MELBOURNE, Fla. - The Sunshine State conference announced the 2024 All-SSC Cross Country Runner and Freshman of the Year Honors on Thursday morning. Jillian Thorning was named the SSC Female Runner of the Year, becoming the first Shark to win that honor since Alexandria Palm received it in 2013.  

Thorning, a transfer from High Point University has made an immediate impact in her first year as a Shark. The sophomore kicked off her 2024 campaign with a third-place finish in the 5K against a quality field at the Florida Atlantic University Collegiate Cross Country Invitational. Thorning would continue to impress, earning top-six finishes at the 2024 Holloway Park Collegiate Opener and Ave Maria Invitational. She would close out the regular season with a sixth-place finish at the UAH Chargers XC Invitational, running 21:04.8 in the 6K, which places her second in program history. Thorning's blazing performance earned her SSC Runner of the Week. 

Thorning will be back in action tomorrow at 8:45 am as the Sharks kick off the action at the Sunshine State Conference Cross Country Championships.