Pierce Named Rising Head Coach Again
8/6/2013 3:22:00 PM | Baseball
Kendall Rogers of PerfectGame.org named Sam Houston baseball coach David Pierce one of ten rising stars in the college baseball coaching ranks for the second straight season.
Under Pierce's direction the Bearkats have won back-to back Southland titles and received back-to-back at-large selections into the NCAA Regionals. SHSU had never received an at-large selection before 2012.
“Few rising head coaches made precisely the immediate impact that Pierce has for the Bearkats,” wrote Rogers. “Legendary college baseball head coach Mark Johnson certainly left the SHSU program in good shape, but Pierce has only built off what Johnson started. Pierce has been terrific in his two seasons with the program.”
The combined 78 wins under head coach David Pierce is the second-most in school history behind the 89 wins from 1986 to 1987. After winning the school's first Southland regular-season title since 1989, the team went back-to-back for the first time ever.
“In the first year, he guided the Bearkats to the Southland Conference regular season title and the Houston Regional title game. Then, last season, the Bearkats advanced to yet another NCAA Regional and ended the year with a 38-22 overall record,” Rogers added. “Pierce interviewed for the Oklahoma job during the offseason, further validation that his impressive campaigns are catching the attention of some of the nation's most prestigious programs.”
Pierce is joined by Central Arkansas' Allen Gum who led the Bears to the NCAA Regional at Mississippi State last season.
While it will be tough to top what they did in 2012 and 2013, the return of several key pieces and their experience in big games has the Bearkats poised to pick up where they left off.
