Photo courtesy of Plymouth State University Former Nashua South standout Terrell Lewis received All-American status for his indoor season in the 60 mieter hurdles.

Terrell Lewis was an outstanding track and field athlete in state circles at Nashua High School South.

Now he’s become an outstanding athlete nationally while competing at Plymouth State University.

Lewis, who just finished his junior year, was honored by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) with All-America honors for the 60 meter hurdles based on his outstanding indoor track season that was cut short by the pandemic. He was less than 24 hours from competing for a national title at the NCAA Division III Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championships when the rest of the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lewis is one of only three Plymouth State indoor track and field athletes to ever achieve this honor.

Usually, All-America status is based on a competitor scoring any portion of a team total in the NCAA meet (top eight in the finals of an individual event or as a member of top eight relay team), but the USTFCCCA opted to honor all who qualified for the national meet events.

Lewis in the 60-meter hurdles was tied for the tenth fastest time in the nation and was one of just three competitors from New England to be accepted into the championship field.

He set and reset the 60-meter school record four different times, including each of his final three appearances of the year.

He claimed his first Little East Conference (LEC) title in the 55-meter hurdles on Feb. 22 with a conference record performance of 7.60 seconds (the converted time of 8.17 was a school record) and matched that on a full 60-meter track to place second at the New England Regional Championship meet and then posted an 8.13 time a the Tufts National Qualifying Meet.

“Terrell had an All-American indoor campaign,” Plymouth State coach John Ostler said. “He came in fitter than ever, his preparation was flawless and he was getting faster every week leading into NCAAs.

“There was no question in my mind, right until the second the meet was canceled, that Terrell was going to race his way to All-American status at nationals. Now his great season gets immortalized, as it should be.”