2016: Ran in all six meets for the Pioneers... Placed 12th at the Tusculum Open (Sep. 9) with a 5K time of 23:51.4... Logged a season-best time of 22:14.1 at the Royal XC Challenge (Oct. 7)... Finished 29th at the Hyder McMahill Invitational (Sep. 3) with a time of 23:46.8... Finished 72nd at the SAC Championship (Oct. 22) and 161st at the NCAA II Southeast Regional (Nov. 5) with a 6K time of 27:04.29.
2015: Competed in five meets where she recorded three finishes in the top-20... Placed 12th at the Hagan Stone Classic (Oct. 3) with a 5K time of 24:38.48... Finished 16th at the both the Lenoir-Rhyne Invitational (Sep. 11) and the Carson-Newman Invitational (Sep. 19)... Finished with a 5K time of 23:11.59 at LR and 23:52.7 at C-N... Best 5K time of the year came at the Royal Challenge where she finished in 22:07.1... Finished 72nd at the SAC Championship (Oct. 24).
High School: Product of Columbia Central HS in Columbia, Tenn.... Coached by Tim Wood... Three-year letter-winner... Received the Queen of Cross Country award as a senior... Qualified for the Tennessee state meet in her sophomore campaign... Personal-best 5,000-meter time is 21:10... Also lettered in track... Set the school record for the 300-meter hurdles as a freshman.
Personal: Full name is Deondra Leprii Thomas... Born Oct. 1, 1996 in Columbia, Tenn.... Daughter of Tonus Thomas and Lata Joyce... Sisters - La'Ondra Thomas and Maliyah McQuirter... Majoring in athletic training with a minor in psychology... Future plans: Continue to serve in the US Army Reserves upon graduation... Favorite books: The Outsiders by S.E. Henton; Favorite midnight snack: Blueberry Pop-Tarts; Favorite musical artists: T.I. and Eminem; Favorite song: "No Matter What"; Deondra can't live without: Music; Deondra's most thrilling moment in sports: Winning her first 300-meter hurdle race; Deondra's advice to kids: "Never give up because in time, everything gets better"; Favorite colors: Lime green; Favorite food: Meatloaf; Favorite sports other than cross country; Basketball and track; Person Deondra admires most: Her mom; What people don't know about Deondra: "People don't realize how caring I am until they really get to know me."; Deondra's childhood idol was: Candace Parker; When people first meet Deondra, they think: She's shy, but actually she is the oposite.
