Cross-country star looks to build on breakout season

COURTESY OF NSU ATHLETICS
Jillian Thorning, junior biology major, runs the 6k at the St. Thomas Bobcat Invitational on Sept. 12.

Jillian Thorning, reigning SSC Individual Cross Country Champion and Runner of the Year, is ready to follow-up last year’s success in her second season as a Shark.

The junior biology major from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, began her cross country career when she was 6 years old and started track at 9 years old.

“Growing up, I enjoyed pushing myself physically, and I also liked the individual aspect of it and being able to see how far I could go,” Thorning said. “My favorite part now, though, is being with the team. I love having a team and being able to lean on them for support, and competing with them is very special to me.”

Thorning spent her first collegiate season at High Point University, a Division I school in North Carolina before transferring to NSU for the 2024-25 season.

“I wanted a better balance between academics, social life and running, and Division II is a really good fit for that, and I feel like I work just as hard as people at the Division I level,” Thorning said. “Coming from up north I also love the location of NSU because, I mean, who doesn’t love the beach?”

Thorning, a member of both the cross-country and track teams, had a breakout first season at NSU in both sports. In cross-country, she was recognized as the SSC Runner of the Year and placed first in the conference championship meet, leading the women’s cross-country team to its first conference championship in program history. The team advanced all the way to the NCAA National Championship meet, which was an unforgettable experience for her.

“It was the biggest meet I’ve ever been to and at the beginning of the season, I wouldn’t have ever imagined that was a possibility. A lot of teams underestimated us and didn’t expect us to perform the way we did, so it was really cool to prove them wrong and band together,” Thorning said. “To be able to share it with my teammates was really amazing and we were so proud of ourselves for making it that far.”

In track, Thorning was named the SSC Distance Runner of the Year, became the conference champion in the 1500 meters event and broke three school records in the 1500 meters, 800 meters and 5000 meters events.

“Last season was reassuring for me, after leaving one school and coming to another, to be able to do even better and know that I did make the right decision felt really good,” Thorning said. “It also helped me reaffirm all of the hard work I put into this, it’s nice to get recognition for that.”

Jonathan Carter, cross-country and track head coach, also recognizes Thorning’s investment in her craft and the program itself.

“She is committed to the team, dedicated to hard work and a very coachable athlete,” Carter said. “She’s one of our captains, and it’s not just because she’s a great runner, it’s also her devotion to wanting to be successful as a team.”

To start the 2025 cross-country season, Thorning has picked up right where she left off. She was the first to cross the finish line in the team’s first two meets, with the team placing second and first. To top that off, she also ran a personal best in the 5k while simultaneously breaking the school record.

“This season, as a team I really want to go back to the national championship meet and do better than we did last year,” Thorning said. “I don’t like to put time goals for myself, so I really just want to feel strong and end the season stronger than I did last year.”