April 29, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - UCF junior Dione Thomas (Jacksonville, Fla.) became the first track and field athlete in school history to earn a Conference USA weekly honor when she was named the C-USA Female Track and Field Athlete of the Week on Tuesday afternoon, as announced by the conference office in Irving, Texas.
Thomas charted an impressive performance at the prestigious Penn Relays this past weekend. She established a new UCF school-record and finished second in the college section of the women's triple jump, recording a personal-best and NCAA regional-qualifying leap of 42-4.25/12.91m. She also recorded a season-best performance in the long jump with a leap of 19-7.50/6.06m.
Thomas also ran legs of UCF's school-record-setting 4x100m (46.28) and 4x200m (1:36.34) relay teams at the Penn Relays.
"Dione has been doing a great job training hard and humbling herself to become a well-rounded young woman," UCF head coach Caryl Smith Gilbert said. "As far as her athletic, academic and personal life is concerned, she has worked incredible hard on the track and in the classroom each week. It is great to see such a great person and athlete, who has worked so hard earn a Conference USA Athlete of the Week honor. She is one of several athletes on our team who is capable of earning this award. It is only a matter of time."
To date, Thomas has logged a breakout junior campaign. During the indoor season, Thomas broke the school record in both the long jump and the triple jump. This outdoor season, she holds school records in the triple jump and the 100-meter dash. Her time in the 100-meter dash ranks fifth in Conference USA this season, while her triple jump mark is fourth in the conference.
Thomas and the Knights return to action Saturday, May 10, when they play host to the UCF Invitational on the campus of the University of Central Florida.
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