LEESBURG, VA.- Chloe Thomas has been making history for UConn cross country all season long. It was only fitting that she rewrote the history books at least one more time on Friday morning at the BIG EAST Championships, becoming the BIG EAST Individual Champion in UConn history. 

The senior from Dundas, Ontario was locked in a pack of eight competitors in the first 2K of the 6K race. As the intensity of the race picked up, the pack began to thin out slowly. With two-thirds of the race complete, Thomas and defending champion Chloe Scrimgeour from Georgetown were in lockstep. Until they weren't. 

The final stretch of the race was all Thomas, standing out in the blue UConn jersey on an unseasonably warm Friday morning. Thomas commanded the course for another meet record, crossing the finish line with her two hands proudly representing the Huskies like she has all season. Thomas completed the 6K course in 19:36, a staggering 14 seconds ahead of the field. In a season that saw Thomas break multiple meet records at the Spiked Shoe Invitational and the Paul Short Run (the latter earning her National Female Athlete of the Week), it should come as no surprise that she stole the show on Friday.  

Thomas set the tone for an outstanding team performance for UConn that saw the Huskies come in third out of eleven BIG EAST teams, finishing behind nationally ranked Georgetown and Providence, upsetting ranked Villanova in the process. Jenna Zydanowicz charged into the top 10, finishing the race in 9th at 20:25, earning the West Hartford, Connecticut native All-BIG EAST First Team honors. Caroline Towle (Bedford, Mass.) put together a strong performance as well, finishing the race at 20:41, earning her 11th in the conference and All-BIG EAST Second Team Honors.  

The future of the program shined bright on Friday, as sophomores Malin Rahm (Schaffhausen, Switzerland) and Chloe Trudel (Amherst, NH) placed in the top 30 with times of 21:42 and 21:52, respectively.  

Quote from Director and Head Coach of Cross Country & Track and Field Beth Alford- Sullivan:  

"I am thrilled with the outcome for the Huskies in this BIG EAST Championship. Led by our top dog Chloe Thomas, with the first ever BIG EAST Individual Champion going to a Husky. No one is more deserving, she ran a perfect race in one of the nation's top championship fields, once again setting a course record. This team competed as hard as I have seen at my time at UConn, knocking off nationally ranked Villanova and earning three All-BIG EAST Selections, with Chloe, Jenna (Zydanowicz) and Caroline (Towle). This really sets up our team well in a great spot going into the NCAA Regionals in two weeks." 

Up Next: UConn will compete in the NCAA Northeast Regionals in Hopkinton, New Hampshire on Friday, November 15th.