Dawn E. Thornton

Dawn E. Thornton became the fifth head coach in Alabama A&M University’s Division I women’s basketball history on April 6, 2024. She arrived in Huntsville following five seasons as head coach at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, where she guided the Golden Lions to significant milestones, including a historic victory over Arkansas during the 2023-24 season. That year, UAPB finished fourth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with a 17-16 overall record and a 12-7 mark in league play. Thornton earned her 100th career win during the season and mentored multiple All-SWAC honorees, including First Team selection Zaay Green. Known as “Diva Coach,” Thornton has built a reputation for revitalizing programs and developing standout talent at both the Division I and Division II levels. Prior to Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Thornton served as head coach at Prairie View A&M, where she led the program to a SWAC Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2014, earning HBCU Digest Female Coach of the Year honors. She also held head coaching duties at Shorter University and assistant coaching roles at Jacksonville University, Prairie View A&M, and Tougaloo College. Throughout her career, she has coached and recruited multiple conference Players of the Year and All-Conference performers. A Jackson State graduate with a degree in Sociology, Thornton was a standout student-athlete who helped lead the Lady Tigers to a SWAC Regular Season Co-Championship. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Inc. and is the mother of one son, Camden.