By Patrick McHugh

Senior Jack Sherman is a captain of the track ‘ field team and one of the strongest and toughest competitors the Huskies have. And it turns out his talent in the sport runs in his family.

Sherman’s older sister Melissa competed in track at Boston College and graduated in 2005. His younger sister, Katherine, is a junior at Northeastern on the women’s track ‘ field team. She began her college career at Boston College, playing for two years, before transferring after the 05-06 season to Huntington Avenue.

Competing in the sport seemed to come so naturally to Jack and his two sisters that success became inevitable.

“Melissa started in track and Katherine and I watched her and decided we wanted to try it,” Sherman said. “We learned about the sport from her, and we started doing well, and then it became our passion.”

In his four years at Dennis-Yarmouth High School, Sherman made a name for himself by collecting championships. In 2002 and 2003 he was the Big 3 and Pilgrim Conference MVP as well as the Class B 55 high hurdles champion both years.

His indoor track team was the Atlantic Coast League champion in ’02 and ’03 thanks to his contributions as well. In 2003, Shermanwould be crowned champion in the Class B high jump, the state pentathlon and decathlon.

He graduated from high school having set the school indoor records in pentathlon, 55 hurdles, 300 and long jump, as well as the outdoor records in high jump, 300 hurdles and decathlon.

With Melissa’s reputation already established as a great track ‘ field athlete, Jack was now getting his own attention from colleges in the area who wanted him on their teams. Head coach Sherman Hart, who has coached at NU since 1988, was among those who took notice and pushed to get Sherman to become a Husky.

“Everyone knows about the Sherman family around here. They’re a big-time track family,” Hart said. “I saw Jack compete in some decathlons in high school where he was just killing the competition and I knew he had the track skills his sisters have. I wanted to get all three to compete at Northeastern, but I suppose two out of three isn’t bad.”

Sherman’s career at Northeastern has not disappointed. As a freshman he set a school record in the heptathlon with a score of 4,680 that earned him second in the America East Championship.

Competing in multiple events for the remainder of his career, Sherman has won the 110 hurdles, high jump, heptathlon, decathlon and placed well in such competitions as the Solomon Invitational, Boston University Open and Ram Invitational.

The 2005 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship is what his coach points to as Sherman’s greatest performance and the one that established him as a leader on the team.

At the competition in Richmond, Va., Sherman competed in the 110 hurdles, javelin throw and the decathlon. With three decathlon events to go, Sherman severely injured his ankle and was forced to go to the hospital for X-rays while the competition was delayed due to a thunderstorm in the area. The results showed no break in his ankle but Sherman returned to the event on crutches. Hart told he was done for the day but Sherman refused and finished the last three events.

Jack ended up winning the decathlon and earning All-CAA honors for his performance.

“I have never been more impressed with one of my athletes than I was that day,” Hart said. “He wanted to win so badly, and I know his ankle had to be in a lot of pain, but he won the event for his team anyway. That sent a message to the rest of the team that in order to be great at track ‘ field you have to just shut up and compete.”

Now a senior, Sherman leads his team into the spring season as team members work to become a strong program in the conference. He looks forward to the challenge of being a captain and guiding some of the younger athletes.

“I just try to lead by example with a positive example and encourage others,” Sherman said. “We have a really young team so I need to step up and guide the team forward.”

Scheduled to graduate this spring with a degree in architecture, Sherman now nears the end of his career competing for Northeastern. A man with a creative personality, he said he is considering a career in either real estate development or construction management.

Sherman said he has enjoyed his time competing in track and will miss the team aspect of the sport and being encouraged by his peers and coaches.

Hart said he will have his work cut out for him in replacing Sherman and the impact he has made.

“Jack is a team leader with a big presence who puts himself out there for the team,” he said. “I’m obviously going to miss the points he earns for our team but I’m really going to miss the intangibles, like the inspiration he provides the team and toughness to compete.”