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Dave Thorn has been involved with volleyball for nearly all of his adult life. So it’s not a surprise that he enters his fifth season as the head coach at The University of Texas-Pan American as the most successful coach in Lady Bronc history. Thorn’s 2000 team tied the school record for wins, and, in the last two seasons, Thorn has led Texas-Pan American to the second best back-to-back seasons in UTPA history. UT Pan American finished last season with a flourish, winning its last nine matches, 12 of the final 14 and 14 of the last 17. Had it not been for a 2-14 start, the Lady Broncs would certainly broken the school record for wins. A native of Spokane, WA, where he played basketball and threw the discus and javelin at Mead High School, Thorn played club volleyball while attending Whitman College. He began his coaching career by assisting at DeSales HS as a junior, then helped with the varsity team as a senior. He was an assistant at Whitworth College in Spokane for a year, coached at Riverside HS in Spokane for two seasons, leading RHS to their first district playoff appearance in ten years, and coached the Northeast Juniors Volleyball Club in 1994 and 1995. His junior team won several tournaments and won the region 18 and under title, while the 16 and under team was second in the region. He also played club volleyball, competing in tournaments in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Canada at the A and AA levels. Thorn joined the UTPA staff as a graduate assistant and earned his M.A. in Kinesiology, then was named head coach in April, 1998. When he was a GA, the Lady Broncs qualified for the Sun Belt Tournament for the first time in school history. "Coaching at the Division I level gives me the opportunity to coach and compete against the best collegiate athletes," said Thorn. "As a player, I was very aggressive and competitive. Until the game was over, I would do anything within the rules in order to win. I want to teach that aggressive style of play to my student-athletes. I would rather go down swinging than let an opponent dictate the pace of a match. Also, volleyball is a game and it should be enjoyed. A student-athlete’s playing career is short, and it should be fun." Thorn’s teams have also
distinguished themselves off the court. Four athletes were named to the Athletic
Director’s Honor Roll last season, two were named United States Achievement
Academy All-American Scholars, six made the Dean’s List, and eleven were named
to the Bronc Pride 3.0 Club.
Thorn’s Career Coaching Record UT Pan American 1998 8-15 1999 8-20 2000 19-18 2001 15-17 Total 50-70 |
