Charli Turner Thorne
Encyclopedia
Charli Turner Thorne is the Arizona State Sun Devils head women's basketball
coach. She is the winningest
Sun Devil coach since the team was established (251-154) and, in 2009, stood as No. 4 in the Pac-10 in terms of most career wins.
where she played basketball under Tara VanDerveer
. She graduated in 1988 with a bachelor's degree and later studied for a master's degree in education at the University of Washington
, graduating in 1990. She is married to Will Thorne and they have three children.
, winning consecutive seasons in 1994-95 and 1995–96, the first time the school had accomplished this. She then transferred to the Arizona State University Sun Devils team for the start of the 1996 season, where she has led the Arizona State women's basketball
team to the NCAA Tournament seven times. This achievement is four more than in the 15 years prior to her arrival as coach.
In the 2004-05 season, the Sun Devils under Turner Thorne gained a 24-10 overall record and its first NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance in 22 years. The team also gained a record of 25-9, which met the single-season school record for most wins at that time. ASU shared the Pac-10 title in 2001 and the inaugural Pac-10 Tournament title in 2002, the first league championships the school had achieved.
In the 2006-07 season, the Sun Devils achieved 31 wins, including a school record 16 Pac-10 wins, which brought them to the Elite Eight
of the NCAA Tournament for the first time. At the end of the 2006-07 season, the Sun Devils ranked No. 8 in the final USA Today/ESPN coaches poll and No. 10 in the final Associated Press poll, the highest final rankings in each poll the school had achieved. In the summer of 2007 Turner Thorne served as an assistant coach on USA Basketball's U-21 World Championship Team which won the gold medal at the U-21 FIBA World Championship
in Moscow, Russia.
In 2009 the Sun Devils rejoined the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons under Turner Thorne's leadership. Having achieved 26 wins in the 2008-09 season, Turner Thorne became one of three Pac-10 coaches alongside University of Washington
head coach Chris Gobrecht and Stanford University
head coach Tara VanDerveer
to have led their respective schools to five or more consecutive 20-win seasons.
During the summer of 2009, Turner Thorne served as the head coach of the USA Women's World University Games Team which won the gold medal at the 2009 World University Games in Belgrade
, Serbia, having won all seven of their games. It was Turner Thorne's second time working with USA Basketball
.
In July 2009, Turner Thorne became vice president of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's (WBCA
) Executive Committee.
For the 2011–12 basketball season, Turner Thorne is taking a leave of absence
from her coaching duties and plans to return for the 2012–13 season.
Women's basketball
Women's basketball is one of the few women's sports that developed in tandem with its men's counterpart. It became popular, spreading from the east coast of the United States to the west coast , in large part via women's colleges...
coach. She is the winningest
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
Sun Devil coach since the team was established (251-154) and, in 2009, stood as No. 4 in the Pac-10 in terms of most career wins.
Biography
Turner Thorne studied psychology at Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
where she played basketball under Tara VanDerveer
Tara Vanderveer
Tara VanDerveer has been the Stanford University women's basketball coach since 1985. She led the Stanford Cardinal to two NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championships: in 1990 and 1992. She stepped away from the Stanford program for a year to serve as the U.S. national team head coach at the...
. She graduated in 1988 with a bachelor's degree and later studied for a master's degree in education at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, graduating in 1990. She is married to Will Thorne and they have three children.
Coaching career
Turner Thorne began her coaching career at Northern Arizona UniversityNorthern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University is a public university located in Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and has 39 satellite campuses in the state of Arizona. The university offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees.As of...
, winning consecutive seasons in 1994-95 and 1995–96, the first time the school had accomplished this. She then transferred to the Arizona State University Sun Devils team for the start of the 1996 season, where she has led the Arizona State women's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team to the NCAA Tournament seven times. This achievement is four more than in the 15 years prior to her arrival as coach.
In the 2004-05 season, the Sun Devils under Turner Thorne gained a 24-10 overall record and its first NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance in 22 years. The team also gained a record of 25-9, which met the single-season school record for most wins at that time. ASU shared the Pac-10 title in 2001 and the inaugural Pac-10 Tournament title in 2002, the first league championships the school had achieved.
