University of North Texas Athletics
Decorated Jumper Joins Mean Green Staff
8/20/2021 10:29:00 AM | Track & Field/XC
DENTON – North Texas director of track and field Carl Sheffield hired adorned triple jumper Paetyn Thornton as a sprints and horizontal jumps coach for the Mean Green.
Thornton comes to Denton after coaching stops at Sam Houston State and Texas Tech following a stellar career at TTU. In Huntsville, Thornton coached the women's sprints along with men's and women's horizontal jumps from 2019-21.
"I'm really excited to have Paetyn Thornton join the track and field staff," director of track and field Carl Sheffield said. "She's a young, experienced coach that will find her way up the coaching ranks of the sprinting and jumping events."
In Lubbock, Thornton served as a volunteer coach for jumps and multis from 2018-19 where the Red Raider men took home the NCAA Outdoor Championship.
"I am certain UNT is getting one of the future gems in collegiate track and field coaching," former Texas Tech associate head coach and current Georgia assistant coach, James Thomas, said. "Paetyn is unlike anyone I've ever had the pleasure of coaching and working alongside. Her passion, guidance, and sheer competitiveness will translate immediately with current and future student-athletes."
While competing for the Red Raiders, Thornton was a U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-American and became the first woman triple jumper in program history to win the Big 12 title. She earned All-Big 12 honors during the 2014 and 2015 outdoor seasons as well as the 2014 indoor season.
As a prep at DeSoto High School, Thornton was a two-time silver medalist at the UIL state meet, a three-time regional champ and three-time district champion. She helped DeSoto win three state track and field championships and was ranked in the top 15 nationally in the triple jump during her junior and senior years of high school.
"I am very excited to be a part of the UNT world," Thornton said. "I love everything about track and field and am grateful Coach Sheffield saw that I would be a great addition to his program. I'm ready to help turn up the heat on the track. It's Go Time!"
Thornton comes to Denton after coaching stops at Sam Houston State and Texas Tech following a stellar career at TTU. In Huntsville, Thornton coached the women's sprints along with men's and women's horizontal jumps from 2019-21.
"I'm really excited to have Paetyn Thornton join the track and field staff," director of track and field Carl Sheffield said. "She's a young, experienced coach that will find her way up the coaching ranks of the sprinting and jumping events."
In Lubbock, Thornton served as a volunteer coach for jumps and multis from 2018-19 where the Red Raider men took home the NCAA Outdoor Championship.
"I am certain UNT is getting one of the future gems in collegiate track and field coaching," former Texas Tech associate head coach and current Georgia assistant coach, James Thomas, said. "Paetyn is unlike anyone I've ever had the pleasure of coaching and working alongside. Her passion, guidance, and sheer competitiveness will translate immediately with current and future student-athletes."
While competing for the Red Raiders, Thornton was a U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-American and became the first woman triple jumper in program history to win the Big 12 title. She earned All-Big 12 honors during the 2014 and 2015 outdoor seasons as well as the 2014 indoor season.
As a prep at DeSoto High School, Thornton was a two-time silver medalist at the UIL state meet, a three-time regional champ and three-time district champion. She helped DeSoto win three state track and field championships and was ranked in the top 15 nationally in the triple jump during her junior and senior years of high school.
"I am very excited to be a part of the UNT world," Thornton said. "I love everything about track and field and am grateful Coach Sheffield saw that I would be a great addition to his program. I'm ready to help turn up the heat on the track. It's Go Time!"
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