TEMPE, Ariz. – Charli Turner Thorne, a transformational figure in the lineage of Sun Devil Athletics who turned Sun Devil Women's Basketball into a national power, announced her retirement as head women's basketball coach at Arizona State on Thursday.
The winningest coach in ASU women's basketball history and No. 2 all-time in career wins (488) by a Pac-12 coach, the success of Turner Thorne's teams was a 180-degree turnaround from the program she agreed to become the leader of 26 years ago.
Turner Thorne, who was hired on June 21, 1996 after three seasons at Northern Arizona where she compiled a 40-40 record, methodically raised ASU's profile with each passing season.