the position in Thornton's absence. In 2005 Thornton reclaimed his spot in the Fire's net missing only a few matches due to injury. Thornton was traded to Colorado Rapids on March 2, 2007, where he was a backup behind Bouna Coundoul during the 2007 season, before he was waived at the end of the year. He was subsequently picked up by New York Red Bulls as the team's reserve goalkeeper for 2008 behind Jon Conway. Thornton was traded to Chivas USA on August 2, 2008. He and enjoyed an impressive first two seasons with the team, ultimately winning the 2009 Goalkeeper of the Year Award. Thornton was injured during the 2011 season with Chivas USA and lost his starting role. At season's end, the club declined his 2012 contract option and he entered the 2011 MLS Re-Entry Draft. Thornton was not selected in the draft and became a free agent. International Thornton's first cap with the US national team came in 1994 in a friendly against Jamaica. He backed up Kasey Keller at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Thornton wasn't able to translate his success in MLS to the international level, collecting only eight caps. On December 22, 2009, Thornton received another call up to play a friendly against Honduras on January 23. Coaching career Thornton returned to his alma mater as a part-time volunteer goalkeeping coach for the Loyola University Maryland men's soccer program on July 5, 2012. He was named to a similar position on a full-time basis for both the men's and women's programs at Elizabethtown College just over six weeks later on August 20. He was appointed Associate Head Coach with the Villanova University men's soccer program on January 17, 2013. In 2015 Thornton was hired as Goalkeeping Coach for MLS franchise D.C. United. Thornton was named goalkeeping coach for Houston Dynamo on January 13, 2022. Honors Chicago Fire Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (3): 1998, 2000, 2003 Major League Soccer Eastern Conference Championship (1): 2003 Major League Soccer MLS Cup (1): 1998 Major League Soccer Supporters' Shield (1): 2003 Major League Soccer Western Conference Championship (1): 1998 Individual MLS Goalkeeper of the Year: 1998, 2009 MLS Best XI: 1998, 2009 References External links 1973 births Living people American expatriate soccer players United States men's international soccer players African-American soccer players Major League Soccer players Major League Soccer All-Stars New York Red Bulls players North Jersey Imperials