Polly Thomason Named Head Women's Basketball Coach

The University of Hartford welcomes head women's basketball coach Polly Thomason to the campus community.

Thomason has been named the 11th head coach in the 45-year history of UHart's women's basketball program. She comes to New England after spending 17 years as head women's basketball coach at the University of Texas-Dallas.

At UT–Dallas, Thomason compiled a 327-126 record overall. Her career has been highlighted by six NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, including making the national tournament in four straight seasons from 2017 to 2020. 

In addition to her on-court success, Thomason has made an equally impressive mark in the professional realm. In 2018, she was appointed to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Board of Directors, serving as the board's NCAA DIII legislative liaison. She has been involved with both the WBCA's All-American Team and Coach of the Year selection committees, and has served on the NCAA Championships South Region Advisory Committee. In 2008, Thomason received the Judy Sweet Award from the NCAA Women's Coaches Academy and attended the 2015 Columbia University/WBCA Center for Coaching Excellence.

"I'm very confident that we have all the pieces in place to not only compete and win, but also provide an opportunity for the young women who come through the program to excel in the classroom, workforce, and beyond," Thomason says. "It's an exciting time to be a Hartford Hawk!"

Thomason graduated from Austin College (Sherman, Texas) with a bachelor's degree in exercise science and received a master's degree in sports administration from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.