Original article (Niagara University Women’s Basketball Head Coach Jada Pierce Receives Contract Extension) on Niagara University’s athletic website purpleeagles.com.
Niagara University Director of Athletics Simon Gray has announced today that women’s basketball head coach Jada Pierce’s contract has been extended through the 2022-23 season.
“Jada has established herself as a leader in our department and on our campus in her first four years at Niagara,” said Gray. “While I certainly appreciate the competitiveness on the court, I strongly value the type of student-athlete that she brings into her program. Jada and her staff have comprised their roster of students with high character, an academic focus and a drive to win.”
The Purple Eagles got off to a hot conference start in 2018-19, going 7-4 through their first 11 MAAC games. It was Niagara’s best start to conference play since the 2004-05 season. Guard Jai Moore was named to the All-MAAC First Team. Earlier in the season, Niagara was invited to play in the Preseason WNIT for the first time in program history, being recognized as a program on the rise.
Pierce led the Purple Eagles to their best overall and conference records since the 2014-15 season when Niagara went 13-18 overall and 9-9 in MAAC play in 2017-18. At the end of the season, forward Victoria Rampado was named the MAAC Player of the Year. Rampado broke the Niagara women’s basketball scoring and rebounding records during the season. Rampado was also named to the All-MAAC First Team, while forward Kaylee Stoemple was named to the All-MAAC Third Team.
In her four seasons at Niagara so far, Pierce has landed five players on all-conference teams and 27 players on the MAAC All-Academic Team, holding up a strong commitment to developing players as students and athletes. Pierce’s teams have maintained a cumulative grade point average each season of 3.3 or higher.
The Purple Eagles have also been very involved in the local community, volunteering and participating at events such as the New York Power Authority Wildlife Festival, the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk and the Porter Cup. The team has also spent time reading to children at local elementary schools and teaching young kids about basketball.
“On behalf of our staff, I would like to sincerely thank Niagara University President Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., Director of Athletics Simon Gray and our distinguished Board of Trustees for showing the ultimate confidence in us,” Pierce said. “It is an honor and a privilege to be the head coach at Niagara University. This is a direct reflection of the hard work and commitment from our amazing student-athletes and coaching staff. We are excited to continue building from the foundation we’ve laid the last four years. Go NU!”