In 2010-11, Thomas helped the Knights enter the national rankings for the first time in program history. The Knights spent four total weeks in the rankings, including three weeks with a spot in both national polls.
That season, Thomas helped a pair of Knights - Marcus Jordan and Keith Clanton - earn All-C-USA honors. Jordan was named to the all-conference second team, while Clanton received third team recognition. Off the court, Isaac Sosa was one of five conference players selected to the C-USA Men[apos]s Basketball All-Academic Team.
UCF followed that campaign with a 22-11 season in 2011-12 that was highlighted by the program[apos]s debut in the postseason National Invitation Tournament. The NIT appearance was the final of many firsts achieved by the program during the season. UCF advanced to the C-USA Championship semifinals for the first time, recorded its first wins over league foes Memphis and UAB and defeated a top-5 team - No. 4 UConn - for the first time.
Thomas helped mentor Clanton, who was named to the All-C-USA First Team and the NABC All-District 11 Team. A.J. Rompza was honored for his work in the classroom with a spot on the C-USA All-Academic Team. Rompza also was named to the NABC Honors Court.
UCF recorded another 20-win campaign in 2012-13, going 20-11 in its final season in C-USA. The Knights won two games over top-50 RPI squads and were led by Clanton (second team) and Isaiah Sykes (first team), who earned All-C-USA honors. Both Sykes and Clanton received NABC All-District 11 First Team honors, marking the first time in program history that two Knights were named to the all-district squad. Five Knights were recognized for their work in the classroom following the season with spots on the C-USA Commissioner[apos]s Academic Honor Roll.
To go along with new look uniforms and the new blacktop court at CFE Arena, the 2013-14 season also marked the first season of play for the Knights in the brand new American Athletic Conference. Taking on some of the most prestigious programs in the nation, including the last two national champions in Connecticut and Louisville, the Knights finished the year on a high note, defeating Houston by 21 points in the regular season finale, topping Temple in the first round of The American Championship in double overtime, and taking top seeded Cincinnati down to the wire before eventually falling 61-58 in the league quarterfinals. Thomas helped Sykes continue his development as one of the most versatile players in the country. The senior was selected to the All-AAC Second Team, the AAC Academic Honor Roll and The American All-Tournament Team after leading the Knights with 17.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.
During Thomas[apos]s time at Marshall, the Thundering Herd showed great improvement each season, highlighted by a 24-10 campaign in 2009-10. The Thundering Herd went 11-5 in Conference USA play and participated in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. Thomas originally came to UCF as the program[apos]s director of basketball operations, but was promoted to an assistant coach in May 2010.
Thomas brought extensive coaching experience on both the college and prep levels to UCF. From 2005-07, he served as the athletics director and associate head coach for the postgraduate team at The Patterson School in North Carolina. In Thomas[apos] two campaigns as the associate head coach, the school went 69-7. He was also the varsity head coach in 2005-06, leading his squad to a 25-4 mark.
Before moving to The Patterson School, Thomas was the athletics director and associate head coach at the Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina. During his tenure, the school produced 30 Division I signees and in 2004-05 finished the year 40-0 after averaging 101.6 points per contest. During Thomas[apos] two years at Laurinburg, the team went 71-6.
At his two prep school stops, Thomas mentored several players who went on to compete in the National Basketball Association. At Patterson he coached Jordan Hill, and while at Laurinburg he worked with Antonio Anderson, Joey Dorsey and Shawne Williams. Hill, who attended Arizona, and Williams, who like Anderson and Dorsey went to Memphis, were first-round selections. Robert Dozier, who played under Thomas at Laurinburg before moving to Memphis, was also selected in the draft. At Marshall, Thomas had the opportunity to work with Hassan Whiteside, who was tabbed by Sacramento with the 33rd overall pick in the 2010 draft.
A native of Wheeling, W.Va., he worked at West Virginia University Institute of Technology from 1994-03, serving in a number of different roles, including women[apos]s basketball head coach from 2001-03. He was an assistant men[apos]s basketball coach from 1994-01. Thomas graduated from Wheeling Jesuit College in 1993 with a bachelor[apos]s degree in mathematics.
He is married to the former Melissa Edwards of Pratt, W.Va., and the couple has three daughters - Taylor, Grace and Abigail. Thomas also has a daughter, Kaylin.
(updated 9/12/14)