Thomas broke his own school record in the triple jump with a mark of 50-11.5 to place fourth. After hitting a career high in his first jump, the junior went one centimeter longer on his second jump to become the second male track and field All-American in school history. He unfortunately ran out of gas in the finals and could not better his position.
His award, coupled with the runner-up finish for
Katie Burnett (Jr., Mesa, Ariz., Arizona) on Friday, gives Penn multiple All-Americans for the second time ever and the first time since 1994 when male long jumper Pat Pilgrim and female shot putter Arlene Truss both won national championships.
Myron Roundtree of Wayland Baptist (Texas) won the event on his third and final jump of the finals with a mark of 51-7.
Royce Clay (Sr., Miami, Fla., Booker T. Washington HS) also performed well in the event, taking 11th out of 23 competitors with a season-best jump of 47-1.75.
Thomas' fourth-place finish put the Penn men in a tie for 38th out of 54 teams that scored points. Azusa Pacific (Calif.) won its fourth-straight indoor national championship with 71 points, while Wayland Baptist was second with 56 points.
Burnett's second-place showing in the 3,000-meter race walk allowed the Lady Statesmen to tie for 19th out of 42 teams that scored points. Oklahoma Baptist won a tight three-team race for the women's title, claiming 68 points, while Wayland Baptist was second with 67 points and Simon Fraser (B.C.) was third with 66 points.
For the complete results of the 2010 NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championships,
click hereNext: Penn returns to action for the beginning of the outdoor season on Saturday, March 27 at the Grand View Invitational in Des Moines.