Head Women's Soccer Coach

Bio

Larry became Head Coach of UMA Women’s Soccer in the Spring of 2024 after nearly 20 years coaching high school soccer here in Maine, including nine seasons as the Girls' Varsity Soccer Coach at Buckfield Jr./Sr. High HS in Buckfield, ME. While at BJSHS, the Lady Bucks compiled a 68-47-8 record and appeared in the playoffs each of their nine years. During that time,13 girls made the Class D Regional All-Star team and participated in the Maine Senior Bowl. Thornton also served as the Soccer Commissioner for Area Youth Sports in Jay, Maine, from August 2013 to 2015, during which he launched the highly successful Little Kickers Youth Soccer Development Program for children ages 4-6. 

Originally from Brunswick, Maine, Coach Thornton graduated from Brunswick HS in 1986, where he was a member of two Class A State Championship Boys’ Soccer teams. He then graduated from Keene State College in 1990 with a BS in Physical Education/Athletic Training. As an athletic trainer, he worked at the high school and college levels, with stints in professional baseball in the New York Mets minor league system and in professional hockey in Dayton, Ohio, and Worcester, Massachusetts. He currently works as a Job Specialist for Jobs for Maine’s Graduates (JMG) at Mountain Valley High School in Rumford.  

Since taking over the program in 2024, the UMA Women’s Soccer team has made significant strides across all phases of competition, recruitment, and program development. Thornton states, “My goal as the coach of UMA Women’s Soccer is to continue growing the program and to make UMA Women’s Soccer increasingly competitive each year.” 

Thornton resides in Western Maine with his wife Julie, and they have two grown sons.