Pau Tonnesen came to Mesa Community College as a three-time Arizona high school state champion in the triple jump, long jump and high jump. Our head Track & Field coach Steve Jacobs saw potential for Pau to excel in the decathlon – the ultimate athletic endeavor! Initially, Pau was not so keen on the idea and was really too nice to say “no” to Coach. But then, he became an unprecedented six-time National Champion and broke school records that still stand today in the decathlon and heptathlon. He set the National meet record in the heptathlon. Pau was first in the heptathlon at the 2012 NJCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships and first in the decathlon at the NJCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. At the 2013 Indoor Nationals, he was first in the heptathlon and pole vault and took second in the high jump. At the Outdoor event, he was the National Champion in the decathlon and pole vault.

Representing the University of Arizona, Pau won the PAC-12 decathlon in 2016 and still holds the U of A record for the event! Pau broke Wildcat records in the decathlon, heptathlon, pole vault and finished second at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. He placed 17^th in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games representing Spain (he has dual citizenship because his mother was born in Spain). He also participated in the bi-annual 2015 and 2017 Outdoor World Track & Field Championships placing 18^th (Beijing, China) and 14^th (London, England) respectively.

For a link to the full video of the ceremony, please visit MCC Hall of Fame 2019.