Nathan Thornhill is the latest Crusader Track & Field athlete to enter the Capital Athletics Hall of Fame after an All-American hurdle and jumps career. Over four years, Thornhill worked his way up the ranks to compete on a national stage and stake claim on multiple Capital records.
Thornhill made his splash on the program toward the end of his sophomore season when he logged in a top-10 time in the 400-meter hurdles. At the Stan Lyons Invitational, Thornhill clocked in a 57.46 time in the event that registered as the fifth-fastest time in program history. That time is now 10th on the CU all-time list.
The following year, Thornhill made waves at the OAC Indoor Championships when he earned the first of his four career All-OAC honors behind a second-place finish in the 55-meter hurdles (7.77). He came back that outdoor season in the 110-meter hurdles and was crowned champion after cutting the tape in 14.94 seconds. That time also qualified him for the first of two trips to the NCAA Division III National Championships.
The 2017 season proved to be Thornhill's best yet. As a senior, he set two school records, one on the indoor and one on the outdoor circuit. He earned a second indoor all-conference award after placing in the top-3 of the 55 hurdles for a second straight year and set a CU record in that event behind a 7.68-second time. That also punched his ticket to his first indoor national championship event and the second of his career.
Thornhill's outdoor season served as an outstanding end to his time at Capital. The 110 hurdles was his specialty, once again. For a second year in a row, he stood atop the podium at the OAC Outdoor Championships after winning the event with a time of 14.81 seconds. That time qualified him for nationals where he etched his name into the history books in a new way, as an All-American. Thornhill went on the finish fifth at the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Championship to become Cap's first male All-American in 29 years. He bettered his previous best in his All-American run and set the CU record behind a time of 14.65 seconds, his second school record.
Thornhill had five Capital top-10 marks, the additional two came in jump events. In 2016, he logged the seventh-best outdoor high jump height at 1.96 meters (6-05 ¼). That mark now ranks eighth, all-time. He is also graduated with the fourth-best indoor high jump performance (1.95m, 6-04 ¾), which now ranks eighth.
Thornhill's academic successes also distinguished him among his peers. He was a two-time Academic All-OAC honorable mention pick (2006, 2007) and a Division III All-Academic selection by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) in 2007. He was then tabbed an ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team selection for his work. Thornhill also showed strong intangibles per his leadership. He was a 2007 co-captain and three-time Mike Hout Inspiration award winner.
