Althea Thomas was an important part of the first two women’s indoor track and field national championship teams in Wayland Baptist history.  During her four years of competition, she won three individual national championships, was named NAIA All-American 18 times, and established numerous school records.  At the time of her induction in 2009, Thomas continued to hold six of those marks and her name appeared beside nine of the top ten WBU times in the outdoor 400-meters. 

Thomas graduated from Morant Bay High in St. Thomas, Jamaica, in 1982.  She spent the next year at a training camp for the 1983 World Games in Alberta, Canada, where she finished second in the 400 meters. 

After arriving at Wayland in September 1984, Thomas made an immediate impact on the Pioneer women’s record book.  She established a school record in the indoor 220 with a time of 25.3 during her freshman season.

It was in her sophomore year that the Pioneer women won the school’s first-ever track and field banner at the 1986 NAIA Indoor Championships.   Thomas set a new school record during that indoor season with a time of 55.84 in the 440.

The Pioneer women’s outdoor team also made history, finishing as the runner-up at the national championships.  The 4x100 relay and the Sprint Medley Relay teams both took first place, earning Thomas her first two individual national titles.

Thomas saw her name go down in the Wayland record book five more times during the 1986 outdoor season.  She established a new WBU mark in the 400 (52.50), and was a member of four record-setting relay teams:  the 4x100 (45.26), the 4x200 (1:35.86), the 4x400 (3:38.87) and the 800 medley relay (1:39.55). 

In 1987, the Pioneer women placed second at both the indoor and outdoor NAIA meets.  Thomas set a new indoor record in the 500 (1:16.16) and was a member of the mile relay team which broke the school mark (3:49.55), as did the outdoor 4x440 relay  team (3:38.87).

The Wayland women captured their second banner at the 1988 NAIA Indoor Championships.   The Pioneer mile relay team took first place honors, earning Thomas her third individual championship award.

Thomas majored in Mass Communications at WBU and graduated in May 1989.  She received her Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1993.