Coaching Staff

Dan Gooris enters his 14th season at the helm of the North Park softball team. As the North Park Director of Campus Security and the former police chief of the Lincolnwood Police Department, Gooris has an outstanding Vikings’ background. He was a four-year starter playing the tight end position for the North Park football team and served as the team’s captain in 1971 and 1972. He was also a three-year starter for the NP baseball team as a catcher, where he was a team captain in 1972, an NAIA All-American in 1971, a CCIW First Team All-Conference selection and a member of the NAIA District 20 All-Star team. He also led the conference in hitting. A member of the North Park Hall of Fame, Gooris also led his 1974 Chicago Hornets AABC team to a national runner-up finish, and was a member of the 2009 Men’s Senior Baseball World Series Championship team as well as the 2009 Roy Hobbs World Series team. He has participated in Senior League Baseball competition for the past 19 years and serves as a catching and hitting instructor. Gooris’ coaching record is just as impressive. He coached baseball and football at Niles North High School and football at North Park. His North Park softball teams have produced 15 All-Conference players and four All-Region players, as well as over 40 CCIW Academic All-Conference players, including his daughter Dana Wells, who was a two-time All-CCIW outfielder and a CCIW hitting champion. She married Ryan Wells, a former NP football player, and has three children (Brady, Casey and Avery). His son Danny, is a graduate of Creighton University and was an eighth round draft pick of the Cincinnati Reds and played in the San Diego Padres organization in 2002. Danny is currently a teacher and pitching coach at Libertyville High School. Gooris lives with his wife, Leslie (C’1973), a former North Park volleyball player.

Colon enters his fifth season as an assistant coach with the Vikings. He serves as a detective with the Chicago Police Department and his daughter, Yolanda, was North Park’s starting second baseman from 2006-07. His son Josh plays shortstop at Division I Illinois State University as well. Colon is an athlete himself as he is a member of the Men’s Senior Baseball League with head coach Dan Gooris, where he plays the shortstop position with the 45+ Cardinals.

Thien enters her first year with the Vikings. She brings a solid background to the program, having played and coached collegiately and professionally. She was recognized as an All-Mid Continent Conference player in 1994 and 1995 and was an All-Region selection in 1994 at Western Illinois University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Law Enforcement Justice Administration in 1995. A member of Alpha Phi Sigma, Thien was honored with academic excellence from WIU’s National Criminal Justice Honor Society and the department of Law Enforcement Administration in 1994-95. She played for the Westerwinds softball team from 1992-1995 and was recognized as the team’s MVP in 1995. Thien also was a member of the Baldwin Saints, an organization in the ASA Women’s majors, where she played from 1993-1996. As a coach, Thien has served as the assistant coach for Quincy Notre Dame High School in 1999, as well as a volunteer pitching coach for other Chicago Public High Schools. She is a native of the St. Louis Metro East area.