Matthew Thomas

Class:
Freshman
Position:
Butterfly
Hometown:
Hollister, Calif.
High School:
Valley Christian HS

PRONUNCIATION

2019-20 Senior Season: Qualified for finals and finished sixth in the 100 fly (46.26), 16^th in the 200 IM (1:45.73) and 18^th in the 200 fly (1:45.64) with a trio of NCAA ‘B’ cut times at the Big Ten Championships · placed second in the 100 fly (48.52) and fourth in the 50 free (20.46) against Purdue and Northwestern · touched first in the 100 fly (48.71), 200 fly (1:49.37) and 200 Medley Relay (1:29.07) against USC · earned a first place finish in the 200 fly (1:49.06) along with a second place finish in the 100 fly (48.19) at Hawaii · qualified for finals and placed 10^th in the 100 fly (47.32) and 11^th in the 200 fly (1:45.39) with NCAA “B” Cut times in both events at the Minnesota Invite · touched second in the 200 fly (1:48.99) and third in the 100 fly (48.58) versus Wisconsin · finished first in the 100 fly (48.66) and second in the 200 fly (1:49.95), while helping the 200 medley relay team to a first place finish (1:28.87) against Iowa · earned first place finishes in the 100 fly (48.96) and the 200 free relay (1:22.08), as well as a second place finish in the 200 fly (1:49.73) versus Florida State · placed first in the 400 free relay (3:01.49) and second in both the 200 fly (1:49.37) and 100 fly (48.77) against Florida · Academic All-Big Ten.

2018-19 Junior Season: Academic All-Big Ten • At the Big Ten Championships, was part of the 200 medley relay that placed fifth (1:24.62), took fourteenth in the 100 fly (46.92), was part of the 200 free relay that placed third (1:17.24), and twelfth in the 200 fly (1:45.03). • Finished first in the 200 fly (1:48.63) and fifth in the 100 fly (49.39) against Purdue and Northwestern. • Placed third in the 200 fly (1:49.40), fifth in the 100 fly (49.07), and second in the 200 free (1:20.87) against USC. • Took third in the 100 fly (49.05) at the Hawaii Dual. • At the Iowa Invitational, placed second in the 100 fly (47.94) and fourth in the 200 fly (1:47.16). • Took second in both the 200 fly (1:48,78) and the 100 fly (48.66) against Iowa and South Dakota. • Finished first in the 200 fly (1:49.26) and fourth in the 100 fly (49.04) at the Florida State Dual. • Took second in the 50 free (21.07) and second in the 100 fly (49.08) at the Wisconsin Dual.

2017-18 Sophomore Season: At the NCAA Championship, swam with the 200 Free Relay that took eighteenth (1:17.63), the 200 Medley Relay that took fourteenth (1:24.89), and the 400 Free Relay that took twenty-fourth (2:53.66) • At the Big Ten Championships, swam in the 200 Medley Relay that took second (1:24.25), the 400 Medley Relay that took second (3:06.90), the 200 Free Relay that took third (1:17.02), and the 400 Free Relay that took fifth (2:52.50), also, placed twenty-third in the 50-yard free (20.04), thirteenth in the 100-yard fly (46.72), and tied for sixth in the 200-yard fly (1:44.60) • received first place in the 200-yard fly (1:47.89) and third in the 100-yard fly (48.42) at the Triple Dual against Northwestern and Purdue • finished second in both the 200-yard fly (1:49.48) and the 100-yard fly (48.93) vs. Denver • took first place in the 200-yard fly (1:50.31) and first in the 100-yard fly (49.06) vs. Hawai'i and Drury • placed seventh in the 50-yard free (20.30), third in the 100-yard fly (47.83), and first in the 200-yard fly (1:46.76) at the Minnesota Invitational • took fourth in the 200-yard fly (1:50.20) and eighth in the 100-yard fly (49.69) at the Quad Dual vs. Michigan, Penn State, and Wisconsin • finished second in the 200-yard fly (1:49.71) and third in the 100-yard fly (48.99) vs. Iowa • had third place finishes in the 200-yard fly (1:50.93) and the 100-yard fly (48.92) vs. Florida State.

2016-17 Freshman Season: Improved times in multiple events at the Big Ten Championships: 50-yard fly (20.46), 100-yard fly (47.34), and 200-yard fly (1:46.55) • earned first place in the 100-yard fly with a 48.15 at the Freeman Invitational.

High School/Club: Graduate of Valley Christian High School, where he swam for coach Kevin Parizi • set high school record for 200 IM (1:51.86), 100 back (50.01), and 100 fly (47.52) • finished fifth at the state meet in 2016 in the 100 fly • 3-time high school MVP • named Valley Christian Athlete of the Year during his junior season • earned multiple All-America and Scholastic All-America awards • swam for the Santa Clara Swim Club under coach Allison Beebe • was named club’s MVP in 2015 • finished seventh at the Winter Juniors in 2015 in the 200 fly with a time of 1:47.70 • placed second at the Central Coast Section • won the 50 free and 100 fly at the 2016 Dolfin Junior National Championship Cup • broke gold medalist Pablo Morales’ 18-and-under age group record at his club in the 100 fly.

Personal: Son of Mark and Lou Thomas • has one sister, Mackenzie.