ASU’s Charli Turner Thorne named Pac-12 Coach of the Year
Mar 1, 2016, 7:18 AM
Arizona State head coach Charli Turner Thorne during the third quarter of an NCAA college basketball game against UCLA, Friday, Feb. 5, 2016, in Tempe, Ariz. Arizona State defeated UCLA 65-61. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Arizona State women’s basketball coach Charli Turner Thorne was named the John R. Wooden Pac-12 Coach of the Year Monday evening.
Turner Thorne’s Sun Devils finished the regular season 25-5 overall and 16-2 in the Pac-12, good enough to earn Arizona State’s first regular-season conference title since 2001.
It’s the second time Turner Thorne has captured the honor. She also won it back in 2001.
Turner Thorne, in her 19th season at ASU, has a record of 379-218 in Tempe to go along with a 202-139 conference record. She has coached the Devils to 14 postseason appearances, including 10 NCAA Tournament berths (and two Elite Eight appearances) in the last 15 years. The only year ASU didn’t play in the postseason during this stretch was 2012-13, the season following Turner Thorne’s one-year sabbatical from coaching.
In 22 seasons overall, including three years at Northern Arizona from 1993 to 1996, Turner Thorne has a coaching record of 419-257.
Arizona State also had five players earn All-Pac-12 recognition Monday.
Sophie Brunner, Elisha Davis and Katie Hempen were named to the 15-member All-Pac-12 Team. Davis also earned All-Defensive honors, while Brunner and Kelsey Moos received Defensive honorable mention.
Sabrina Haines received All-Freshman honorable mention.
The Sun Devils open the Pac-12 Tournament in Seattle as the No. 2 seed and will play either seventh-seeded Utah or 10th-seeded California Friday at 11:30 a.m. MST.
