Hall of Honor
James Ortiz was a four-year letterwinner for the Texas State Cross Country team and a three-year letterwinner for the Bobcat Track and Field team during the 2002-05 seasons. Specializing in distance events, Ortiz was a member of four Southland Conference Championship teams and holds the school record in the 1500-meter run.
Ortiz was a two-time All-Southland Conference selection, being named first team all-conference in both indoor and outdoor track and field during his junior season in 2005. During that same year, Ortiz set the school record in the 1500-meter run with at time of 3:48.35 at the Michael Johnson Classic. He also holds the third, fifth and 10th best times in program history in the 1500, with times of 3:51.91, 3:52.01 and 3:54.88.
He set the second-best mark in school history in the indoor mile in 2005 with a time of 4:11.51 at the Tyson Invitational and ran anchor leg on the program’s 10th fastest distance medley relay team. He finished fourth in the indoor mile (4:17:09) and third in the 5000-meter run (15:05.47) and the conference championship. He also had the top 3000-meter run of the year for the Bobcats with a time of 8:41.47.
Ortiz was captain of the cross country team in 2004 and 2005. During his senior year, he won meets hosted by Texas State and Rice, and was the top finisher for the Bobcats at the SLC Cross Country Championships. He was twice named the Southland Conference Cross Country Student-Athlete of the Week for his accomplishments.
Ortiz was a Dean’s List recipient in 2004 and 2006 and was awarded the Oak Farms Dairy Athletic 3.0 or Higher GPA Academic Achievement Award three times from 2004-06.
After an accident prior to his senior season in track and field resulted in the amputation of his lower right leg, he returned to the track in 2013 to set the current T-44 1,500-meter world record for below the knee amputees with a time of 4:33.46. In 2015, Ortiz set the current American record of 4:29.04. He also has participated in the USA ParaTriathlon National Championships with his best finish of fourth in 2015. Ortiz was selected to represent Team USA as part of the USA Worlds Team for the 2013 ITU London ParaTriathlon World Championships in London.
Ortiz graduated from Texas State with a Bachelor of Science degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2007. He later completed his Master of Education degree in sports administration at East Central University and earned an Associate of Science degree in general business degree from Colby Community College.
After graduation, Ortiz began an extensive coaching and teaching career. He served as head coach for two years at the University of the Southwest Mustangs in Hobbs, New Mexico, where his female and male athletes (combined) earned 11 Red River Athletic Conference Championships and 23 All-Red River Athletic Conference Awards. Nationally, he produced five NAIA track & field national qualifiers and recruited the school’s first ever NAIA individual national champion.
Ortiz spent six seasons as head coach for the Colby Community College men’s track & field and cross country programs from 2009-15. He led the men to record-setting team finishes at the NJCAA Championships. During the 2013-14 season, the cross country and indoor and outdoor track & field teams successfully completed the Region VI “Triple Crown”, winning region championships in all three running sports. The season was also highlighted by a second-place finish at the NJCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. In 2012, his men earned national team finishes of fourth place in cross country and eighth place in outdoor track & field. At Colby, he coached 41 Region VI champions, 64 All-Americans, 15 Academic All-Americans and five national champions. In 2014, he was named the NJCAA Indoor Track National Men’s Coach of the Year. Ortiz was also voted the 2012, 2013, and 2014 Region VI Cross Country Coach of the Year. He was named the Region VI Men’s Head Coach of the Year for indoor track & field in 2012, 2013, and 2014. In his last season with the Trojans, Ortiz was named the 2015 Region VI Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year and the Inaugural USTFCCCA (U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association) Central Region Coach of the Year.
He is currently the head coach of the boy’s and girl’s cross country programs at Giddings High School and teaches at the middle school level. He has helped six athletes qualify to the UIL state track & cross country meet. In 2017, his boy’s cross country team had its best UIL State meet finish since their moving to class 4A.
Ortiz is an active member of his community, volunteering with the Boy Scouts of America, Trial Life Troops and the Special Olympics. He is also a member of the Texas State Bobcat Club, a donor to the “T” Association, football and baseball season ticket holder and regularly attends athletic alumni reunions and events. Both of his children are also members of the Bobcat Kids Club.
He is married to Tenley (Determan) Ortiz, who was also a former Texas State Track Athlete. They have two boys, Jameson and Tejay.
