25 Art Thomas

Class: Senior Hometown: Mechanicsburg, Pa. High School: Cumberland Valley H.S. Height / Weight: 6-2 / 205 Position: WR/CB Experience: 3L

WORTH NOTING: Moved to wide receiver in the spring and is expected to see time there this season ... could be a two-way player in the secondary as well ... his 79 career tackles are third among the team’s defensive backs … has made nine starts the last two years … his 11 career pass break ups are tied with Jamaine Winborne for the most on the team … scored UVa’s only defensive touchdowns the last two years … returned an interception 42 yards for a score against Akron last season and a fumble 92 yards for a touchdown vs. Penn State the season before … the interception return is UVa’s only one for a touchdown since 1998.

AT VIRGINIA: 2002—Started the first two games before being replaced by Almondo Curry in the lineup … played in every game, although his playing time decreased over the latter part of the season … also played on a variety of special teams including the punt and kickoff squads … also returned kickoffs … 23 tackles, including 14 solo stops … tied for fourth on the team with three pass break ups … made a season-high nine tackles, the second-highest total of his career, against Colorado State in the season’s first game … had three stops vs. Florida State … three tackles and a 42-yard interception return for a touchdown against Akron … also was in on three tackles, including one for loss, vs. Georgia Tech ... earned his third letter. 2001—Played in every game … started the last seven contests … made 48 tackles to lead the team’s cornerbacks … led the team with six pass breakups … also played on a variety of special teams … saw his playing time increase once he moved into the starting lineup … had four tackles against both Duke and Maryland … was in on seven tackles each against North Carolina and Florida State in his first two starting assignments … had five tackles and broke up two passes vs. N.C. State … career-high 11 tackles, all solo, in the win over Georgia Tech … had four tackles against both Virginia Tech and Penn State … lettered for the second time. 2000—Played in every regular season game and against Georgia in the Jeep O’ahu Bowl ... served as a backup cornerback and shared the kickoff return duties with Tavon Mason … returned 18 kickoffs for an 18.7-yard average, ninth in the ACC … also played on the kickoff coverage and punt coverage teams ... saw limited action in the secondary, totaling eight tackles (four solo, four assists) ... also recovered a fumble and broke up two passes … made his first tackle and broke up his first pass in the Richmond game … added to the kickoff return team for the Duke game and remained there the rest of the way … returned two kickoffs for a 33.0-yard average in that game … gained 36 yards, his longest return of the season, on his first return … recovered a fumbled punt deep in Clemson territory that Virginia turned into a touchdown on the next play … had two tackles and broke up a pass in the win over Wake Forest … career-high three tackles against Florida State ... had one tackle in games against Maryland and Georgia Tech ... returned one kick for eight yards against Georgia in the Jeep O’ahu Bowl ... lettered.

HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Fork Union Military Academy during 1999-00 school year … 1999 graduate of Cumberland Valley High School ... played tailback at FUMA for head coach John Shuman ... honored as FUMA’s top postgraduate athlete ... lettered for three years at Cumberland Valley for head coach Tim Rimphel ... played halfback, flanker and defensive back … also returned kickoffs ... rushed 153 times for 975 yards and 13 touchdowns in his senior season ... also had 23 receptions for 454 yards and five touchdowns ... recorded 32 tackles, six interceptions and 12 pass breakups on defense as a senior ... rushed for 538 yards and 12 touchdowns on 109 carries his junior year, while catching 14 passes for 139 yards ... had 26 tackles, one interception and eight pass breakups as a junior ... scored on a 98-yard kickoff return during his junior season ... rushed for 296 yards and one touchdown as a sophomore ... also caught 12 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown ... did not play on defense his sophomore year ... named a Super Prep All-American after the 1998 season ... honored in Grid-Iron Greats ... earned first-team All-Sentinel recognition as a senior ... named to Pennsylvania Big 33 team … Player of the Year finalist ... lettered three times in basketball and track … named to the All-Sectional first team in basketball … set school record in 100 yard dash, 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relays, and triple jump.

PERSONAL: Arthur Andrew Thomas … born 9-24-79 in New York, N.Y. … son of Edward and Cecelia Thomas … siblings include Erwin (25), Carla (17) and Mahala (14) … vice-president of student council as a senior … junior class president ... Harrisburg Boys’ Club and Special Olympics volunteer … economics major.

Thomas Defensively

Thomas Kickoff Returns

Thomas Interceptions