Liberty basketball hires Joe Pierre as director of player development

Liberty men’s basketball head coach Ritchie McKay has announced the hiring of Joe Pierre III as director of player development.

“We are thrilled to welcome Joe to our family and feel that he will add a lot of value to our program,” McKay said. “Joe is a young star in the coaching industry and has been around some great coaches that have prepared him for this position.”

Pierre joins Liberty’s staff after serving as a graduate assistant for Middle Tennessee working for Kermit Davis. During his two years at Middle Tennessee, the Blue Raiders went 56-13 with two postseason tournament appearances. In his first season at MT, Pierre and the Blue Raiders advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, defeating Minnesota in the first round. This past season, Middle Tennessee went 25-8 and advanced to the second round of the NIT.

“I am honored, privileged and thankful to be joining coach McKay’s staff,” Pierre said. “Working for him has always been a dream of mine and grateful for the opportunity. I love the program’s culture and the school’s mission and vision to train champions for Christ.”

Pierre joined the Blue Raiders’ staff after spending the spring of 2016 as an assistant coach at Pawnee High School in Oklahoma under six-time state champion coach David Page where he also was a middle school teacher. His 2016 squad started 28-0 before falling in the state semifinal game.

He also spent a season as the head coach of the eighth grade team at Stillwater Junior High School in 2015. Prior to his high school coaching stint, Pierre served as a student manager from 2011-15 at Oklahoma State University working under Travis Ford and his father, former Cowboys assistant Butch Pierre.

During his four seasons assisting with the Cowboys men’s basketball program, OSU tallied 78 wins and made three consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. Pierre graduated from Oklahoma State in December 2015 with a B.S. in secondary education and is now working on his M.Ed. in administration at Middle Tennessee.

Pierre played high school basketball at Stillwater High School for coach Michael “Chick” Davis before suffering a career-ending ACL injury and graduated in 2011. Pierre replaces Marcus Conrad, who joined Charlotte’s staff.