Jacintha Thomas, West High senior, is one of the most accomplished divers in Iowa High School History. Thomas decided earlier this week to commit to the University of Iowa.
Thomas has broken multiple records, including some of her own records. Thomas placed second at state in 2013, and recorded the highest total score in State Diving history (561.10) and beat the previous record by over 25 points (535.70).
Besides her accomplishments in the pool she also has had a very accomplished career in the classroom. Thomas earned All-Academic Honors for the state and the conference. The combination of these two skills enabled Thomas to have multiple options for college. Thomas looked into Iowa State, Stanford, and Richmond, but decided to choose Iowa. “I decided on Iowa because I really liked the coach and the team and we all got along well.”
“When I went up on my recruiting trip, they [the coach and the team] were all very welcoming and are like a family.” Thomas said.
Although athletics are a big part of Thomas’ college future, she still wants to focus on her studies. “Iowa has a good pre-med program that will prepare me for medical school.”
The location was also a factor in Thomas’ decision. “It’s close to home so my parents can come to meets and watch me grow as a college athlete.”