John Thurston
John Thurston (born April 17, 1948)
Teams coached: FDU-Florham Devils, James Madison Dukes, Wingate Bulldogs
FDU-Florham record^: 39-39 (.500)
James Madison record: 31-44 (.413)
Wingate record^: 95-149 (.389)
Overall record^: 165-232 (.416)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 1 (1987)
- NEC Women’s Tournament Champion: 1 (2015)
- Florida Sun (NAIA) Women’s Regular Season Champion: 2 (2007, 2008)
- NCAA Division I Women’s Tournament Appearances: 1 (2015)
- NAIA Women’s Tournament Appearances: 1 (2008)
Awards:
- CAA Coach of the Year: 1 (1987)
- Florida Sun (NAIA) Women’s Coach of the Year: 1 (2008)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
| 2012-2018 | St. Francis Brooklyn (women’s HC) |
| 2010-2012 | St. Francis Brooklyn (women’s asst) |
| 2008-2010 | Fordham (women’s asst) |
| 2006-2008 | Northwood (women’s HC) |
| 2003-2006 | UNC Wilmington (women’s asst) |
| 1988-1997 | Wingate |
| 1985-1988 | James Madison |
| 1975-1985 | James Madison (asst) |
| 1972-1975 | FDU-Florham |
| 1971-1972 | FDU-Florham (asst) |
John Thurston Facts
- John Thurston
- Born April 17, 1948
- Hometown: The Bronx, New York
- Alma Mater: Seton Hall University (BA, 1970)
- Graduated from Archbishop Molloy HS in Queens, NY and then played at Seton Hall for head coach Richard “Richie” Regan
- Also played baseball in high school and college and was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1966 MLB Amateur Draft
- Started his coaching career at D-III Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham; after just one year as an assistant under Paul Lizzo, Thurston was elevated to head coach of the Devils at just 24 years old
- Went 39-39 in three years at the helm, improving the teams win total each year from 9-15 in year one to 18-10 in year three
- Hired by James Madison head coach Lou Campanelli to be an assistant coach with the Dukes in 1975
- Worked under Campanelli for ten seasons, during which time he was part of three-straight NCAA Tournaments (1981-83)
- Elevated to head coach in 1985 and led the JMU program for three years, going 31-44 over that tenure
- His second year (1986-87) was his best, winning 20 games, reaching the NIT and being named CAA COY
- After parting ways with JMU in 1988, Thurston became the head coach at Division II Wingate University (NC)
- Was 95-149 overall in nine seasons at the helm of the Bulldogs’ program
- Spent the rest of coaching career in women’s college basketball, starting with an assistant stint at UNC Wilmington under Ann Hancock
- Went 41-21 in two seasons as the head coach at Northwood (now Keiser) (FL), winning the Florida Sun title both years
- Named Florida Sun COY in 2008 after winning 23 games and reaching the NAIA Women’s Tournament
- Next spent two years each assisting Cathy Andruzzi at Fordham and Brenda Milano at St. Francis Brooklyn
- Became the head women’s coach at St. Francis in 2012 and led the Terriers to a 73-110 overall record in six seasons at the helm
- Best year was 2014-15, when the team went 15-19 but won the NEC Tournament to get their first-ever NCAA Tournament bid
- Retired from coaching in 2018 with an overall women’s head coaching record of 114-131 (.465)
John Thurston Coaching Tree
- Tom McCorry (James Madison)
^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the men’s Division I, Division II and Division III levels only