Alabama A&M is the only HBCU on Minnesota WBB’s schedule this season. The Black public university from Huntsville, AL will play at The Barn on Wednesday Dec. 10.
This is the first time the Bulldogs and the Gophers will meet since 2010, when visiting Minnesota lost to the hosts 75-68.
This time around, Gopher fans will see for the first time Dawn E. Thornton on the visiting sidelines. She is commonly known as the “Diva Coach” for her on-court fashion sense. But the second-year head coach, who was hired in April 2024 after five seasons at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, has over a decade of coaching experience, including HC stops at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Prairie View A&M (two seasons), and Division II Shorter University, along with assistant coaching stops at several schools, rightly earning a reputation as an excellent recruiter.
Thornton played her college ball at Jackson State, where she earned her sociology degree in 2008 and helped JSU to consecutive SWAC regular season co-championships in her junior and senior seasons.
But be forewarned, Thornton is more than a fashion flashpoint — she can coach. The Bulldogs in her first season went 21-11 and 14-4 in the conference, and reached the WNIT first round.
Alabama A&M was picked to finish second in the SWAC this season.
Preseason SWAC Player of the Year Kalia Walker led the conference in scoring last season, when she also scored her 1,000th career points. She (10.7 ppg), Coriah Beck (11.2 ppg), and Moses Davenport (11.7 ppg) are the team leaders.
Jaida Belton, who finished 10th last season in the SWAC in rebounding, was selected second team all-SWAC in the preseason poll
The Bulldogs HC said she can’t wait to play in the Twin Cities. “It helps us with recruiting … I love to have the opportunity to be in a different environment, something new,” she pointed out. “It’s going to be a great atmosphere.
“We have a good brand of basketball. So, I think that playing a team like Minnesota, being in that environment, we’re going to be able to see exactly how strong we’ll be on the road this year,” stated Thorton.
Even more importantly, it gives young girls, especially Black youth, a great chance to see a Black female coach in action. Thornton is the only Black female HC coaching a visiting team at The Barn this season.
“I’ve been very intentional about being an advocate for our women’s basketball programs that are represented by all HBCUs,” said Thornton. “It’s about our kids. It’s about representing young women all across the country. I believe in pouring into my young women who they are as individuals as they’re growing up into adulthood. You never know who’s looking and who’s watching, who wants to be just like you.
“I take that wholeheartedly,” concluded Thornton. “That assignment is something I know that God has blessed me with the opportunity to do, and I don’t take that lightly.”
Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.