The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Thornton named to USTFCCCA 2016 Hall of Fame Class
08.03.2016 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Former men's track & field coach to be inducted in December
AUSTIN, Texas – Former Texas Men's Head Track & Field Coach Bubba Thornton is headed to the hall of fame. The USTFCCCA announced its 2016 hall of fame class on Wednesday and Thornton was among those chosen for the honor this year.
Thornton will officially join the hall on Wednesday, December 14 when the ceremony is held in conjunction with the USTFCCCA Convention in Orlando, Florida.
"I'm really excited about being part of such a prestigious group of coaches across America. I'm extremely pleased to be going in with a group of people who are in this class. Not only have they contributed as great coaches, but they helped the sport of track & field move forward," Thornton said. "It's an exciting time for me and my family. I'm looking forward to seeing everybody at the ceremony in December."
Thornton coached for 31 years combined at his alma mater TCU and Texas where he impacted the lives of countless student-athletes. His athletes at the two schools combined to win 35 NCAA event titles under his tutelage along with 161 conference championships and more than 300 All-America performances.
After coaching at TCU from 1982-1995 and making the Horned Frogs a force in the 4x100 meter relay, Thornton made the move to Austin to coach the Longhorns and saw his first Texas team finish fifth at the 1996 NCAA Outdoor Championships after winning the final Southwest Conference title. The following year, the Texas men posted the best finish in school history with a runner-up performance at the NCAA meet.
Texas won five Big 12 Conference titles under Thornton, including his final year at the helm in 2013. The Longhorns tallied eight top 10's at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with his guidance. Indoors, Texas had a stretch of seven consecutive top 10 finishes at the NCAA Indoor Championships and added six Big 12 titles.
After winning the Big 12 titles indoors and out in 2013, Thornton retired. The men's and women's programs at Texas were then combined and his long-time assistant coach Mario Sategna took over the helm for both teams.
"This is a very well-deserved honor for Bubba," said Texas Head Coach Mario Sategna. "I'm so thankful to him for bringing me to The University of Texas as an assistant coach and allowing me the opportunity to learn from him. He has been more than a mentor to me but also a friend I will always respect and hold dear."
In total, Thornton's teams finished in the top 15 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships a total of 13 times in his 31 years and posted top-five finishes four times combined at TCU and Texas. His impact on the sport earned him the men's head coach position for Team USA at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Joining Thornton in the 2016 USTFCCCA Hall of Fame Class are: Terry Franson (Azusa Pacific); Pat Healy (UW-La Crosse/Southern Oregon State); Mike Holloway (Florida); Bob Kitchens (UTEP/Mississippi State/West Texas A&M) and Marty Stern (Villanova).