Women's Soccer

Date: 18.05.2010

Age: 108 days

BRISTOL, Tenn. - King College has named Louis Thorpe as the Lady Tornado women's soccer head coach after serving as interim coach since April, athletic director Susie Toomey formally announced Tuesday.

Thorpe, a King graduate and member of the King Athletic Hall of Fame, previously served as assistant coach for the men's program since 2007. In his first stint at King as an assistant for the men's program from 1999 to 2003, Thorpe held the interim head coach role for the women's program from 2000 to 2002. During that time King went 41-18-2 including 18 wins in the 2001 season.

In between tenures at King, he was an assistant coach for the men's program at Tusculum (Tenn.) College from 2003 to 2007.

He was the captain for King's 1991 Tennessee-Virginia Athletic Conference Championship team. Thorpe was also selected as Team MVP for the 1990 campaign.

Thorpe graduated from King with a degree in business administration in 1992.

"King is very fortunate to have an alum and hall of fame member with Louis joining our coaching staff," Toomey said. "He brings a wealth of playing and coaching experience to the job, and will no doubt continue to develop and grow the women's soccer program at King.

Before he attended King, Thorpe was a member of the Gambia Junior National Team.

"I am very honored and privilege to be name the head women's soccer coach at King," Thorpe said. "I believe it is a calling and I am very grateful for Dr. Jordan, Matt Lavinder (King men's soccer head coach and Thorpe's college teammate) and so many people who believe in me to make it happen. I just cannot wait for the challenge at hand."

King went 11-6-1 in 2009 and will open the 2010 regular season on Sept. 4 at home against Tennessee Wesleyan College.