Laura Thweatt

Position:
Distance
Height:
5-4
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Durango, Colo.
High School:
Durango

PERSONAL BESTS
INDOOR
3,000-Meters: 9:29.00 (2010)
5,000-Meters: 16:17.39 (2011)
OUTDOOR
800-Meters: 2:10.63 (2011)
1,500-Meters: 4:21.05 (2011)
5,000-Meters: 15:57.24 (2011)
10,000-Meters: 33:49.00 (2011)

BIG 12 SCORING:
2009 (I) 5,000-Meter Run, 8th (16:59.39)
2010 (I) 5,000-Meter Run, 7th (16:40.62)
2011 (I) 5,000-Meter Run, 8th (16:34.63)
2011 (O) 10,000-Meter Run, 3rd (33:49.00)
2011 (O) 5,000-Meter Run, 4th (16:16.29)

HONORS:

Academic All-Big 12 (2009, 10, 11)

Five-time All-Big 12 honoree

CAREER UPDATE: Thweatt finished her CU career with her name in the indoor and outdoor record book. She is the ninth-fastest 5k CU performer ever (16:17.39) and the 11^th best 3k performer (9:29.00). Thweatt put her name in the outdoor book, ranging from the 800 to the 10k. She is the 10^th fastest performer in the 800 (2:10.63), ninth in the 1,500 (4:21.71) and the 5k (15:57.24) and seventh in the 10k (33:44.00).

2011: Indoor: Thweatt had a short indoor season, running in just two meets. She clocked a personal record 5k time of 16:17.39 at the Husky Classic (2/11), becoming the ninth fastest performer in CU history. Two weeks later at the Big 12 Championships she competed in both the 3k and 5k. Thweatt placed eighth overall in the 5k, finishing in 16:34.63. She missed scoring for CU in the 3k, clocking a time of 9:33.56 for 13^th overall.

Outdoor: Thweatt wrapped up her career in style. She placed second (in the second section) of the 10k at the Stanford Invite (3/25), crossing the finish in 34:33.08. Her next meet was the CU Invite (4/9). She became the 10^th fastest CU female in the 800 while running a time of 2:10.63; which was good for third place overall. One week later she recorded her PR of 15:57.24 at Mt. SAC Relays (4/15) in the 5k, becoming the ninth fastest CU performer all-time. Thweatt went on to record yet another PR at the Cardinal Invite (5/1), this time in the 1,500 as she finished in 4:21.05. At the Big 12 Championships Thweatt picked up points for the Buffs in the 5k and 10k. In the first night of events she became the seventh fastest 10k performer, finishing in 33:49.00 for third-place overall. The time was also the 11^th fastest in CU history. Two days later she placed fourth in the 5k (16:16.29). Thweatt went on to compete at the NCAA West Prelims, placing 16^th in the 5k (16:25.63) and 33^rd in the 10k (35:05.11).

2010: Indoor: Thweatt started the season becoming the 10^th fastest 3k performer in school history after running 9:29.00 at the UW Invite (1/30). The finish earned her an eighth-place finish overall. Two weeks later at the Husky Classic (2/12) she ran the season-best 5k time for a Buff with a time of 16:34.33. Thweatt competed in both the 3 and 5k at the Big 12 Championship. She placed seventh in the 5k (16:40.62) to earn indoor conference honors. Thweatt was also ninth in the 3k (9:35.00).

Outdoor: Thweatt was one of CU's top female distance runners during the outdoor campaign, starting at the Stanford Invite (3/26) where she ran CU's fastest 10k time of the year. Thweatt clocked a time of 34:34.41 to place fourth in the second section and become the 10^th fastest performer in CU history. She followed that performance by running a time of 2:11.35 in the 800 at the CU Invite (4/10). At the Mt. SAC Relays she became the ninth fastest 5k performer in CU history. Thweatt clocked a time of 16:11.55 and placed eighth in her section. She switched things up at her next race, this time running a 1,500 at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invite (5/1). Thweatt clocked a personal record of 4:25.27, the second best by a Buff in 2010. Thweatt advanced to the NCAA West Preliminaries in the 10k. She finished 34^th overall with a time of 36:18.64.

