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Cora Thompson





A eight-time New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Coach of the Year and three-time American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Northeast Region Coach of the Year, Cora Thompson runs one of the top women's volleyball programs in New England. Thompson's teams have won three NESCAC titles with her at the helm, while also making 11 appearances in the NCAA Tournament. 

Having finished her 22nd season as head coach at Tufts in 2024, Thompson's teams have compiled a 465-166 overall record during her tenure. The .737 career winning percentage ranks her 18th on the NCAA’s winningest active coaches list for Division III. It’s the 27th-best winning mark among Division III coaches all-time.



 
  • 465-166 overall record as the head coach of the Tufts volleyball program
  • .737 winning percentage
  • 166-44 NESCAC record
  • 18-11 in NCAA Tournament matches
  • 2 NESCAC titles
  • 8 NESCAC Coach of the Year honors
  • 3 AVCA Northeast Region Coach of the Year accolades
  • 56 All-NESCAC Performers
  • 40 AVCA All-Region honorees
  • 30 AVCA All-Americans
  • 12 NCAA Tournament appearances 
  • 3 NCAA Elite 8 appearances
  • Program record 31 wins in 2009
  • Hosted NCAA Regionals 5 times
  • 16 20-win seasons
  • 9 NESCAC Finals appearances
  • Highest program ranking in AVCA Top 25 poll of No. 10 in 2021
  • 39 weeks ranked in the AVCA Top 25 poll 




 
  • NESCAC First Team (27): 2002: Amy Cronin (MH); 2003: Kelli Harrison (OH); 2004: Kelli Harrison (OH); 2005: Courtney Evans (MB), April Gerry (MH); 2006: Kelli Harrison (OH); 2007: Katie Wysham (OPP); 2008: Dena Feiger (S), Natalie Goldstein (L); 2009: Dena Feiger (S), Caitlin Updike (OH); 2010: Caitlin Updike (OH); 2011: Kendall Lord (S); 2012: Kendall Lord (S); 2013: Isabel Kuhel (MH); 2014: Hayley Hopper (OH), Isabel Kuhel (MH); 2015: Maddie Kuppe (OH); 2016: Elizabeth Ahrens (MH); 2017: Mackenzie Bright (OH), Kelly Klimo (L); 2019: Maddie Stewart (OH), Brigid Bell (OH), Christina Nwankpa (MH); 2021: Cate Desler (OH); 2022: Jenelle Yarwood (OH), Maddie Yu (S)
  • NESCAC Second Team (25): 2004: Courtney Evans (MB), Emily Macy (L/OH); 2005: Caitlin Dealy (OH); 2006: Katie Wysham (MB); 2008: Kate Denniston (MH), Dawson Joyce-Mendive (OH); 2009: Brogie Helgeson (OPP), Dawson Joyce-Mendive (OH); 2010: Audrey Kuan (L), Kendall Lord (S); 2011: Audrey Kuan (L), Isabel Kuhel (MH), Cara Spieler (OPP); 2012: Kelly Brennan (OH); 2013: Hayley Hopper (OH); 2014: Maddie Kuppe (OH); 2015: Elizabeth Ahrens (MH); 2016: Kelly Klimp (L); 2018: Cate Desler (OH), Heather Holz (MH), Maddie Stewart (OH); 2019: Cate Desler (OH), Rachel Furash (S); 2022: Stephanie Lee (L), Grace Legris (MH); 2023: Rileigh Farragher (RS); Tori Goldin (OH); 2024: Claire Castor (OH), Emma Heckman (RS)
  • NESCAC Player of the Year (3): 2009: Dena Feiger (S); 2011: Kendall Lord (S); 2019: Maddie Stewart (OH)
  • NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year (1): 2008: Natalie Goldstein (L)
  • NESCAC Rookie of the Year (3): 2004: Kay Lutostanski (OH); 2011: Isabel Kuhel (MH); 2018: Cate Desler (OH)
  • NESCAC Coach of the Year (8): 2004, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022
  • AVCA All-Region First Team (28): 2003: Courtney Evans; 2004: Kelli Harrison; 2005: Kaitlin O'Reilly; 2006: Kelli Harrison; 2008: Dena Feiger, Natalie Goldstein, Dawson Joyce-Mendive; 2009: Dena Feiger, Caitlin Updike; 2010: Caitlin Updike; 2011: Audrey Kuan, Kendall Lord; 2014: Hayler Hopper, Isabel Kuhel; 2015: Maddie Kuppe; 2017: Mackenzie Bright, Heather Holz, Christina Nwankpa; 2019: Brigid Bell, Cate Desler, Christina Nwankpa, Maddie Stewart; 2021: Cate Desler, Stephanie Lee; 2022: Stephanie Lee, Grace Legris, Jennelle Yarwood, Maddie Yu
  • AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention (11): 2003: Kelli Harrison; 2004: Courtney Evans; 2005: Natalie Goldstein; 2006: Katie Wysham; 2009: Broghan Helgeson, Dawson Joyce-Mendive; 2013: Isabel Kuhel; 2018: Heather Holz; 2019: Rachel Furash; 2021: Maddie Yu; 2022: Christine Audette; 2023: Rileigh Farragher
  • AVCA Regional Coach of the Year (3): 2016, 2017, 2019
  • AVCA Regional Player of the Year (2): 2019: Maddie Stewart; 2021: Cate Desler
  • AVCA Regional Rookie of the Year (1): 2005: Kaitlin O'Reilly
  • AVCA All-American First Team (2): 2019: Maddie Stewert; 2021: Cate Desler
  • AVCA All-American Second Team (2): 2009: Dena Feiger; 2015: Maddie Kuppe; 
  • AVCA All-American Honorable Mention (26): 2003: Courtney Evans; 2004: Kelli Harrison; 2005: Kaitlin O'Reilly; 2006: Kelli Harrison; 2007: Katie Wysham; 2008: Deba Feiger, Natalie Goldstein, Dawson Joyce-Mendive; 2009: Caitlin Updike; 2010: Caitlin Updike; 2011: Audrey Kuan, Kendall Lord; 2014: Hayley Hopper, Isabel Kuhel; 2016: Elizabeth Ahrens, 2017: Mackenzie Bright, Heather Holz, Christina Nwankpa; 2019: Brigid Bell, Cate Desler, Christina Nwankpa; 2021: Stephanie Lee; 2022: Stephanie Lee, Grace Legris, Jennelle Yarwood, Maddie Yu
  • New England Women's Volleyball Association Coach of the Year (4): 2004, 2008, 2016, 2019
  • AVCA Team Academic Award (9): 2010, 2011, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
  • AVCA Team Academic Honor Roll (4): 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024



