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Alabama A&M Women's Basketball Setting New Standards
The Lady Bulldogs are thriving under head coach Dawn Thornton's leadership.
Published on Feb. 20, 2026
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The Alabama A&M Women's Basketball team is enjoying unprecedented success under head coach Dawn Thornton. In her first two seasons, the Lady Bulldogs have set new program records for wins in a season and longest win streak. The team's stifling defense has been the key to their dominance, ranking 29th nationally in total defense - the highest of any HBCU program.
Why it matters
Alabama A&M's women's basketball turnaround under Thornton's leadership represents a major milestone for the program and the university. The team's success has energized the fan base and alumni, providing a source of pride for the community. Their defensive-minded approach and ability to win convincingly have also earned them national recognition.
The details
In Thornton's first season, the Lady Bulldogs won 21 games, the most in program history at the Division I level. This year, they broke the record for longest win streak, reeling off 12 consecutive victories. Alabama A&M has been dominant in conference play, winning more than half their SWAC games by at least 20 points. The team's stifling defense is the foundation of their success, ranking 29th nationally in total defense - far ahead of the next highest-ranked HBCU program.
- In year one under Thornton, the Lady Bulldogs won 21 games, which is the most in program history at the Division I level.
- In year two under Thornton, the Bulldogs broke the program record for the longest win streak with 12 games.
- Alabama A&M sits first in the SWAC rankings, but the team in second place is just one game behind.
The players
Dawn Thornton
The head coach of the Alabama A&M women's basketball team, who has led the program to unprecedented success in her first two seasons.
What they’re saying
“I just want the fans to have something to be proud about. For the alums to have something to brag about, for these young individuals that work so hard for me every day to be able to go into the community and say, hey, I was a part of the Alabama A&M Women's basketball program.”
— Dawn Thornton, Head Coach (WAFF)
“Our staple and what we want to be known for is defense. We have a lot of great teams in our conference, but I feel like the way that we defend right now with our size, with our athleticism, I think that it's just allowing us to click on all cylinders.”
— Dawn Thornton, Head Coach (WAFF)
“The main thing is to win a championship, and we understand that it's the next man up, it's the next person up. Everybody has a role to fill, and once you continue to do that, the sky's the limit for this program, and we've done that and we've shown that for these last six to seven weeks, so I'm really proud of them.”
— Dawn Thornton, Head Coach (WAFF)
What’s next
Next up for Alabama A&M is a road game against Florida A&M on Thursday, February 19th at 5:30 pm.
The takeaway
Alabama A&M's women's basketball team has emerged as a force to be reckoned with under head coach Dawn Thornton. Their defensive-minded approach and ability to win convincingly have earned them national recognition and renewed enthusiasm from the local community. The Lady Bulldogs' success represents a major milestone for the program and the university.
