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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 sixth 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 three seasons, Thorn has led Texas-Pan American to the best three-year
stretch in UTPA history. The Lady Broncs have won 50 matches in the
past three years, and, as a result, Thorn needs just two victories to
become the all-time winningest volleyball coach at UTPA. He already
has the top winning percentage among Lady Bronc coaches.
Texas-Pan American came on strong last year. The Lady Broncs won nine
matches in a row and finished by winning 15 of their final 24 matches,
falling just three victories short of tying the school record for victories.
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 Junior HS as a junior, then helped with the Whitman HS varsity
team as a senior. Thorn was an assistant at Whitworth College in Spokane
for a year, and coached at Riverside HS in Spokane for two seasons.
RHS made the playoffs both years, making their first district playoff
appearance in ten seasons. Thorn coached the Northeast Juniors Volleyball
Club in 1994 and 1995. His 1995 junior team won several tournaments
and won the region 18 and under title, while the 16 and under team was
second in the region in 1994. 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.
Three student- athletes were named to the Athletic Director’s Honor
Roll last season, four were named United States Achievement Academy
All-American Scholars, four made the Dean’s List, and eight were
named to the Bronc Pride 3.0 Club.
Thorn is a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association and
USA Volleyball. He resides in McAllen with his wife, Beatriz, and their
newborn daughter, Sara.
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