 
  • Assistant Coach, Volleyball, Tufts University (1999-2002)




 
Year  School  Overall Record Conference Record Postseason
2002 Tufts 20-13 6-4 NESCAC Quarterfinals
2003 Tufts 20-11 6-4 NESCAC Quarterfinals
2004 Tufts 28-6 9-1 NESCAC Finals
2005 Tufts 29-7 9-1 NESCAC Finals; NCAA Regional Finalists
2006 Tufts 23-8 7-3 NESCAC Quarterfinals
2008 Tufts 29-4 10-0 NESCAC Semifinals; NCAA Regional Second Round
2009 Tufts 31-5 8-2 NESCAC Finals; NCAA Quarterfinals
2010 Tufts 22-11 7-3 NESCAC Finals; NCAA Regional First Round
2011 Tufts 26-6 9-1 NESCAC Finals; NCAA Regional Second Round
2012 Tufts 13-13 6-4 NESCAC Quarterfinals
2013 Tufts 20-8 7-3 NESCAC Semifinals
2014 Tufts 22-9 9-1 NESCAC Finals; NCAA Regional Second Round
2015 Tufts 17-8 7-3 NESCAC Quarterfinals
2016 Tufts 27-4 10-0 NESCAC Finals; NCAA Quarterfinals
2017 Tufts 23-7 10-0 NESCAC Finalists; NCAA Regional Second Round
2018 Tufts 16-10 6-4 NESCAC Semifinals
2019 Tufts 28-2 10-0 NESCAC Champions; NCAA Regional Second Round
2020 Tufts 0-0 0-0 CoVID-19 Postponement Of Season
2021 Tufts 21-6 8-2 NESCAC Finals; NCAA Quarterfinals
2022 Tufts 23-6 9-1 NESCAC Champions; NCAA Regional Finalists
2023 Tufts 14-11 6-4 NESCAC Semifinals; NCAA Regional First Round
2024 Tufts 13-11 7-3 NESCAC Quarterfinals
Totals at Tufts 452-155 159-51 1 NESCAC TITLE, 12 NCAA TOURNAMENTS
1 SCHOOL 452-155 159-51 1 NESCAC TITLE, 12 NCAA TOURNAMENTS



 
  • 1999 graduate of Tufts University
  • Played four seasons for the Jumbos volleyball and softball teams 
  • Part of first-ever NCAA Tournament squad for Tufts volleyball in 1996
  • Played in three NCAA Tournaments at shortstop of the softball squad
  • Earned a Masters in education from Tufts in 2001
  • Lives in Stow, MA with her wife Kendra and children Taedyn and Tucker