April 23, 2020

Santa Monica, CA –

Santa Monica College Men's Basketball Head Coach Joshua Thomas was named one of the 50 Most Impactful Men's Basketball JUCO Coaches Nationally by Silver Waves Media, which is a sports media organization that covers eight different sports from preps to college to pros. Thomas was one of eight California JUCO coaches to be named to the list.

During Coach Thomas' tenure, Santa Monica College Men's Basketball has been ranked amongst the top teams in the state the past two seasons. This past season the Corsairs finished 21-9 and were ranked #7 overall in the state in the final CCCMBCA Poll. During the 2018-2019 season, the Corsairs made it to the State Tournament, which features the final eight remaining teams in the playoffs.

"It is an honor to be acknowledged amongst my peers nationally and be a part of a prestigious list of coaches," said Thomas. "All of the student-athletes in the program and the coaching staff are critical to our recent success. I have always been a firm believer in that players deserve all the credit because they go out and compete day in and day out, but I want to really take this time to thank the assistants coaches on our staff. Assistant Coaches Devon Richardson, Justin Maidenberg, and Ben Doran are key components to our success—from recruiting, player development, academic monitoring, game planning, daily operations, and impacting student-athletes' lives on and off the court. It is a pleasure working with them since my time at SMC and Devon, Justin, and Ben are Head Coaches in their own right. I look forward to seeing them at the helm of their own basketball programs soon!"

Here is what Silver Waves Media had to say about Coach Thomas:

"In his second season in 2018-2019, Thomas led the Corsairs to the CCCAA State Tournament for the first time since 1988. During the postseason run, the Corsairs secured three playoff victories, which ended a 16-year drought of not having a single playoff win. His improvement continues. After a 20-12 season a year ago, the Corsairs finished with a 21-9 record this year. The resurgence has come as a result of Thomas' hard work on the recruiting trail and development. He has brought in a number of good players and has made his presence felt in marketing them nationally."

For full release please, visit https://www.silverwavesmedia.com/news_article/show/1101204.