Coach Dawn Thornton Signs Multi-Year Contract Extension With Alabama A&M

After a highly successful first season with the Bulldogs, Coach Thornton receives a multi-year contract extension.

Coach Dawn Thornton | AAMU Athletics

Before the Lady Bulldogs took the court for their season opener against Talladega, Dr. Paul Bryant, the vice president and director of athletics, presented head women's basketball coach Dawn Thornton with a three-year contract extension, which she agreed to and signed. She's one of the best coaches in HBCU women's basketball. The contract extension solidifies AAMU's commitment to Coach Thornton for several more years.

"I'm truly honored to continue my journey at Alabama A&M University. This extension is bigger than basketball. It's about impact, legacy, and purpose," Thornton said. "Every day I'm reminded that coaching is about more than winning games. It's about shaping women into leaders, dreamers, and world changers. I'm thankful for the trust, the support, and the belief in what we are building here. The foundation is set, but the mission continues. We're just getting started, and there's still history to make on The Hill. BIG ENERGY always."

Thornton was highly successful in her first season as the Lady Bulldogs, guiding the team to a 21-11 overall and 14-4 SWAC mark. Injuries late in the season hindered a SWAC regular-season and tournament title run, but Coach Thornton is expected to bring more success to The Hill this season.

"I got a wonderful group of young women," Coach Thornton told HBCU Legend in the summer. "They come from great families. I have a wonderful staff that I enjoy working with alongside every single day... I'm thankful to have such a solid group of people around me. So just continue to do great things and do God's work is what's important to me."

"Coach Dawn Thornton has brought a new era of excellence to Alabama A&M women's basketball. Her commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the court, her strategic acumen, and her passion for HBCU athletics have made an immediate impact. Extending her contract reflects our confidence in her leadership and our shared vision for sustained success," Bryant said.

Last year's 20-win season was the first-ever for the Bulldogs since becoming an NCAA Division I member in 1999, and the fifth time in the program's history. Also, it was Thornton's first time to eclipse 20+ victories in a season as a head coach.

At the 2025 SWAC Basketball Media Day, the voters project the Bulldogs to finish at No. 2 in the conference behind the 2025 SWAC Tournament Champions, the Southern Jaguars. AAMU received five first-place votes and finished with 224 points to the Jaguars' 265 points.

Guard Kalia Walker received votes as the preseason favorite to become the SWAC Women's Basketball Player of the Year. Last season, she averaged 14.6 points and 2.7 rebounds while shooting 37.9% from the field and 81.4 % from the free-throw line.

Walker was named to the preseason All-SWAC First Team, while her new teammate, Jaida Belton, a transfer from Texas Southern, earned a spot on the preseason All-SWAC Second Team.

After tonight's opener against Talladega, the Bulldogs will host Ole Miss at 7 p.m. on Friday inside the AAMU Event Center. The game will be streamed on SWAC TV.