Dixie State officially names Thigpin as head coach

ST. GEORGE – Dixie State has named Jenny Thigpin, women's basketball interim head coach, as the official head head coach, citing her accountability and ability to keep the program in the hunt this year, Director of Athletics Jason Boothe said.

Thigpin took over as interim head coach before the team's second exhibition game when ex-coach Catherria Turner was fired. Thigpin has led Dixie State to a 5-11 record — 4-6 in the Pacific West Conference.

"She's done a really nice job considering the circumstances she took over," Boothe said. "The rough go didn't last as long as I thought it would to transition. That's a credit to her, and the players, too. The wins are not there yet, but they will be once she has consistency."

The athletics department fired Turner when it discovered she committed NCAA violations. So then Thigpin filled the role as interim until Boothe dropped the interim tag from her title Thursday.

"Every coach wants to win a conference championship," Thigpin said. "These rafters are filled with men's banners, so I want to add some women's banners up there."

The players enjoy Thigpin as the head coach, Boothe said, and it felt right to give her the permanent job when talking to them and seeing how they enjoy basketball again.

"She was thrown into a not-so-good situation and made progress. The players have had a good experience," he said. "Just as important as winning, we want to make sure the athletes are here enjoying themselves."

Also as important to winning, Thigpin said, is being involved in St. George and the surrounding areas.

"I want to build relationships with the community," she said. "We're always looking for community service projects and holding basketball workshops at elementary schools — anything that can get people seeing our players and filling seats on game days. I want to be available, which is something we haven't been in the past."

Thigpin wants to win, Boothe said, and doing that will take work.

"She wants to be perennial top three in the conference, which is not easy in the PacWest," Boothe said. "The top six or seven teams are tough."

Raised in Hanford, California, Thigpin said she understands what it's like to be in a town like St. George where basketball was the culture and winning was expected. She won a state championship as a junior at Hanford High School, and then played college basketball at both Arizona State and Fresno State.

Thigpin spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Fresno Pacific University before joining Turner's staff at Dixie State in the 2013-14 season.

Follow Richard Briggs on Twitter, @BriggsRich.