Hall of Fame
Pierre Thomas, a running back/defensive back out of Lee’s Summit North High School, was one of the greatest players to ever put on the Griffon uniform. From 2000-2003, Thomas totaled 274 career tackles in his four seasons at free safety including 139 unassisted and 10 tackles for loss. He had 41 career pass breakups, 6 career fumble recoveries and a Missouri Western record 23 interceptions.Thomas was also dangerous in the return game as he tallied 528 return yards and two touchdowns in his career.
His 2003 season will go down as one of the best ever for a defensive back. Thomas recorded 14 interceptions, a Missouri Western single-season school record, which broke a 46 year-old Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association record and tied a NCAA Div. II record that had not been met since 1972. His 14 interceptions also led all NCAA levels over the 2003 season.
Thomas, also holds the programs single-game interception record with three in a game, a feat he accomplished three times in 2003, also broke a nine year-old single season NCAA Div. II record for interception return yards (326) and a career NCAA Div. II record for interception return yards (528), which had been set in the mid-seventies. That year alone he amassed 78 tackles, 17 pass breakups, 25 put returns with an average of 10.6 yards a return and one touchdown. He also had seven kickoff returns for a net average of 23.4 yards. He finished the season with 1,034 all-purpose yards averaging 86.2 per game. Pierre rounded out his college career playing in the 2004 Whataburger Cactus Bowl, which is a NCAA Div. II all-star game held annually in Kingsville. Thomas picked up an interception in the game.
Pierre Thomas was a 3-time All-MIAA First Team Selection in 2000, 2001 and 2003. He became the programs first football consensus All-American after being named First Team by COSIDA (Daktronics), the American Football Coaches Association, and the Associated Press Little All-America Team in 2003.
