Loyola Marymount University volleyball head coach
Aaron Mansfield announced in July 2021 that he has added Brian Thornton to his staff as one of the program's assistant coaches.
"I have always admired the way Brian perceives the game and is able to look at things through a different lens than most people," said Head Coach
Aaron Mansfield. "As a player, he was able to maximize his potential and reach the pinnacle of the sport in large part in how he viewed the game, but more importantly, in how much better he made everyone around him that he played with. One of the hardest parts about transitioning from playing to coaching is finding ways to communicate and impart the knowledge one gains as a player. He has become really good at communicating and passing on his knowledge to everyone he coaches."
A graduate of UC Irvine, Thornton ended his career as UCI's all-time assist leader with 4,662. He was a member of the Anteaters' 2007 national championship team and was a two-time All-American.
After college, Thornton began a lengthy career with the U.S. Men's National Team, culminating in a trip to the 2012 Olympic Games as the backup setter. With the U.S., he also competed in the 2011 and 2012 World League (silver in 2011), 2011 World Cup, 2011 NORCECA Men's Continental Championships (silver), 2009 and 2010 Pan American Cup (gold both times), and the 2007 World University Games (bronze).
Thornton joined the U.S. Men's National Team as a coach in 2017, and is currently with the Olympic Team in Tokyo.
He also played professionally, with stints in Spain, France and Poland.
"Brian also has a personality and demeanor that is going to fit into our culture really well," added Mansfield. "He is a learner and wants to collaborate with others to find optimal solutions for our players. He also has a great ability to keep things light when its needed and knows when and how best to challenge those he's coaching. Brian will make an immediate impact on our program and I am fortunate to have both Brian and Kylin (Munoz) helping lead this program to new heights.
