Thomas is the first indoor field All-American in program history after his third-place finish in the high jump tonight. |
Thomas Places Third in
High Jump
at NCAA Championships
Skyhawk freshman first field event All-American in program history
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (March 12, 2010) – Stonehill College freshman Corey Thomas (Brookline, Mass./BC High), the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division II East Region Male Field Athlete of the Year, collected his first of what promises to be multiple All-America honors with a third place finish in the high jump at the 2010 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Albuquerque Convention Center, co-hosted by Adams State College and the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau and New Mexico Sports Authority, this evening.
Thomas, who entered the Championships ranked first in the country having cleared 7’2.25” in winning the New England Championships two weeks ago, took third today after clearing 6’11.5” on his third attempt. Saint Augustine College sophomore Christopher Copeland captured the National Championship in the event by clearing 7’0.5” on his first try. American International College freshman Noel James (Whitman, Mass./Whitman-Hanson) was second, clearing 6”11.5” on his second jump.
Thomas was the lone Skyhawk to qualify for the Indoor Championships and the lone freshman qualifier in the 60-meter hurdles. |
Thomas, the first Stonehill field athlete to qualify for the Indoor Championships, cleared 6’7” and 6’9” on his first attempts, then needed two tries to top 6’10.25” leading up to the deciding height of 6’11.5”. Thomas earned six team points to put Stonehill fifth in the team standings in the very early going.
“I know he is having a hard time right now, but we couldn’t be more proud of what he has accomplished as a freshman,” said Stonehill head coach Karen Boen, in her tenth season at the College. “Today just wasn’t his day. He didn’t seem himself all day and I think the nerves and tension got to him a little bit.”
Thomas, the lone Skyhawk competing at the Championships this weekend, was unable to qualify for tomorrow’s final in the 60-meter high hurdles, placing 11th of 12 competitors in tonight’s preliminary round with a time of 8.13-seconds. Abilene Christian University’s Andrew McDowell posted the top time in tonight’s two qualifying heats in 7.82-seconds. Thomas’ time fell just .05 off the qualifying pace.
“He had a tough first hurdle and it was never going to get better from there,” said Boen. “To be the only freshman to qualify for the event is a great accomplishment in of itself.”