As the SUNY Oneonta Women’s Basketball Program embarks on the 2025-26 season, Thompson enters her 19th season at SUNY Oneonta and 34th overall as a collegiate head coach.
As I reflect on my career, and where I look to grow myself and the athletes that work with me, I focus on the following;
“I am proud of the women that I have had the opportunity to work with over the years and I am looking forward to seeing the development of future teams. Our goal is always to compete for a conference championship and return to the NCAA tournament. Additionally, we are focused on academic success and the continual growth of our women not only in the classroom and on the court but as strong, confident, leaders for the future.”
The 2024-25 season saw the Red Dragons reach the first round of the SUNYAC Championship after finishing the regular season 11-15 and 8-10 in conference. Senior Amanda Zuntag received SUNYAC second team honors and was invited to play in the 2025 Eurobasket Portugal Tour this past summer. Zuntag said, “It was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity… being able to play with and against girls from all over the world while being in one of the beautiful places was unforgettable.” Zuntag also received CSC Academic All District recognition along with fellow seniors Nadia Brown, Molly Coyne, and Emma Schwarzbeck. The Red Dragon squad also placed eight student-athletes on the SUNYAC Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll.
In 2023-24, Oneonta reached the SUNYAC First Round after going 10-17 overall and 8-10 in the conference. Senior Molly Stephens grabbed All-SUNYAC Second Team honors. Additionally, Stephens, Amanda Zuntag, and Emma Schwarzbeck picked up College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District recognition.
The 2022-23 season had the Red Dragons go 19-8 with a 13-5 SUNYAC record. Oneonta clinched the three seed in the SUNYAC Tournament and reached the semifinals. Senior Olivia Dobrovosky was named D3hoops.com All-Region Third Team as well as the SUNYAC Defensive Player of the Year and All-SUNYAC First Team. Additionally four players in Dobrovosky, Meg Nardelli, Molly Stephens, and Amanda Zuntag were named CSC Academic All-District.
In the 2021-22 season, the Red Dragons finished with a 14-13 overall and 10-8 in the SUNYAC. After a 2-5 start, Oneonta finished 11-7 and clinched a playoff spot in the SUNYAC playoffs. In the SUNYAC First Round, the Red Dragons were down 15 to Buffalo State after the first quarter before they defeated them 59-52. Olivia Dobrovosky was selected to the SUNYAC All-Tournament Team and All-Conference Second Team. Additionally, three were inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma National Student Athlete Honor Society.
The 2019-20 season saw the Red Dragons finish with a 12-14 overall record. After facing multiple season-ending injuries, the team fought back to earn a spot in the SUNYAC playoffs. Senior Leanne Corso reached 1,000 points and collected Second Team All SUNYAC Honors, while Senior Alexa Amalbert received the SUNY Chancellor Award for Student Excellence. The team also took a trip to Puerto Rico during the Holiday break where they competed, went paddle boarding and kayaking in bioluminescent algae, and took a tour of Old San Juan!
During the 2018-19 season, Thompson led the Red Dragons to an impressive 20 win season. The team finished 14-4 in regular season conference play and remained regionally ranked in the Eastern region for four consecutive weeks during the season. Senior Madeline Frank racked up multiple honors during her senior campaign including, Academic Honors from COSIDA, SUNYAC Scholar Athlete of the Year, and the very prestigious SUNY Chancellor Award. Juniors Olivia Allrich and Alexa Amalbert, were inducted into the National Student Athlete Honor Society of Chi Alpha Sigma. Additionally, junior Leanne Corso earned SUNYAC First Team Honors, while senior Madeline Frank and junior Alexa Amalbert earned SUNYAC Third Team Honors.
The 2017-18 season saw the Red Dragons finish with an overall record of 19-8 while posting a second place finish in the SUNYAC. The squad advanced to the championship game of the conference tournament where they fell to Geneseo 58-52. Teresa Anken (2nd) and Madeline Frank (3rd) were both selected to the All-Conference Team.
The 2016-17 season saw the Red Dragons finish 15-11 overall while standing in third place in the SUNYAC conference. Senior Cara Adams received All-Conference, as well as Honorable Mention All-America Honors while freshman Leanne Corso was selected as the Rookie of the Year.
In 2015-16, the team was 17-10 and led by the SUNYAC Player of the Year Lyteshia Price. Additionally, five junior athletes were inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma National Student Athlete Honor Society. The team’s overall GPA for the year was a 3.34.
