U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association National Athlete of the Week Award - Week #3

New Orleans, LA -- Putting up four NCAA Division II Indoor Championship Automatic Qualifier marks in two days at this past weekend's Boise State's Jacksons/New Balance Invitational, Vashti Thomas showed incredible versatility on her road to the post-season. As a result, the senior was chosen as the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Athlete of the Week on Monday.

Well below the 24.00 mark necessary to ensure a spot at the NCAAs in the 200m dash, Thomas burst to a 23.84 time to take #1 outright in a field of 60+ competitors. Thomas' performance was also a new program record.

Thomas would add three long jumps all beyond 20-2.25 (6.15m) while no other competitor went past 5.92m in this meet. She offered a 20-4.25 (6.20m) initially and then delivered a 20-5.75 (6.24m) mark that skyrocketed her into the NCAA DII lead as well as making her an automatic qualifier. Heading into Jacksons/New Balance, the country's top distance had been 19-6 (5.94).

Less than 24 hours after a magnificent series of long jumps, Thomas posted a 40-3.5 (12.28m) in the triple jump which not only built upon her mark from two weeks ago at the UAB Blazer Invitational, but also put her fourth overall in NCAA Division II.

“The jumps to me meant that I'm on the right track to doing well at the NCAA meet,” Thomas said. “What is keeping me mentally focused is the end result of making it to Nationals and possibly winning a TEAM national title with my team. I just want to do all I can to put us in a good position.”

Thomas would also shine in the 60m hurdles where she qualified through the prelims with an 8.29 to hit yet another AQ mark and eventually capture 1st in both races.

This is the just the second national weekly award of any kind for an Academy of Art University Urban Knight after Johnny Carter was selected for Week One.