June 13, 2013
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - San Diego State junior Shanieka Thomas has been named the Mountain West Women's Outdoor Track & Field Student-Athlete of the Year, the league announced today. Thomas also won the indoor award.
The Student-Athlete of the Year award recognizes the outstanding female and male athletes in the sport of outdoor track and field. Student-athletes are nominated and selected by the head coaches at each member institution.
Thomas claimed a national championship in the triple jump last week at the NCAA Championships with a leap of 46 feet, 4 ¾ inches (14.14 meters). The St. Andrew, Jamaica, native became the fifth individual national champion in program history.
Thomas, who finished runner-up in the event at both the 2013 indoor meet and 2012 outdoor meet, beat 23 other entrants. The 46-04.75, which came on her fourth attempt, easily defeated runner-up Andrea Geubelle of Kansas (44-08.75 (13.63m)).
Thomas, who was seeded first heading into the event with her school record, Mountain West record and MW meet-record jump of 46-05.25 (14.15m) at the MW Championships on May 11, went 44-04.50 (13.52m), foul and 44-09.75 (13.66m) in the first flight. She then posted the winning leap of 46-04.75 (14.14m) on her fourth attempt and followed with 46-02.50 (14.08m) and 45-07.75 (13.91m) on her final two jumps. Four of her six attempts would have won the competition.
Thomas also won the long jump (wind-aided 20-07.50) at the MW Championships and was a member of the Aztecs' winning 4x400-meter relay squad (3:35.41). SDSU went onto win the MW Championships for the second time and first since 2003.
Thomas will compete at the Jamaican National Championships on June 23.