Nicole McCray Thorn Back on Campus and Ready for UF Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Friday
Friday, April 10, 2015 | Volleyball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Three-time Florida volleyball All-American and 2000 SEC Player of the Year Nicole McCray Thorn has arrived in Gainesville and is set for the 2015 Hall of Fame induction ceremony Friday night in the Holloway Touchdown Terrace inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
This year's Hall of Fame induction class also includes Gator Greats Camilo Beneditti (Men's Golf), Matt Bonner (Men's Basketball), Beth Farmer (Women's Track/Cross Country), Candice Scott (Women's Track & Field), Camilo Villegas (Men's Golf) and Stephanie Zunich Donley (Women's Swimming & Diving).
A force at the net with 529 career blocks -- third all-time in Florida history -- and over 1,200 career kills, McCray Thorn helped lead the Gators to four straight SEC Championships and a trip to the 2002 Final Four in New Orleans as a senior captain that year. She was a four-time All-SEC selection, three-time All-American and the 2000 SEC Player of the Year as a Gator.
"Besides being part of four SEC titles in four years, it was Nicole's play as one of the all-time best blockers and her senior leadership that propelled us to a Final Four," Florida head coach Mary Wise reflected.
McCray Thorn has enjoyed a successful coaching career since her glory days at the University of Florida, including stints at P.K. Yonge in Gainesville, Berry College, the University of Georgia, Georgia Southern and Panola College in Carthage, Texas. At the helm of the Panola College program, she was named the 2009 and 2010 Region XIV Coach of the Year and led the Fillies to a NJCAA tournament berth in 2009.
McCray Thorn recently finished her second season as the head coach at White Oak High School in Longview, Texas.
NICOLE MCCRAY THORN GATOR RESUME | Nicole McCray Feature
· 2000 SEC Player of the Year
· 2002 AVCA All-America Second Team
· 2001 Volleyball Magazine Honorable Mention All-America
· 2000 Volleyball Magazine Honorable Mention All-America
· 1999 All-SEC Second Team, 2000-02 All-SEC First Team
· Four Time SEC Champions: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
· Led the Gators to the NCAA Final Four in 2002
· Made the 1999 and 2001 Regional Finals and the 2000 Regional Semifinal match
· Named to the NCAA Championship All-Region Team in 2001 & 2002
· Still ranks second all-time in UF history with 440 block assists, sixth with 89 career block solos and third in career total blocks (529)
· Offensively, is ninth all-time in Gator history with 1,274 career kills and tallied 1,663 career points -- seventh all-time in Florida history
· Tied for first in the single-match record book with four solo blocks against Washington State in 2002, a win that sent the Gators to the Final Four
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