Jil Thomason begins her eighth season under the flatirons in 2007 as Colorado’s top assistant and recruiting coordinator. She works with the Buffs’ setters and assists in off-campus recruiting.
In her first seven years, she has coached CU’s setters to two All-American honors, four All-Central Region and four All-Big 12 honors, including CU’s first American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American honor in Ashley Nu’u in 2006.
Thomason came to Boulder in 2000 via I-25 and the Boulder Turnpike as she helped guide the Denver Pioneers to a 26-28 mark from 1998-99 as an assistant coach. Working primarily with the setters, Denver had an impressive 18-11 showing during the program’s first year in a Division I environment, which included a 13-3 record and third-place standing as a member of the Sun Belt Conference in 1999.
She arrived at Denver after a three-year stint as an assistant at the University of Utah. With the Utes she was responsible for coordinating recruiting, as well as on-court instruction where she worked primarily with the setters.
In addition to collegiate coaching experience, Thomason has an extensive background coaching various camps and club teams, including those at Colorado, Denver, Utah, Wyoming and Club Davis Volleyball. In January of 2005, Thomason served as an assistant coach on the “Bring It USA European Exposure Tour” which features female volleyball players who have exhausted their NCAA eligibility and are looking to play professionally in Europe.
From 1995-97, Thomason played professionally for the Utah Predators of the National Volleyball Association.
A four-year starter at Wyoming, Thomason was a first-team all-WAC selection and a second-team all-West Region choice by the American Volleyball Coaches Association in 1994. As a senior, she led her team to the NCAA Tournament, where the Cowgirls took Washington to four games in a first-round loss, and was selected the team’s MVP. At the conclusion of her career with the Cowgirls, Thomason was ranked in the top-10 in several career statistical categories.
The Glen Ridge, N.J., native earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Wyoming in 1995. The former Jil Robins and her husband, Chance, reside in Louisville. The couple has three children, Isabel Mimi (6), Josephine Didi (4) and Matilda Jane (1).
