JADA PIERCE 15-15 overall and 11-9 in conference play en route to the programs first MAAC Semifinal’s appearance in nine seasons. Pierce mentored two All-MAAC selections, and MAAC Rookie of the Year Aaliyah Parker. The Purple Eagles led the nation in forced turnovers per game and Angel Parker finished second in the nation in steals per game. The Purple and White also led the MAAC in points per game during the 2021-22 season. Angel Parker was named to the MAAC All-Championship Team and four Purple Eagles earned MAAC All-Academic honors. The 2020-21 season was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with the Purple and White playing just 11 games. Niagara finished 4-7 overall and 4-6 in league play and fell to the Siena Saints in the first round of the MAAC Tournament. Pierce helped Angel Parker make tremendous strides as a sophomore, helping her land on the All-MAAC Second Team. The Purple Eagles went 10-21 overall and 7-13 in MAAC play in 2019-20. After defeating No. 9 Saint Peter’s, 64-53, in the first round of the MAAC Championships, the No. 8 Purple Eagles faced No. 1 Rider in the MAAC quarterfinals, falling to the Broncs by just five points, 79-74. Senior guard Maggie McIntyre was named the Sixth Player of the Year. Jai Moore was selected to the AllMAAC Second Team and freshman guard Adia Brisker was a unanimous selection to the MAAC All-Rookie Team. Six players were named to the MAAC All-Championship Team and 10 earned MAAC All-Academic Team honors. During the 2018-19 season, Pierce led the Purple Eagles to their best conference start since the 2004-05 season, with the team going 7-4 through its first 11 MAAC games. On Feb. 13, Niagara defeated crosstown rival Canisius, 74-52, in the Gallagher Center. It was Niagara’s first regular season victory over the Griffs since the 2013-14 season and first overall victory over Canisius since the first round of the 2016 MAAC Championships. The Purple Eagles went 12-19 overall and competed in the Preseason WNIT for the first time in program history. At the conclusion of the season, Jai Moore was selected to the All-MAAC First Team and six Purple Eagles were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team. The Purple Eagles finished the 2017-18 season 13-18, with a 9-9 MAAC record, which was the team’s best record since the 201415 season. NU was the No. 6 seed in the MAAC Tournament. Forward Victoria Rampado was named the MAAC Player of the Year and was a unanimous selection to the All-MAAC First Team. She was also named to the All-ECAC Second Team and to the DI-AAA Athletics Directors Association Scholar-Athlete Team. Forward Kaylee Stroemple was named to the All-MAAC Third Team and Niagara landed eight players on the MAAC All-Academic Team. The Purple Eagles played one of the most difficult non-conference schedules in the country in 2016-17. Niagara opened the season with a 65-43 win over Little 3 rival St. Bonaventure, the teams’ first victory over the Bonnies since 2006. Niagara faced two nationally ranked teams, welcoming then-No. 6/5 Maryland to the Gallagher Center on Nov. 20 and playing at then-No. 20/19 Syracuse on Dec. 10. Following the 2016-17 season, Victoria Rampado was named to the All-MAAC Second Team and six players were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team. Pierce earned her first win as coach of the Purple Eagles, as well as her first win in the Gallagher Center, on Nov. 27, 2015 in a thrilling 73-72 victory over Cleveland State. She picked up her first conference win against Fairfield; Niagara defeated the Stags, 56-55, on Jan. 4, 2016. Pierce also led the team in an upset against local rival Canisius in the first round of the MAAC Tournament; the ninth-seeded Purple Eagles defeated the eighth-seeded Golden Griffins, 65-64, to move onto the quarterfinals and take on top-seeded Quinnipiac. Following the 2015-16 season, senior center Sam Lapszynski, who thrived under Pierce, was named to the All-MAAC Second Team. Lapszynski was also one of 20 student-athlete recipients of the 14th Annual Division I-AAA Athletic Directors Association Scholar Athlete Teams. All seven eligible members of the 2015-16 Purple Eagles’ squad were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team. Pierce has built a reputation as a dynamic player developer while creating effective defensive schemes throughout her coaching career with stops as an assistant at programs in the Atlantic 10, Patriot League, Northeast Conference, MAAC and America East as well as head coaching experience at the Division II level. Pierce has coached 30 all-conference players, one Player of the Year, three Defensive Players of the Year, one Sixth Player of the Year, 53 all-academic honorees, two WNBA players and assisted four programs to five NCAA Tournament berths. Pierce arrives to Niagara University from Saint Joseph’s University where she served as an assistant coach for three seasons. Pierce was a part of a winning program at Saint Joe’s where the Hawks made two NCAA Tournament Appearances (2013, 2014), won two Philadelphia Big 5 titles (2014, 2015) and won the 2013 Atlantic 10 Tournament. Prior to Saint Joe’s, Pierce served as an assistant at the United States Military Academy at West Point (2010-12), Mount St. Mary’s (2009-10), University of Massachusetts (2007-09), Marist (2006-07), Massachusetts-Lowell. (2001-04), University of Delaware (1999-2001) and St. Michael’s College (1997-1999). Pierce gained head coaching experience at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, an NCAA Division II program, from 2004-2006. During her tenure with the Wolves, Pierce had six players garner scholar-athlete honors, with one player earning all-conference accolades, while coaching the conference leader in rebounds and blocks. Jada Pierce was introduced as the head coach of the Niagara Women’s Basketball program in the spring of 2015 and will enter her eighth season at the helm in 2022-23. Pierce has over 25 years of collegiate coaching experience. The 2021-22 season was the best for Niagara under Pierce as the Purple Eagles finished
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