Mani Hernandez was born in Madrid, Spain but circumstances brought him to Hayward, CA, where he attended James Logan High School. He starred in soccer at San Jose State University, and as a sophomore, he led the Spartans to the 1968 NCAA semifinals and received the Hermann Trophy as the top U.S. collegiate player.

From 1970-74, Hernandez was a member of the U.S. National Team, and made his mark in the South Bay from 1974-76 as a member of the newly-founded San Jose Earthquakes, scoring the first two goals in franchise history. Following his playing career, he enjoyed tremendous success as a coach, first at Leland High School and then at Gunderson High School. In 1982, he began what would be a storied, 31-year career at Presentation High School, where his girls’ teams won 17 league championships and eight CCS titles. In 1995, his Central Valley Express team won the 17u girls’ National Championship. Many of his players went on to collegiate and national team success.

He joined the 2015 class of the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame.