Dawn Thornton stepped down after five seasons as head coach at Arkansas-Pine Bluff after leading the Lady Lions to a record for wins this past season, with key victories over SMU and Arkansas. In 2022-23, Thornton helped Pine Bluff to a 17-16 record and its first Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament championship game. The team went 11-7 in conference play. Under Thornton, five athletes earned All-SWAC Conference honors, including Zaay Green and Khadijah Brown, who were each named Newcomer of the Year in their first seasons. This past season, Green set single-season record for points scored and Maya Peat set the school record for career rebounds. "I have a great deal of respect for Dawn Thornton," Pine Bluff vice chancellor Chris Robinson said in a statement. "I would like to express my gratitude to coach Thornton for her hard work and dedication as the head coach of our women's
basketball program. Her contributions over the course of five seasons have had a significant impact on our campus and the community." Thornton finished with a 54-89 record in her five seasons with the program. She previously coached at Prairie View, where she compiled a 41-51 record over three seasons through the 2015-16 campaign. Assistant coach Nicole Meaning was named interim coach as the school searches for Thornton's replacement. "The future of UAPB women's basketball program is bright," Robinson said, "and we are confident that our next head coach will continue to elevate the program to new heights." --Field Level Media