recruited for the Paul VI cross country team by fellow freshman Rob DiDio. Even though I agreed to join, I had no idea what the cross country team actually did, and I was surprised to learn that it was running. I completed my first week of practice wearing basketball high top sneakers and did not buy running shoes until Coach Mike Glavin recommended purchasing a pair.”

 

He said, “I look back on my time at Paul VI and running with a fondness for the friendships I formed and the memories we made. Cross country taught me to work hard, persevere through pain, and face adversity. My coaches, my teammates, and the discipline required by long distance running helped to shape me into the man I am today. I am indebted to my coaches and teammates and owe much of my success to their influence and support.”

 

After college, Jason followed his dream of serving his country by joining the U.S. Marine Corps. After enlisting in 1995, he became an officer in 1997 and led his own command during the war in Afghanistan in 2002. He said, “My accomplishments in the military were earned using the lessons that running taught me: determination, strength, and confidence.”

 

After serving 8 years in the Marines, Jason became a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2003. He has managed the FBI Top Ten Fugitive Program, has investigated bank robberies and kidnappings, and now serves as the senior team leader of the Newark Division's Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team.

 

According to Jason, “My two children, Nicholas (16) and Jordan (14), are accumulating their own academic and athletic successes, and I am very proud to see them growing into caring and quick-witted young adults with indomitable spirits.”