Sam Pierce Jr. - Assistant Coach - Staff Directory - University of Delaware Athletics

Staff Directory

Sam Pierce Jr.

Title:
Assistant Coach
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Sam Pierce Jr. joined the Blue Hens as an assistant coach ahead of the 2022-23 season after five seasons at Appalachian State serving as the associate head coach and just concluded his third season with the Blue Hens this past 2024-25 campaign.

In 2024-25, Pierce helped lead the Blue Hens to a 13-17 record and a CAA Tournament victory over UNCW in the second round. UD set a new single-season record for made threes as a team with 206, while Ella Wanzer led the CAA in three-point shooting at 38-percent. Wanzer made the second-most threes in a single-season by a Blue Hen (68), surpassing WNBA legend Elena Delle Donne. The Blue Hens led the CAA in three-point percentage (36-percent) and field-goal percentage (41-percent). Delaware went on a six-game winning-streak in February, the longest under head coach Sarah Jenkins. In a season where the team battled injury and adversity, captain Tara Cousins earned All-CAA Second Team.

In year two, Pierce Jr. assisted the Blue Hen 2023-24 squad to a second round appearance at the CAA tournament along with freshman center Ande'a Cherisier walking away with a CAA All-Rookie nod. For the second-straight year, the Blue Hens were on an offensive tear as the team ranked third in the league averaging 67.4 points, totaled 80-plus points in four difference contests and had nine 70-plus point performances during the campaign. The Blue Hens also led the conference in attendance, averaging 1,297.0 fans per game.

The 2022-23 season saw the Blue Hens finish with 16-14 overall record, 9-9 in CAA play and second round appearance in the conference tournament. Pierce Jr. assisted in the guidance of a spectacular season from third-team all-conference selection in Klarke Sconiers and having SAAC President Tara Cousins take home the league's most prestigious honor, the Dean Ehlers Leadership Award. The Blue Hens first year squad finished the tough non-conference schedule posting a 7-4 record, highlighted by capturing a B1G win over Illinois (Nov. 26), which marked the third time in three seasons that Delaware walked away with a win over a Power 5 school. The Blue Hens were an offensive threat as averaged 66.0 points, logged 80-plus points in three different contests and had seven 70-plus point performances this season.

He coached alongside head coach Angel Elderkin, where he helped Elderkin lead the 2018-19 squad on a historic run to hoist up the WBI title. The Mountaineers finished the season with 22 wins, the most since the 2011-12 season to complete the largest turnaround in school history, along with being the fifth largest turnaround of any school. Pierce Jr. also assisted in the coaching of six All-Sun Belt Conference selections as he was tasked with skill development, practice planning, game planning and recruiting responsibilities during his time in Boone, N.C.

Before Appalachian State, Pierce Jr. also spent three seasons at the University of Akron (2014-17) in the role of assistant coach. During his tenure, Pierce Jr. was held responsible for the program’s defensive and player development, practice planning, game planning and JUCO recruiting. He assisted the 2015-16 team to a 19-14 overall record, including an 11-7 mark in conference play, to earn a WNIT berth for the second straight season. Pierce Jr. developed one All-Freshman team selection and five all-MAC conference honorees, including MAC Player of the Year Sina King.

Before his spending time in Akron, Pierce Jr. founded a basketball development program coaching boys and girls for seven years (2007-14) called PA Pride located in Altoona, Pa. and also had stops at Robert Morris University as the director of men’s basketball operations (2006-07), Altoona Area High School as the assistant boy’s basketball coach (2005-06) and Penn State University Altoona as the assistant men’s basketball coach (2003-05).

Pierce Jr. was a four-year member of the men’s basketball team and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management and Business Administration from Slippery Rock University in 2002.