University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics
Thronson Receives Weekly Honors From USTFCCCA, SEC
October 20, 2020 | Track & Field
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee junior Katie Thronson picked up a pair of weekly awards on Tuesday following last week's first-place finish at the UAB Blazer Classic. The Spokane, Washington, native was tabbed as the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division I National Athlete of the Week, and was later named SEC Runner of the Week.
The Blazer Classic featured a loaded field of competition that included defending SEC and NCAA champion Arkansas, along with 2019 NCAA qualifiers Florida State and Ole Miss. Thronson's time of 20:13.15 was the fastest women's 6K in the country last week, and her fastest since clocking in at 19:51.23 at the 2018 SEC Championships.
Moving up four spots over the final 1,000 meters, Thronson closed the gap on leader Lauren Gregory from Arkansas before breaking away and holding off runner-up Jenna Gearing from Kentucky for the win. Gearing won the Live In Lou XC Classic two weeks prior, while Gregory was an All-SEC performer for the Razorbacks in 2019 and earned a runner-up finish at the Missouri Gans Creek Classic earlier this season.
Friday's result was good for Thronson's second career individual title in cross country. She won the 2019 Cavalier Classic with a meet-record 5K time of 17:01.7.
Thronson is first Tennessee athlete, male or female, to ever be named National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Three-time All-American Darryl Sullivan and 2017 Bowerman winner Christian Coleman have both earned the honors in track & field. Additionally, Thronson is the first Lady Vol to be selected as SEC Runner of the Week since Chelsea Blaase on Oct. 12, 2014.
Tennessee will begin postseason action Friday, October 30 as LSU hosts the 2020 SEC Cross Country Championships in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The conference meet will be televised on SEC Network, beginning at 9:05 a.m. CT with the women's 6,000m.
For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee cross country and track & field, follow @Vol_Track on Twitter.
The Blazer Classic featured a loaded field of competition that included defending SEC and NCAA champion Arkansas, along with 2019 NCAA qualifiers Florida State and Ole Miss. Thronson's time of 20:13.15 was the fastest women's 6K in the country last week, and her fastest since clocking in at 19:51.23 at the 2018 SEC Championships.
Moving up four spots over the final 1,000 meters, Thronson closed the gap on leader Lauren Gregory from Arkansas before breaking away and holding off runner-up Jenna Gearing from Kentucky for the win. Gearing won the Live In Lou XC Classic two weeks prior, while Gregory was an All-SEC performer for the Razorbacks in 2019 and earned a runner-up finish at the Missouri Gans Creek Classic earlier this season.
Friday's result was good for Thronson's second career individual title in cross country. She won the 2019 Cavalier Classic with a meet-record 5K time of 17:01.7.
Thronson is first Tennessee athlete, male or female, to ever be named National Athlete of the Week in cross country. Three-time All-American Darryl Sullivan and 2017 Bowerman winner Christian Coleman have both earned the honors in track & field. Additionally, Thronson is the first Lady Vol to be selected as SEC Runner of the Week since Chelsea Blaase on Oct. 12, 2014.
Tennessee will begin postseason action Friday, October 30 as LSU hosts the 2020 SEC Cross Country Championships in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The conference meet will be televised on SEC Network, beginning at 9:05 a.m. CT with the women's 6,000m.
For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee cross country and track & field, follow @Vol_Track on Twitter.
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