University of Albany Field Hockey Assistant Andy Thornton Named Head Coach of U.S. Women's Indoor National Team - UAlbany Sports 2010

CHULA VISTA, CA - USA Field Hockey has announced that UAlbany assistant field hockey coach Andy Thornton has been named head coach of the Women's Indoor National Team. Thornton had previously served as an assistant coach for the team.

"I am excited to take on the role as head coach for the Women's Indoor National Team and look forward to the Indoor Pan Am Cup this August in Venezuela," said Thornton. "There is a lot of work to be done between now and the tournament, but I feel that our athletes have the right attitude and mindset to give us every opportunity of winning the Pan Am Cup and subsequently qualifying for the Indoor World Cup in 2011."

Thornton joined the Indoor National Team staff as an assistant coach in 2008. In that capacity, Thornton helped lead the U.S. Women's Team to a silver medal at the Indoor Pan American Cup last November.

Thornton has served for six years as an assistant coach with the University at Albany field hockey program, helping lead the Great Danes to their first-ever America East Conference Championship title in 2008. UAlbany won the regular season crown in 2009 and returned to the championship game for the third straight season.

He was named the 2004 Scottish Coach of the Year for youth boys and took Grove Academy High School to their first U-18 national field hockey title in March of 2004. Thornton was also the head coach for the women's field hockey team at Dundee University from 2002-04. In 2003 he was named the Scottish Grass Roots Coach of the Year. As a player, Thornton was a member of the Menzieshill men's field hockey club, which competes at the top indoor and outdoor level. Thornton won eight national titles and played in eight European Cups, representing Scotland. He played on the Scottish outdoor and indoor senior teams, including U-18, U-19 and U-21 international teams.


The U.S. National Indoor Team will began their tournament preparations with a trip the Big Apple Cup in February. The team will participate in the Indoor Pan American Cup in Barquisimeto, Venezuela from August 9 to 15. The Cup champion automatically qualifies for the Indoor World Cup in Poznan, Poland in February 2011.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information