The University of Akron Athletics
Women's Basketball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- spierce@uakron.edu
- Phone:
- (330) 972-5127
Sam Pierce is in his third season as an assistant coach for Akron women's basketball in 2016-17.
His areas of responsibilties include; serving as the Zips' junior college recruiting coordinator, defensive coordinator, coordinator for player development, strength and conditioning and development liaison and position coach for point guards.
"I am very happy to have Sam in the Akron family," said head coach Jodi Kest. "He was a successful AAU coach and assistant coach at the collegiate level for several years, and he is very passionate about what he does. Sam has great communication skills and brings a lot of energy to our program – our players enjoy being coached by him."
A year ago, one of his pupils, Kerri McMahan started all 31 contests as a freshman registering 6.3 points, 3.6 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game en route to be named to the Mid-American Conference All-Freshman Team.
Pierce came to Akron from the state of Pennsylvania, where he founded a basketball development program called PA Pride located in Altoona, Pa. He coached boys and girls for the last six years as a part of the program.
Prior to his work with the grassroots youth program, Pierce was the director of men's basketball operations at Robert Morris University, and also spent time as an assistant coach at Penn State Altoona.
"Coach Kest and I have known each other for the last few years, and I have admired the way she has worked to build up her program," Pierce said. "Akron has achieved so much recent success, and I am excited to be a part of the future of Zips basketball."
Pierce will serve as the defensive coordinator and work primarily with the point guards. He will also be in charge of junior college recruiting, player development and community outreach.
A 2002 graduate of Slippery Rock University, Pierce and his fiancé, Elizabeth Zerbee, have one son, Sam III.
