Sept. 11, 2007

AUBURN, Ala. - Former Auburn track and field athlete Donald Thomas has been has been named the United States Sports Academy's Alabama Athlete of the Month for August. Thomas won the high jump at the IAAF World Championships on Aug. 29, and became the third straight former member of the Auburn track and field team to win the monthly award, following Kerron Stewart (June) and Maurice Smith (July).

Thomas, who hails from the Bahamas, won the world title by clearing 2.35m (7-8.25) at the meet in Osaka, Japan. He was one of three athletes to clear that height, but the only one to do it on his first attempt, earning him the gold. Thomas, who won the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championship in the high jump for Auburn, became the first former Auburn track and field athlete to win a title at the World Championships since Avard Moncur won the 400m in 2001.

Thomas finished the voting for the Athlete of the Month award just ahead of Mobile native and San Diego Padre pitcher Jake Peavy, who went 5-1 in the month of August to improve his MLB National League leading ERA to 2.10. Peavy went three straight games in August with 11 strikeouts. He also leads the NL in wins (16) and strikeouts (206).

The Academy's Alabama Athlete of the Month is selected by a voting committee comprised of former Alabama athletes, state-wide media, and Alabama sports organization representatives. Each Alabama Athlete of the Month winner is automatically added to the Alabama Athlete of the Year ballot at the end of the calendar year.

The United States Sports Academy is an independent, non-profit, accredited, special mission sports university created to serve the nation and the world with programs in instruction, research and service. The role of the Academy is to prepare men and women for careers in the profession of sports.

For more information about the United States Sports Academy, call 251-626-3303 or visit the Academy's website www.ussa.edu.