In the 2006-07 season, the Sun Devils achieved 31 wins, including a school record 16 Pac-10 wins, which brought them to the Elite Eight
Elite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
of the NCAA Tournament for the first time. At the end of the 2006-07 season, the Sun Devils ranked No. 8 in the final USA Today/ESPN coaches poll and No. 10 in the final Associated Press poll, the highest final rankings in each poll the school had achieved. In the summer of 2007 Turner Thorne served as an assistant coach on USA Basketball's U-21 World Championship Team which won the gold medal at the U-21 FIBA World Championship
FIBA World Championship
The FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...
in Moscow, Russia.
In 2009 the Sun Devils rejoined the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons under Turner Thorne's leadership. Having achieved 26 wins in the 2008-09 season, Turner Thorne became one of three Pac-10 coaches alongside University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
head coach Chris Gobrecht and Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
head coach Tara VanDerveer
Tara Vanderveer
Tara VanDerveer has been the Stanford University women's basketball coach since 1985. She led the Stanford Cardinal to two NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championships: in 1990 and 1992. She stepped away from the Stanford program for a year to serve as the U.S. national team head coach at the...
to have led their respective schools to five or more consecutive 20-win seasons.
During the summer of 2009, Turner Thorne served as the head coach of the USA Women's World University Games Team which won the gold medal at the 2009 World University Games in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, Serbia, having won all seven of their games. It was Turner Thorne's second time working with USA Basketball
USA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
.
In July 2009, Turner Thorne became vice president of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's (WBCA
Women's Basketball Coaches Association
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is an association of coaches of women's basketball teams at all levels.The organization was formed in 1981, with the goal of addressing the needs of women's basketball coaches.The mission of the WBCA is:...
) Executive Committee.
For the 2011–12 basketball season, Turner Thorne is taking a leave of absence
Leave of absence
Leave of absence is a term used to describe a period of time that one is to be away from his/her primary job, while maintaining the status of employee...
from her coaching duties and plans to return for the 2012–13 season.
Year-by-year results
Career Record: 291-194| Season | School | Overall | Conf. | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–1994 | Northern Arizona | 12-15 | 6-8 | Fourth in Big Sky | |
| 1994–1995 | Northern Arizona | 14-12 | 6-8 | First winning season at NAU in seven years | |
| 1995–1996 | Northern Arizona | 14-13 | 6-8 | Second straight winning season | |
| 1996–1997 | Arizona State | 9-19 | 3-15 | Most wins in four years | |
| 1997–1998 | Arizona State | 10-17 | 6-12 | First double-digit win season at ASU since 1992-1993 | |
| 1998–1999 | Arizona State | 12-15 | 6-12 | Best Pac-10 finish (sixth) since 1993 | |
| 1999–2000 | Arizona State | 14-15 | 7-11 | WNIT bid, ASU first post-season invite since 1992 | |
| 2000–2001 | Arizona State | 20-11 | 12-6 | First ever Pac-10 title, NCAA First Round | |
| 2001–2002 | Arizona State | 25-9 | 12-6 | Pac-10 Tournament title; NCAA Second Round; Tied school record for most wins | |
| 2002–2003 | Arizona State | 16-14 | 7-11 | Advanced to second round of WNIT | |
| 2003–2004 | Arizona State | 17-12 | 11-7 | WNIT bid | |
| 2004–2005 | Arizona State | 24-10 | 12-6 | First time in NCAA Sweet Sixteen since 1982-1983 | |
| 2005–2006 | Arizona State | 25-7 | 14-4 | Fourth NCAA appearance; school record 10 game win streak | |
| 2006–2007 | Arizona State | 31-5 | 16-2 | First appearance in NCAA Elite Eight in school history; Set school single-season records for most overall (31), Pac-10 (16), and road wins (10); Final No. 8 ranking. | |
| 2007–2008 | Arizona State | 22-11 | 14-4 | First time ASU has qualified for NCAA Tournament four straight years and first time winning 20 or more games four straight years. | |
| 2008–2009 | Arizona State | 26-9 | 15-3 | Second Elite Eight appearance in three years. |