In 2014-15, Thompson led the team to a 16-11 record finishing fourth in the SUNYAC. She had one player selected to the All-Conference team and another to the SUNYAC conference All-Tournament team. The team adventure was to Daytona, FL and Disney where they enjoyed the competition, beach and fun filled days in Disney.
During the 2013-14 season, Thompson led the team to an 18-8 record finishing fourth in the SUNYAC and garnering one All-Conference selection. The team adventure was to Puerto Rico where they enjoyed the competition and the beautiful surroundings and climate. They toured Fort San Felipe del Morro Castle, took a catamaran tour of the island in the Caribbean Sea and toured Old San Juan to take in some native culture.
In 2011-12, Thompson led the team to a 19-9 record, including a SUNYAC Championship as well as a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The team took a trip during the Christmas break to Florida where they competed and enjoyed time at the Disney and Universal Studios.
In 2010-11, Thompson led the squad to a 21-7 record, finished second in the SUNYAC during the regular and advanced to the championship game of the SUNYAC tournament. The team’s success led to three players being selected to the All-Conference Team. It was the third season in her first four at Oneonta that the program recorded 20 wins, and the 20th win also marked her 300th win as a head coach. The team also took a trip to Las Vegas during the Holiday break where they competed, attended two shows and enjoyed a Division I game at UNLV.
Thompson has been pushing the team to an ever-higher series of successes since her first season at Oneonta. In her first year, Thompson guided the Red Dragons to a three-way tie for first place in the final SUNYAC East Standings and an appearance in the semifinals of the conference tournament. Oneonta hosted the ECAC Upstate New York Tournament where they finished runner-up after losing to SUNY Cortland in the final. She would go on to amass 78 wins during her first four seasons, tying the program’s best four-year stretch recorded from 1994-98.
Before taking the reins of SUNY Oneonta, Thompson spent 15 years as the head coach at Hartwick College. During her tenure at Hartwick, she compiled an overall record of 223-161 while making four NCAA tournament appearances, the last of which came in 1999. Thompson’s squads made three straight NCAA tournament appearances from 1995-1997 while also winning the NYSWCAA tournament in 1997.
In 1999, Thompson was the WBCA District II Coach of the Year, Women's Division III Coach of the Year by the Basketball Coaches Association of New York, NYSWCAA Coach of the Year, and Empire Athletic Association Co-Coach of the Year after leading the Hawks to an NCAA Tournament appearance and a 17-10 record.
In 2004, Thompson was named Empire 8 Coach of the Year for a third time after leading the Hawks to a 15-12 record. That year Hartwick reached the Empire 8 Conference Tournament and the Eastern College Athletic Conference Tournament.
Thompson, a native of Morris N.Y., served as head coach of the Central Region open division team at the Empire State Games from 1997-2002. She led the team to four medals, including a gold, two silvers and a bronze.
Thompson served as a committee member for the NCAA East Regional Basketball selection from 1998-2000. She also served as the Chair of the NYSWCAA Basketball committee during the 1998-1999 seasons and Executive Council Sport Chair from 1999-2008.
A 1990 graduate of the University of Delaware, Thompson was a four-year varsity player for the Division I Blue Hens and a team captain as a senior. Thompson appeared in 107 games at Delaware as a forward on teams that won over 60 percent of their games while capturing two East Coast Conference Championships. As a senior, she played in all 30 of the team's contests and shot .603 from the field.
After graduating from Delaware with a degree in physical education, Thompson spent time abroad with the United States East Coast All-Star basketball team that won seven of eight games on a trip to France.
Thompson returned to her alma mater as a graduate assistant in the fall of 1990. She was heavily involved with the Blue Hens daily practice routine and helped with recruiting. Thompson also analyzed videotape of individual players and team performance. During her tenure, she received a master’s degree in Physical Education with an emphasis in Athletic Training in 1992. Thompson is a National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) certified athletic trainer.
Thompson was a celebrated scholastic performer on the court at Morris Central School, where she finished her five-year varsity career with more than 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds for the Mustangs. As a senior, The Daily Star of Oneonta, N.Y, named Thompson Player of the Year.
She currently resides in Morris, NY with her Husband. Coach Thompson had the privilege to coach her daughter, Liz. Liz was a four-year member of the team and graduated with a degree in education at SUNY Oneonta. She currently is a graduate assistant coach at Springfield College.
