Hometown: Norfolk, Va.
Education: B.S., VCU, 1997
M.S., VCU, 1999
M.S., George Mason, 2003
Coaching: Head Coach, Edison High School, 2002-05
Head Coach, T.C. Williams High School, 2005-08
Head Coach, Kecoughtan High School, 2008-15
Head Coach, Boo Williams 17U Team, 2002-15
Associate Director of Player Development/Video Operations, Providence, 2015-16
Assistant Coach, Providence, 2016-23
Associate Head Coach, Georgetown, 2023-24
Head Coach, Hampton, 2024-present
Under Thomas’s first season, the program reached many milestones that had not occurred in years. The Pirates had their first undefeated month since the 2002-03 season. Hampton posted a record of 17-16 in Coach Thomas’s inaugural season. His 18 wins at the helm were the second most by a first-year head coach in program history. HU finished the 2024-25 campaign with eight conference wins, surpassing the CAA win total from the first two seasons in the league. The program had its deepest run in the CAA Tournament.
The Pirates had success with their bench production, averaging 35.5 points per game, which was the fourth most in the country. Under Thomas’s guidance, Etienne Strothers and Daniel Johnson received CAA Rookie of the Week honors. Hampton also had two postseason award honorees. Noah Farrakhan was an All-CAA Third Team selection and Johnson made the All-Rookie Team. The Pirates were also named the HBCU All-Stars Independent Team of the Week on eight separate occasions.
Before taking control of the reigns he was an associate head coach for Ed Cooley’s inaugural staff at Georgetown.
His appointment, revealed by Director of Athletics Anthony D. Henderson, Sr., reflects Hampton's continued commitment to athletic excellence on and off the court.
Henderson highlights Thomas's proven track record across various basketball realms, from successful high school coaching at Kecoughtan and T.C. Williams to impactful roles within collegiate and AAU circuits. "We are excited to welcome Ivan Thomas back home as our head men's basketball coach," Henderson said. "He has a deep commitment to excellence and is a proven winner at the high school, AAU, and collegiate levels. He is a tremendous recruiter who has developed players throughout his career. As a native of Virginia, he has strong ties to the Hampton area and has a vision of how to build Hampton basketball into a championship program. He understands the commitment it takes to be successful on the court and the role athletics can play in developing young men."
This sentiment resonates throughout Thomas's coaching journey, punctuated by notable milestones such as his instrumental roles at Providence under Ed Cooley's leadership, where he contributed to multiple postseason appearances and NCAA Tournament berths. His responsibilities included recruiting, in-game coaching, and player development. He spent eight seasons as a part of Ed Cooley's Providence staff before following Cooley to Washington, D.C. a year ago. The Friars made six postseason appearances including five NCAA Tournament berths. His return to Virginia, his home state, symbolizes a homecoming of sorts, aligning perfectly with his vision to elevate Hampton basketball to championship status.
The Norfolk, Va., native spent seven years as head coach at Hampton's Kecoughtan High, leading the team to a 127-60 mark and to Peninsula District championships in 2010 and 2012. Thomas was the head coach at T.C. Williams High in Alexandria, Va., where he led the team to a 75-9 mark, winning three league titles. He was named Virginia Coach of the Year in 2008 after guiding the Titans to the state title. He was head coach at Edison High in Alexandria, Va from 2002-05 and got his first coaching job as an assistant at Schaumburg High helping lead the team to the 2000 state championship. He also spent 13 years as an AAU coach for the Boo Williams 17-U team.
Thomas received his master's degree in guidance and counseling from VCU in 1999 and his master's degree in educational leadership from George Mason in 2003, as well as his bachelor's degree in sociology from VCU in 1997. Thomas was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia. He is married to Dr. Jennifer Miles-Thomas, and they have three children, Christopher, Taylor, and Jordan Thomas.
