---
"title": "HBCU women’s basketball coach candidate to take over Power 4 program"
"description": "One Power 4 women’s basketball program didn’t forget when an HBCU defeated them on their home floor. Arkansas is rumored to be interested in Alabama A&M coach Dawn Thornton, according to Sleeper Athletes Ladies Basketball. #AAMU #Bulldogs Head Coach Dawn Thornton’s (@DivaCoachAAMU) name has surfaced as a possible replacement for Mike Neighbors at #Arkansas Thornton […]"
"date": "2025-03-20"
"authors":
  -
    "name": "Chris Stevens"
"url": "https://hbcusports.com/2025/03/20/hbcu-womens-basketball-coach-candidate-to-take-over-power-4-program/"
"categories":
  - "Basketball"
  - "News"
"tags":
  - "Alabama A&M"
---

# HBCU women’s basketball coach candidate to take over Power 4 program

One Power 4 women’s basketball program didn’t forget when an HBCU defeated them on their home floor. Arkansas is rumored to be interested in Alabama A&M coach Dawn Thornton, according to Sleeper Athletes Ladies Basketball.

> [\#AAMU](https://twitter.com/hashtag/AAMU?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [\#Bulldogs](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bulldogs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Head Coach Dawn Thornton’s ([@DivaCoachAAMU](https://twitter.com/DivaCoachAAMU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)) name has surfaced as a possible replacement for Mike Neighbors at [\#Arkansas](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Arkansas?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Thornton took her [\#UAPB](https://twitter.com/hashtag/UAPB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [\#GoldenLions](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoldenLions?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) into Fayetteville and beat the [\#Razorbacks](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Razorbacks?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) 74-70 in 2023 [pic.twitter.com/kgkSJk1k11](https://t.co/kgkSJk1k11)
>
> — Sleeper Athletes Ladies Basketball (@SAthletesLBB) [March 19, 2025](https://twitter.com/SAthletesLBB/status/1902472401419682029?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

Thornton was the head coach at Arkansas Pine-Bluff when the Golden Lions defeated the Razorbacks in Fayetteville 74-70 in December of 2023. She then moved to Alabama A&M, where she led the Bulldogs to their [first 20-win season](https://hbcusports.com/2025/02/21/alabama-am-womens-basketball-gets-milestone-win-heres-the-record-the-bulldogs-set/) as a Division I program, an appearance in the SWAC conference tournament semifinals, and a spot in the Women’s NIT, which tips off this weekend. Thornton has coached at various SWAC schools. In 2014, she led Prairie View to the NCAA Tournament. She would replace Mike Neighbors, who resigned on March 11 after eight seasons with Arkansas. Thornton’s career record in nine seasons as a head coach is 116-150.