Jada Pierce was introduced as the head coach of the Niagara Women’s Basketball program in the spring of 2015 and will enter her 10th season at the helm in 2024-25. Pierce has over 25 years of collegiate coaching experience.
Niagara turned in another historic season in 2023-24 as Niagara went 21-14 along with a 15-5 MAAC record. Niagara finishes second in the MAAC as they went into the MAAC Tournament as the second seed for the second straight season. Niagara opened the season with a 75-51 win over St. Bonaventure, Niagara went on to notch non-conference wins against Stonehill and Radford. Niagara traveled to the Cayman Islands to take on then No. 7 LSU and No. 2 UCLA. At the time of the game against LSU, Niagara was the only team to outrebound the Tigers and was jus tthe second team to hold LSU under 100 points in a win. Niagara opened MAAC play with a 67-48 win over the 2023 MAAC Champions Iona. The Purple Eagles finished MAAC play on a 13 stretch in which they went 12-1 to finish MAAC play15-5. The Purple Eagles opened the MAAC Tournament with a 70-56 win over No. 7 Quinnipiac before defeating No. 3 Siena 87-70 to advance to the MAAC final. Niagara fell to No. 25 Fairfield in the the MAAC Championship 70-62 in overtime. Niagara hosted Le Moyne in the opening round of the WNIT and defeated the Dolphins 91-86 for the first postseason win in Niagara Division I era history. Niagara then traveled to Vermont for the second round of the WNIT. Both Aaliayh and Angel Parker were named to the All-MAAC Second Team. Niagara led the country in steals per game while being second in the NCAA in turnover margin.
2022-23 was a historic season for Niagara as the Purple Eagles finished 18-13 overall and set a new program record with 16 MAAC wins. Niagara also appeared in the first postseason tournament in program history as they earned a bid to the WNIT. Niagara notched just its second top two finish in the MAAC and the first since 1992-93. The Purple Eagles led the country in turnovers forced per game, steals per game, and turnover margin. Niagara set new program record in turnovers forced that was set in 2021-22. The Purple Eagles earned votes in the Mid-Major national poll for multiple weeks during the season. Aaliyah Parker and Angel Parker were both All-MAAC First Team selections while both were top five in scoring in the MAAC. Four Purple Eagles earned MAAC All-Academic honors while Maddy Yelle was a CSC All-District All-Academic honoree.
The 2021-22 season was the best for Niagara under Pierce as the Purple Eagles finished 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 All-MAAC 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 2014-15 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.
At Saint Joe's Pierce was involved in on-the-floor coaching at individual workouts, practices and games, was responsible for point guard development, and assisted in all aspects of recruiting. Pierce coached the 2012-13 Philadelphia Big 5 Player of the Year Chatilla van Grinsven, who signed with the WNBA's Connecticut Sun in 2013, and played a strong role in the success of guards Natasha Cloud (drafted by the Washington Mystics in the 2015 WNBA Draft) and Erin Shields (two-time A-10 All-Conference honoree and two-time I-AAA scholar-athlete).
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.
Pierce played collegiately at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Playing for the Golden Rams from 1992-97, she helped West Chester to the program's first NCAA Division II Tournament berth as a senior co-captain during 1996-97 season. A two-sport standout at Central High School, Pierce was a four-year letterwinner on the court, earning Philadelphia Public League All-Star honors as a sophomore and junior (1990, 1991) and First Team Philadelphia All-Public League honors in 1992. Averaging 21 points per game as a senior, she set Central's all-time scoring record, while her only season on the track and field squad saw her earn All-Public League honors in the high jump. Pierce became the first female be inducted into the Central High School Athletic Honor Roll in 2001.
