June 2, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - UCF junior Dione Thomas (Jacksonville, Fla.) has been named to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association All-East Region team as announced by the New Orleans-based organization on Monday.
Thomas finished eighth in the triple jump at the NCAA East Regional on Saturday in Tallahassee, Fla. She recorded a personal-best and school-record leap of 42-9/13.03m (+1.9) in the event, besting her own previous school-record jump of 42-4.25/12.91m, accomplished at the Penn Relays in late April.
Thomas' All-East Region honors are just another accomplishment in a breakout junior campaign. During the indoor season, Thomas broke UCF's school records in the triple jump and long jump, while she has broken outdoor records in the triple jump and 100-meter dash. She also ran a leg of the school-record-setting 4x100-meter relay squad at the UCF Invitational on May 10.
Thomas on April 29 became the first track and field athlete in school history to be named Conference USA Female Athlete of the Week. The honor came after a stellar performance at the Penn Relays. At that event, Thomas established a new UCF school record (which she would later break at the NCAA East Regional) and finished second in the college section of the triple jump, recording a then-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. She also ran legs of UCF's school-record-setting 4x100-meter (46.28) and 4x200-meter (1:36.34) relay teams at the Penn Relays.
To be considered All-Region, a student-athlete must place in the top eight of his or her respective event and that student-athlete's institution must be a current paid member of the USTFCCCA.
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USTFCCCA All-East Region Team (Triple Jump Competitors)
- Kimberly Williams, Florida State (45-4.50/13.83m)
- Shara Proctor, Florida (44-4/13.51m)
- Jeomi Maduka, Cornell (44-2/13.46m)
- Tahari James, Boston (43-11.75/13.40m)
- Patricia Mamona, Clemson (43-11.25/13.39m)
- Tiara Swanagan, Florida State (43-4.25/13.21m)
- Tamara Highsmith, Connecticut (43-2.25/13.16m)
- Dione Thomas, UCF (42-9/13.03m)