Plenette Pierson - Women's Basketball Coach

Plenette Pierson

Title:
Assistant Coach

Texas Tech Hall of Famer Plenette Pierson entered her third full-time season as an assistant coach at her alma matter and assumed the role of associate coach in the 2024-25 season. An all-time great at Texas Tech, Pierson returned to her alma matter back in June of 2022.

In the 2024-25 season, Pierson coached the Lady Raiders to a 19-win season that saw the team reach the quarterfinals in both the Big 12 Tournament and the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT). Texas Tech earned its 1,000th win in program history after defeating Utah in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament. In doing so, the Lady Raiders would snap a 22-year drought since they last won two games at the conference tournament.

After the team’s run at the Big 12 Tournament, Tech was selected to the WBIT where they defeated 4-seeded Wyoming and overall No. 1 seed Virginia Tech to advance to the quarterfinals. Pierson aided the Lady Raiders to key wins over Washington State, Gonzaga, Colorado and Arkansas – the first time Texas Tech defeated the Razorbacks in Fayetteville in the program’s history. In addition, Pierson coached two All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selections in Jasmine Shavers and Bailey Maupin, who both scored more than 500 points in the season.

In the 2023-24 season, Pierson's fourth year on staff with the Lady Raiders, she helped lead the team to back-to-back winning seasons after recording 17 victories on the year. Texas Tech had one of its best starts in program history – winning its first 11 games of the season. The Lady Raiders opened Big 12 play with a victory at Houston (79-71) then welcomed the Kansas Jayhawks to the United Supermarkets Arena for a 73-64 win. The Lady Raiders posted a ranked victory against No. 24 Iowa State, 71-63, a team who would make it to the Big 12 Tournament finals and the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

In the conference tournament, Tech pushed past Houston in dominant fashion – the team’s third victory over the Cougars in the season – to make it to the next round of the championships for the first time since 2018-19. In addition, Pierson coached two sophomore standouts in Bailey Maupin and Jasmine Shavers, who were both named to the All-Big 12 Honorable Mention team, to the 2023-24 Dave Campbell's All-Texas Women's Basketball Awards list and to the CSC Academic All-District Team. Shavers and Maupin led the Lady Raiders offensively as they totaled 15.4 and 14.1 points per game, respectively.

During her first season back in Lubbock, Pierson made an immediate impact, helping the lead the Lady Raiders to the first 20-win season and postseason appearance since the 2012-13 season. Primarily responsible for working with Tech’s post players, Pierson helped mentor Jazmaine Lewis to a career season in 22-23. The forward set new career-bests in games played (34), field goal percentage (60.9), free throws (61.7), points (191), points per game (5.6), rebounds (104) and field goals made (81). Lewis also erupted for 10 double figure games including a career-best 17 points in just 12 minutes of action against Sam Houston.

Pierson was also critical in the development of freshman Kilah Freelon, who appeared in 32 games in 22-23. After scoring just 14 points during non-conference play, Freelon with the help of Pierson earned key minutes during Big 12 play scoring 86 of her 100 points during conference play. The freshman scored in double-figures three times due in large part to the tutelage of Pierson.

Pierson’s developmental skills also shined through in Tech’s paint presence, as the Lady Raiders outscored its opponents 980-964 in the paint. Tech scored nearly 26 of its 69 points per game in the paint.

The former Lady Raiders’ impact was also felt this past summer, as Pierson helped the Lady Raiders sign one of the strongest transfer classes in both the Big 12 and the country.

Highlighted by the additions of former five-star prospect Jordyn Merritt and the addition of 2022-23 CUSA Defensive Player of the Year Elina Arike as well as the return of both Freelon and Lewis, Pierson will mentor and coach one of the deepest front court units in recent memory.

After graduating from Texas Tech in 2003, Pierson spent 20 years both playing and coaching in the WNBA.

The sixth leading scorer in Lady Raider history, Pierson scored 1602 points in her Tech career including a career-best 624 points during the 2002-03 season. That mark is 13th all-time.

The Fourth overall pick in the 2003 WNBA Draft, Pierson spent 17 seasons in the WNBA playing for the Phoenix Mercury, Detroit Shock/Tulsa Shock, New York Liberty and Dallas Wings.

A three-time WNBA champion, Pierson also was named the inaugural WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year in 2007 after scoring 11.6 points a game. That season the forward led the Shock to the second of three consecutive WNBA Finals appearances.

Pierson also made an indelible mark on Lady Raider record books, as the Houston native is ranked inside the top-10 all-time in points (1602), points per game (15.4), field goals made (602), free throws made (398) and blocked shots (116).

A 2003 AP All-America selection, Pierson earned Big 12 Freshman of the Years honors in the 2000 season and was named to the Big 12 First Team in 2003. A true winner, Pierson helped lead the Lady Raiders to an overall record of 102-30 in her four seasons.

Tech made the the NCAA Tournament in all four of those seasons, including a 2000 Big 12 Regular Season Championship. The Lady Raiders made four Sweet Sixteen appearances and a pair of Elite Eight trips in that span.

Known as the ultimate winner, Pierson won three WNBA Championships as a player and helped lead the Minnesota Lynx to the postseason in all three seasons she served as an assistant.