Senior Vashti Thomas putting up a total of four NCAA Indoor Championship Automatic Qualifier marks in two days at this past weekend's Boise State's Jacksons/New Balance Invitational. Dominating the 200m dash, 60m hurdles, long jump, and triple jump, Thomas finished the weekend with four #1 placements at the meet itself.
Well below the 24.00 mark necessary to ensure a spot at the NCAAs, Thomas burst to a 23.84 time in the 200m dash to take #1 outright in a field of 60+ competitors. In the 60mH, Thomas qualified through the prelims with an 8.29, eventually capturing 1st in both races. Thomas' top long jump was a 20-5.75 (6.24m) mark that skyrocketed her into the NCAA DII lead as well as making her an automatic qualifier. She then posted a 40-3.5 (12.28m) 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.”