2009: Indoor: Thweatt only competed in two races during the indoor season. She ran to a second-place finish at the Air Force Duals in the 3,000-meter run. Almost a month later, Thweatt recorded her first all-conference track honor in the 5k. She finished eighth overall in 16:59.39.

Outdoor: The outdoor season saw Thweatt concentrating on the 5k as she raced it three times. Her best time was at the Stanford Invite (10^th/17:01.68). Thweatt also ran the 1,500 once, recording a PR (4:41.67) and a first-place finish at the Potts Invite.

2008: Indoor: Thweatt did not compete during the indoor season. She ran in three races during the outdoor campaign before her season was cut short due to injury.

Outdoor: Thweatt's first race of the season was the mile run at the Potts Invite where she took second overall. She then switched to the 5k and just barely missed the regional qualifying mark in her debut at the Stanford Invite (16:54.25). Thweatt captured that mark two weeks later at the Mt. Sac Relays (16:52.63) and took 12^th overall.

CROSS COUNTRY: (2010) Thweatt wrapped up her career with the Buffs with another great season. She finished fourth overall at the Rocky Mountain Shootout and was the fourth Buff to cross the finish. Thweatt was once again the No. 4 runner for CU at pre-nats, this time placing 26^th overall. She earned all-conference and all-region honors, placing 11^th and fourth, respectively. Thweatt ended her career with CU at nationals, placing 58^th overall. (2009) Thweatt finished first overall at the Fort Hays State Open, setting the then-5k course record and was named the Big 12 Runner of the Week. Thweatt was 27^th at the pre-nats but moved up to 13^th at the conference meet to earn her first All-Big 12 honor. She was 19^th at regions to once again gain all-region recognition. Thweatt was CU's No. 3 harrier at nationals and took 131^st. (2008) Thweatt continued to be a member of the varsity roster as a sophomore and stepped into a leadership role. She started the year by placing 18^th at the ISU Open but moved up to 10^th at the Rocky Mountain Shootout. Thweatt led the Buffs for the first time in her career at pre-nats by finishing 86^th. She was the No. 2 harrier at the conference championship (26^th overall) and again led the Buffs at regionals by taking 14^th. (2007) Thweatt scored in all three races for CU as a freshman. After winning the time trial, she was sixth overall at the Rocky Mountain Shootout and was the third Buff to finish. At pre-nats, she finished 74^th and was the No. 4 Buff. Thweatt just missed all-conference honors, but finished 18^th overall to help CU to another conference title. She was the alternate at regionals and nationals due to an injury.

HIGH SCHOOL: Thweatt took 14th at the 2007 USA Cross Country Championships in Boulder, Colo. She was the 5A state runner-up as a senior, moving up from an eighth-place finish as a junior. Thweatt was a three-time member of the all-state first team as she placed seventh in the state championship as a sophomore. A two-time regional champion as a senior and junior, she was inducted into the Durango High School Hall of Fame. Thweatt was the 5A runner-up in the 3,200 and took third in the 1,600 as a senior. She owns DHS records in the 800 (2:18), 1,600 (4:54) and 3,200-meter (11:03) runs and 5k (18:33), which were all set at the state championships.

HIGH SCHOOL BESTS: 800-Meters: 2:18; 1,600-Meters: 4:59; 3,200-Meters: 11:03.

ACADEMICS: Thweatt graduated with a degree in sociology. A member of the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll, Thweatt owns a cumulative GPA greater than 3.0. She would like to pursue a career in magazine sports writing. Thweatt was named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team in 2009, 10 and 11.

PERSONAL: Laura Kristine Thweatt was born on December 17, 1988 in Durango, Colo. Her parents are Steve and Jean Thweatt. She had two cousins who played football at Oregon. Thweatt lists skiing and hiking as her hobbies.