John Thornton

Director

Before his involvement with the Coaching Academy, Thornton held a variety of administrative duties in the Athletics Department at A&M. He served as the Interim Athletic Director as A&M transitioned into the Southeastern Conference. Prior to that he served as Senior Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Development at Texas A&M and helped coordinate student-athlete academic services, strength and conditioning, athletic training, and financial aid.

While serving in his administrative duties he was recognized by way of the Academic Inspiration Award in 1998, the TAMU 2002 Student Organization Advisor of the Year Award and was honored in 2002 by having a Fish Camp named after him. He was the recipient of the Student-Athlete Award of Excellence in 2003, the Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award in 2012, and in 2015 he was inducted into the Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Honor.

Before his administrative duties he was a nine-year assistant basketball coach for Head Coach Shelby Metcalf at Texas A&M and served as interim Head Basketball Coach in 1990.

Thornton was a 2-year letterman on the Texas A&M Basketball Team where in 1974 he earned the Newcomer-of-the-Year in the Southwest Conference and won the team Most Valuable Player Award. In his senior year at A&M, he was voted Team Captain of the 1975 Southwest Conference Champions.

Prior to his tenure at A&M, Thornton was a basketball coach at the high school and junior college level.