Colorado University Athletics
Staff Directory
Toriano Towns
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
- Year At CU:
- 10th Season
- Alma Mater:
- Saint Mary's '98
- E-mail:
- Phone:
- 303-492-6087
• CU has gone 164-116 (.586) in his nine seasons
• Coaches the Buffs’ defensive scheme
• Women’s NIT appearance in 2014 at Southern Utah, 2016 at Santa Clara and 2017 and 2021 at Colorado
• Women’s BIT No. 1 seed and host in 2025
• Has been a part of four NCAA Tournament teams (2005 Arizona, 2007 Boise State, 2022, 2023 Colorado) and six Women’s NIT teams as an assistant
At Colorado
• 2016-17 marked first season at CU
• Defensive Coordinator
• Helped coach Kindyll Wetta to Pac-12 All-Freshman and Pac-12 All-Defensive honors in 2022 and Jaylyn Sherrod to All-Defensive honors in 2021 and 2023
• Colorado's defense finished first in the Pac-12 (19th NCAA) in steals with 331 and allowed just 57.7 ppg (3rd Pac-12) in 2021-22
• Assisted Colorado into the Sweet 16 in 2023 for the first time since the 2002-03 season
• Helped Buffs advance to the quarterfinals of the WNIT in 2020-21, the team’s first postseason berth since 2017
• Upset No. 1 Stanford 77-72 in overtime, claiming CU’s first win over a No. 1 opponent in school history (1/17/21)
• Opened 2019-20 with a 12-game winning streak, CU’s best start since the 2011-12 season
• Assisted the Buffs to one of the best single-season turnarounds in school history in 2016-17 as they more than doubled their win total from the previous year, finishing the year 17-16 overall and tied for ninth in the Pac-12, a year after a last-place finish in the conference in 2015-16.
• The Buffs also reached the third round of the WNIT in 2016-17, their first postseason appearance since 2014.
• Assisted Colorado to the second round of the WBIT in 2025 as the No. 1 seed
Personal
• Played football at Saint Mary’s College and was a practice player for the women’s basketball team
• Graduated from SMC in 1998 (communications) and got his masters at Gonzaga (organizational leadership)
• Married to CU head coach JR Payne and have three children together, Aliyah, Jordan and Jaxton
• Has one other daughter, Arianna
Coaching Resume
• Assistant Coach, Gonzaga (2001-04)
• Assistant Coach, Arizona (2004-05)
• Assistant Coach, Boise State (2005-09)
• Associate Head Coach, Southern Utah (2009-14)
• Associate Head Coach, Santa Clara (2014-16)
• Associate Head Coach, Colorado (2016-current)
• Coaches the Buffs’ defensive scheme
• Women’s NIT appearance in 2014 at Southern Utah, 2016 at Santa Clara and 2017 and 2021 at Colorado
• Women’s BIT No. 1 seed and host in 2025
• Has been a part of four NCAA Tournament teams (2005 Arizona, 2007 Boise State, 2022, 2023 Colorado) and six Women’s NIT teams as an assistant
At Colorado
• 2016-17 marked first season at CU
• Defensive Coordinator
• Helped coach Kindyll Wetta to Pac-12 All-Freshman and Pac-12 All-Defensive honors in 2022 and Jaylyn Sherrod to All-Defensive honors in 2021 and 2023
• Colorado's defense finished first in the Pac-12 (19th NCAA) in steals with 331 and allowed just 57.7 ppg (3rd Pac-12) in 2021-22
• Assisted Colorado into the Sweet 16 in 2023 for the first time since the 2002-03 season
• Helped Buffs advance to the quarterfinals of the WNIT in 2020-21, the team’s first postseason berth since 2017
• Upset No. 1 Stanford 77-72 in overtime, claiming CU’s first win over a No. 1 opponent in school history (1/17/21)
• Opened 2019-20 with a 12-game winning streak, CU’s best start since the 2011-12 season
• Assisted the Buffs to one of the best single-season turnarounds in school history in 2016-17 as they more than doubled their win total from the previous year, finishing the year 17-16 overall and tied for ninth in the Pac-12, a year after a last-place finish in the conference in 2015-16.
• The Buffs also reached the third round of the WNIT in 2016-17, their first postseason appearance since 2014.
• Assisted Colorado to the second round of the WBIT in 2025 as the No. 1 seed
Personal
• Played football at Saint Mary’s College and was a practice player for the women’s basketball team
• Graduated from SMC in 1998 (communications) and got his masters at Gonzaga (organizational leadership)
• Married to CU head coach JR Payne and have three children together, Aliyah, Jordan and Jaxton
• Has one other daughter, Arianna
Coaching Resume
• Assistant Coach, Gonzaga (2001-04)
• Assistant Coach, Arizona (2004-05)
• Assistant Coach, Boise State (2005-09)
• Associate Head Coach, Southern Utah (2009-14)
• Associate Head Coach, Santa Clara (2014-16)
• Associate Head Coach, Colorado (2016-current)
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Colorado Women's Basketball Post Game Press Conference
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