NASHVILLE — Kylen Thorps doesn't have to look far to see what Tennessee State track and field can mean to his family. 

Part of that history is already on the wall. 

Thorps arrived at Tennessee State with a connection to the university that began long before he put on a Tigers uniform. Both of his parents attended TSU, and his aunt competed for the track and field program. 

Now Thorps is building his own chapter. 

And he knows exactly what he wants it to look like. 

"To have my face on the wall of TSU just like my auntie," Thorps said of what drives him, "and to achieve what I've dreamed about and make it a reality." 

The goal is personal. 

So is the name he carries. 

Thorps said he thinks about his last name when he competes and the responsibility he feels to represent it in a way that earns respect. 

At Tennessee State, that responsibility comes with another layer. 

He isn't trying only to follow a family tradition. 

He's trying to add to it. 

More Than a Legacy 

Thorps came to Tennessee State because of family, but he has already created accomplishments that belong entirely to him. 

The Atlanta native emerged as one of the Tigers' top performers in 2026, winning the Ohio Valley Conference outdoor championship in the 400-meter hurdles and helping Tennessee State claim the 4x400-meter relay title. 

He also became a facility record holder. 

Those accomplishments gave Thorps tangible proof of something he says he has believed for years. 

The things he repeatedly tells himself he can accomplish have a way of becoming real. 

Thorps describes manifestation as one of the lesser-known parts of his journey. 

"Everything I say I'm going to do to myself, I end up achieving it just by mainly thinking about it," Thorps said. "You become what you think about every day." 

For Thorps, those thoughts aren't small. 

He wants to reach the NCAA Championships. 

He wants to continue lowering his personal bests. 

And after his college career ends, he wants to run professionally. 

Before that happens, he wants to leave Tennessee State with his name attached to something permanent. 

"PR in all my events and leave a mark with my name," Thorps said of his goals for the season. 

Expecting More 

Thorps describes himself as confident, assertive and competitive. 

Those qualities are reflected in the way he races. 

His playing style, as he describes it, is rooted in consistency and assertiveness — two traits necessary for an event like the 400-meter hurdles, where one mistake in rhythm can change an entire race. 

His motivation comes partly from knowing he still has more to prove. 

Thorps said one of the things that pushes him through difficult moments is the feeling that he is not yet as known within the sport as he wants to be. 

He intends to change that. 

Not through one performance. 

Through consistency. 

That lesson has become central to his college career. 

"Stay focused on long-term vision and not temporary reward of the moment," Thorps said of the biggest lesson he has learned as a collegiate athlete. 

That philosophy fits the goals ahead of him. 

One conference title is not enough. 

One record is not enough. 

Thorps isn't measuring his career by one successful season. 

He is thinking about what remains after the seasons are gone. 

Carrying the Name 

Thorps' connection to Tennessee State began with family. 

His mother introduced him to track. 

His parents' ties to TSU made the university familiar. 

His aunt provided an example of what competing for Tennessee State could look like. 

But Thorps does not want his time in Nashville remembered simply because he was part of a legacy. 

He wants to become one. 

When his career is over, Thorps hopes people remember the work he put in every day and the leadership he displayed while representing Tennessee State. 

That leadership extends beyond results. 

Thorps believes a winning program requires encouragement and positivity throughout the season. He strives to be a caring and supportive teammate regardless of the circumstances. 

He also understands that his individual goals can contribute to something larger. 

There are records to chase. 

Championships to win. 

A national stage to reach. 

And perhaps, eventually, professional races waiting beyond college. 

But there is one image that continues to bring everything back to Tennessee State. 

A wall. 

A photograph. 

A family member whose own career helped set the standard. 

Thorps has spent much of his life seeing what came before him. 

Now, he wants future Tigers to see what came next. 

His aunt's place in Tennessee State history is already secure. 

Thorps is running for his own.