University of Hartford Acting Vice-President of Athletics & Recreation Dr. Sharon Beverly announced on Friday that Polly Thomason has been named the Hawks’ head women’s basketball coach. Thomason will be the 11th head coach in the 45-year history of the program. Thomason comes to Hartford by way of the University of Texas – Dallas, where she served as head coach of the Comets for 17 seasons from 2005-21.
“I’d like to thank President Woodward, Vice President Beverly, and the search committee for this opportunity,” said Thomason. “I’m very honored and excited to be chosen to lead the women’s basketball program into this new and exciting phase of Hartford Athletics.”
Only the second head coach in the history of the UT–Dallas, Thomason compiled a 327-126 record overall. Her career has been highlighted by six NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, including making the national tournament in four straight seasons from 2017-2020. Thomason also guided the Comets to the Sweet 16 in 2014-15, the furthest the program has gone in the NCAA Tournament in school history.
In addition to numerous NCAA Tournament appearances, Thomason has experienced incredible success at UT – Dallas, winning four American Southwest Conference (ASC) Championships and five ASC East Division Championships.
“Coach Polly Thomason brings an impressive proven record of success to UHart,” stated Beverly. “She is the right person for us at the right time and I could not be happier that she’ll be leading our women’s basketball program!”
Thomason’s teams have consistently been featured in the D3Hoops.com National Rankings, WBCA National Rankings and NCAA Regional Rankings, finishing in the top-25 in the national rankings, and the top-eight in the regional rankings in 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2010, 2009. Player development has been a hallmark of Thomason’s career has she coached 14 All-Americans, eight All-Region honorees, one Region Player of the Year, one Conference Player of the Year, 13 ASC East Division Players of the Year and 19 All-Conference Players. In the classroom, her student-athletes have been just as successful, yielding five CoSIDA Academic All-District members and 104 All-Conference Academic award honorees.
Individually, Thomason has received numerous coaching honors. She was named a Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Association (WBCA) National Coach of the Year Finalist in 2020-21, the WBCA South Region Coach of the Year in 2016-17, the D3Hoops.com South Region Coach of the Year in 2014-15 and is a six-time ASC East Coach of the Year.
The Comets took an immediate step forward once Thomason arrived on the staff, as UT-Dallas recorded double-digit wins in only one season having never posted a winning record previously, and never reaching the post season before her tenure.
In addition to her success on the court, Thomason has been equally active and successful in the professional realm. In 2018, she was appointed to the WBCA Board of Directors, serving as the board’s NCAA DIII Legislative Liaison. Thomason has been involved with both the WBCA’s All-American Team Selection Committee and Coach of the Year Selection Committee and has served on the NCAA Championships South Region Advisory Committee. In 2008, Thomason received the Judy Sweet Award from the NCAA Women’s Coaches Academy and attended the 2015 Columbia University/WBCA Center for Coaching Excellence.
Prior to joining UT-Dallas, Thomason served as the Assistant Coach at Chatham University in 2004-05 and as an assistant at the College of Wooster from 2002-04. Thomason assisted in the daily operations of both programs and serving as the recruiting coordinator at College of Wooster. She started her career in coaching at her alma mater, Austin College from 1999-2000.
An Arlington, Texas native, she played on three ASC championship teams at Austin College and was a champion in the shot put as a member of the track and field team.
“I’m very confident that we have all the pieces in place to not only compete and win, but also provide an opportunity for the young women who come through the program to excel in the classroom, workforce and beyond,” Thomason said. “It’s an exciting time to be a Hartford Hawk!”
Thomason inherits a Hartford team that is coming off an appearance in in the America East Playoffs, reaching the conference tournament for the first time since 2019.
Thomason graduated from Austin College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science before receiving her Master’s Degree in Sports Administration from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville.
https://hartfordhawks.com/news/2022/5/27/polly-thomason-named-head-womens-basketball-coach.aspx
