Chris Thompson is entering his second season as the assistant men’s basketball coach at Elmira College in the 2016-17 academic year.
In his first season at EC, Thompson guide the Soaring Eagles to the most prolific three-point shooting season in team history. The Purple and Gold set a single-season record for made threes with 230 in 2015-16. Second-year shooter Hayden Harkins '18 made 71 treys, tied for sixth-most in team history. Thompson was also a part of one of Elmira's most thrilling comeback wins ever, a 62-59 victory over Endicott on a Justin Henderson '16 three-quarter court buzzer beater. The play was featured on outlets such as ESPN and CNN, and was crowned the 2016 GEICO Play of the Year.
Thompson comes to Elmira after spending two years at Empire 8 Conference rival St. John Fisher College. With the Cardinals, he was an integral part of the recruiting process, including player evaluations, scouting, and organizing official visits. He also assisted with the implementation of game plans, breaking down film, and organized community service and fundraising activities. Last season with Thompson on staff, Fisher had one of its most successful seasons in the program’s 52-year history, winning the E8 Championship and reaching the NCAA Division III Sweet 16 for the first time since in eight years.
Before joining St. John Fisher, Thompson was an assistant varsity coach at Clayton A. Bouton High School in his hometown of Voorheesville, NY for one season.
While completing his undergraduate degree at SUNY Plattsburgh, Thompson served as a team manager and later the Director of Basketball Operations. The Cardinals won the SUNYAC title during his freshman and junior seasons. He managed student-athlete study sessions and academic advisement while coordinating team travel and media relations were among his duties for the Cardinals.
Thompson earned a bachelor’s degree in childhood education from SUNY Plattsburgh in 2011 and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in education.
