University of Massachusets Athletics
Hall of Fame
John Thomas
- Induction:
- 1982
- Class:
- 1975
A four-time letterwinner in cross country and track and field, John Thomas competed at the University of Massachusetts from 1972-75, captaining the team to four Yankee Conference championships, the 1973 New England title, and the 1974 IC4A championship.
Supported by Thomas' excellence, the IC4A title was the first by a New England school in over 30 years. He won seven Yankee Conference titles, including the 1972 cross county title, the one-mile from 1972-74 and the two-mile from 1973-75.
Thomas was the New England champion in the three-mile in 1975. He was named All-East in cross-country and track and field during his junior and senior years.
In 1973, Thomas led UMass to a 15th place finish at the NCAA cross county championship, and he led the 1974 squad to an eighth place finish at that same meet.
In 1974, Thomas became the University of Massachusetts' first all-American in cross-country.
After his time at UMass, Thomas continued his track career. He set world records in 10-mile running and in 30k running. He set an American record in the half marathon. In 1978, he finished fifth in the Boston Marathon with a time of 2:11.25. He earned three trips to the U.S. Olympic team's marathon trials (1980, '84, '88) finishing fifth in 1980 and tenth in 1988.
Thomas was inducted into the UMass Athletics Hall of Fame in 1982.
Supported by Thomas' excellence, the IC4A title was the first by a New England school in over 30 years. He won seven Yankee Conference titles, including the 1972 cross county title, the one-mile from 1972-74 and the two-mile from 1973-75.
Thomas was the New England champion in the three-mile in 1975. He was named All-East in cross-country and track and field during his junior and senior years.
In 1973, Thomas led UMass to a 15th place finish at the NCAA cross county championship, and he led the 1974 squad to an eighth place finish at that same meet.
In 1974, Thomas became the University of Massachusetts' first all-American in cross-country.
After his time at UMass, Thomas continued his track career. He set world records in 10-mile running and in 30k running. He set an American record in the half marathon. In 1978, he finished fifth in the Boston Marathon with a time of 2:11.25. He earned three trips to the U.S. Olympic team's marathon trials (1980, '84, '88) finishing fifth in 1980 and tenth in 1988.
Thomas was inducted into the UMass Athletics Hall of Fame in 1982.
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