Hampton University Athletics

Maurice Pierce is entering his seventh season as the head coach of the Hampton University women’s cross country and track & field teams. Before stepping into that role, Pierce was an assistant coach with the program for four years.

 

In his previous six years at the helm, Pierce has guided the Lady Pirates to two MEAC cross country titles (2004, 2006), six consecutive MEAC indoor championships (2003-2008) and five MEAC outdoor titles (2003-2004, 06-2008).

 

After leading the Lady Pirates to a second-place finish in the 2007 MEAC cross country championships behind Maryland-Eastern Shore, Pierce led the team to a share of the indoor track &field title with UMES. It was the sixth straight indoor crown for Hampton, which tied with the Lady Hawks with 92 points. The Lady Pirates won seven individual titles throughout the indoor season including freshman Racquel Vassell’s win in the 60-meter dash at the University of Maryland Terrapin Invitational.

 

The dominance contiuned into the outdoor season, as the Lady Pirates took home their third straight MEAC title. Vassell was named MEAC MVP after winning the 100- and 200-meter dash, while Francena McCorory won the 400-meter dash and Rachel Lewis became an NCAA qualifier in the triple jump.

 

Pierce coached Krystle Medlin to a MEAC cross country individual title in 2006, while four other Lady Pirates made the All-Cross Country Team. Hampton also won indoor and outdoor titles that season, with Yvette Lewis earning MEAC Most Outstanding Female Athlete honors.

 

Lewis and Kellie Wells each competed in the NCAA Championships,  with Lewis giving Hampton its first-ever NCAA title in the triple jump. Wells finished seventh in the 60-meter hurdles to earn All-American honors as the Lady Pirates ended the 2006 season ranked in the Top 25 nationally.

 

Pierce also spent the 2005 season as interim head coach of the men’s teams at Hampton, where he helped the 4x400-meter relay team advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Terry Thornton and Andrew Peresta advanced to the NCA semifinals, while Pierce also guided Lewis and Wells to the NCAA level. Wells became Hampton’s first-ever Division I Indoor All-American when she finished sixth in the 60-meter hurdles.

 

As the head coach at Hampton University, Pierce has coached one national champion, four NCAA All-Americans, 15 NCAA regional qualifiers, two NCAA regional record holders, 30 MEAC champions, four MEAC record holders and two U.S. Olympic Trials qualifiers.

 

Prior to coming to Hampton, Pierce served as the assistant track & field coach at the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore (1998-1999), and as a volunteer women’s assistant coach at Norfolk State University (1995-1998). While at UMES, Pierce coached two MEAC champions. While at NSU, Pierce was instrumental in helping the Lady Spartans win two CIAA championships and coached over 15 CIAA champions, four NCAA Division II qualifiers and one Olympian (Rachelle Thomas, 1996-USVI 4x100, 4x400).

Pierce is also considered one of the top hurdle coaches in the world. He coached David Payne, who competed in the 110-meter hurdles at the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing and won a silver medal with a time of 13.17. Pierce also coached former Hampton University star James Carter as a professional hurdler from 2000 to 2004. Carter placed fourth in the 400IH finals at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and the 2004 Games in Athens. During the four years Pierce coached Carter, he made two Olympic teams, three World Championships teams, one World Cup Team, and one NACAC U23. Carter was ranked in the top ten in the world all four years.

 

In 2004, Pierce also coached Rachelle Boone-Smith on Team USA. Boone-Smith placed second at the 2004 U.S. Indoor Championships and made the World Indoor Championships Team. In 2004, Boone-Smith placed fourth in the 200-meter finals at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials. Pierce is also the personal coach of Mike Tinsley.

 

Carter and Payne have each become World Champions under Pierce; Payne was an outdoor champion in 2007, while Carter held the honor in both 2001 and 2003. Boone-Smith was an indoor champion in 2005.

Pierce is a 1996 graduate of Norfolk State University. He was a member of the Spartans track team in 1992-93, and 1995. He currently serves as the chair for USATF Virginia Association Women Elite Athletes. He is a native of Newport News, Va. and is married to Cantrese Pace-Pierce, a 1998 graduate of Hampton University. The live in Newport News with their two daughters, Alyssa and Aniyah.

 

 

Pierce File
Birthdate: January 26, 1972
Hometown: Newport News, Va.
Education: Warwick High School
B.S. Norfolk State University 1996

Coaching:
1995-98 Norfolk State University, Volunteer Assistant
1998-99 University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Assistant Coach
1999-02 Hampton University, Assistant Women’s Coach
2002-present Hampton University, Head Women’s Coach
2004 Hampton University, Interim Men’s Coach

 

 

 

David Payne                         Beijing 2008 (110-meter hurdles – silver medal)

James Carter                        Athens 2004, Sydney 2000 (400-meter hurdles)

Rachelle Thomas                                Atlanta 1996 (4x100-meter relay, 4x400-meter relay)

 

 

James Carter, outdoor                        2001, 2003

David Payne, outdoor                        2007

Rachelle Boone-Smith, indoor          2005