Longtime women’s basketball coach Mike Thornton, aged 77, passed away on Sunday night, June 22, 2025.
As confirmed by OCC, he lost his life due to complications from dementia.
Mike Thornton’s Death Stirred Deep Sorrow Across The OCC Community And Beyond!
Mike Thornton was a legendary women’s basketball coach at Orange Coast College from 1989 to 2018, where he led the program for 29 seasons.
During his tenure, he compiled an impressive record of 584 wins and 333 losses, achieving a .687 winning percentage.
He won three Orange Empire Conference titles and led the team to a 3C2A State Championship in the 2002–03 season.
Under his leadership, OCC made 23 postseason appearances, including five State Elite Eight and three Final Four trips.
He was honored for his contributions to the sport with inductions into the CCCWBCA Hall of Fame in 2019 and the OCC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024.
Before OCC, he coached at Marina High School and Santa Ana High School, building a strong reputation for developing talent and fostering academic success.
Over 80 of his players went on to play at four-year colleges, and many others transferred academically.
He retired after the 2017–2018 season, and the program has since been rebuilt under new leadership.
Forever remembered as a Pirate, his legacy in college basketball is lasting and deeply respected.
Following his passing, the OCC community and the wider basketball world have expressed deep sorrow and respect for Coach Thornton.
Former players, colleagues, and athletic officials have remembered him not only for his coaching success but also for his mentorship and the positive impact he had on student-athletes.
Tributes have poured in, highlighting his legacy as a beloved coach and role model who shaped lives on and off the court.
Former players, colleagues, and friends have long praised his mentorship, leadership, and the lifelong relationships he built through basketball.
Oh so sorry to hear of the passing of Coach Mike, he was so instrumental in shaping my daughter, Colleen Hatch Whalen, into the fine woman and athlete she is today. My condolences to the Thornton family, he will surely be missed.
Mike Thornton’s Children Were Actively Involved In Competitive Sports!
As for his family, Coach Thornton is survived by his wife, Di Anne, and their three children, Brian, Keith, and Kelsey.
The eldest son, Brian, is a former U.S. Olympic volleyball player and a graduate of UC Irvine.
He was a two-time All-American setter at UCI and helped lead the team to its first NCAA championship in 2007.
After playing professionally in Europe for four years, he now works as a writer at an advertising agency in Costa Mesa.
Thornton often said that watching Brian compete in the Olympics was the greatest thrill of his life.
The younger one, Keith, graduated from UC Irvine with a degree in art.
He’s passionate about songwriting and performing, and he’s currently the lead singer of a local rock band called Rubber Bean.
Before college, he was a standout volleyball player at San Clemente High School and Orange Coast College.
Likewise, Thornton’s daughter, Kelsey, is a junior at UC Irvine and plays on the women’s water polo team.
As a sophomore, she contributed significantly to a team that won its second consecutive Big West Conference title and placed sixth nationally.
In high school, Kelsey was a four-time first-team Division II All-CIF selection and led San Clemente High to its only CIF water polo championship in 2011.
She’s also been named a first-team AAU All-American twice in recent years.
Like her father and brothers, she is studying art at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), and hopes to earn her degree there.
Coach Mike Thornton’s passing has deeply affected his family.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to Mike Thornton’s family, friends, and well-wishers.
Rest In Peace, Coach!
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Thornton was the varsity boys’ head coach for the Saints from 1973 to 1975.
- He served as Steve Popovich’s No.1 assistant with the boys program until 1987.
