KENNESAW, Ga. – Erin Thorne, 2024 ASUN Coach of the Year and ASUN Champion, has elected to step down at the end of the season as Kennesaw State women’s golf coach, she announced Friday.
“I want to thank AD Overton for the opportunity to lead the program the last four years,” Thorne said. “I’ve enjoyed working with the student-athletes to achieve the successes we did over these four years and will continue to cheer on the program. Thank you as well to fellow coaches, support staff and donors for supporting the program and enhancing the team’s experience during my time here.”
Thorne, currently in her fourth season, became the first coach in program history to win multiple tournaments in her first season (2021-22), winning the Rio Verde Invitational and home tournament of Pinetree Women’s Collegiate in the spring.
In 2022-23, four Owls achieved ASUN All-Conference selections under her tutelage – the second-most in a single season in program history.
The Owls then captured their first ASUN Championship under Thorne in 2023-24, where she was honored as the conference’s coach of the year – the sixth in program history and fourth honor of her career. The Owls soared to the program’s sixth-ever conference championship behind an 864 team score. Thorne once again coached four All-ASUN selections that season, including two first-team honorees.
She also set multiple program records last season, including recording the top finish percentage (77 percent) and lowest 18-hole team round of 277 and 36-hole team round of 560.
“Coach Thorne has represented our KSU women’s golf program with class during her tenure at KSU and will always be a lifetime Owl,” Kennesaw State Director of Athletics Milton Overton said. “Not only has she been a championship-caliber coach for Kennesaw State for three-plus years, but she has also been an incredible mentor for the young women in our golf program. I wish her nothing but the very best as she steps away from Owl Nation to spend more time with her family. I ask us all to join me in thanking Coach Thorne for all of her hard work over the years and continue supporting our women’s golf team to finish the season as conference champions.”
“A national search for our next head coach will begin soon. We are incredibly excited about the future of our six-time conference champion KSU women’s golf team.”