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Report: Rice hires former Texas head coach David Pierce

IMG_0985by:Griffin McVeigh•03/17/25•

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Jun 19, 2022; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach David Pierce (22) leaves the field after addressing the team after the loss against the Texas A&M Aggies at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

According to Kendall Rogers of D1 Baseball, Rice is hiring David Pierce as the program’s next head coach. Pierce has been an Owls assistant in the past but is most well known for leading Texas to three College World Series appearances.

“BREAKING: @RiceBaseball is hiring former long-time #Rice assistant and @TexasBaseball head coach David Pierce as its new head coach, sources tell @d1baseball,” Rogers said via X. “Pierce most recently spent eight seasons at Texas, where he guided the #Horns to three College World Series appearances.”

The hire is an immediate one. In a later tweet, Rogers confirmed Pierce is set to take over on Friday night. Rice will be heading on the road to face off against Florida Atlantic in their American opener. One more game does fall on the schedule before then, facing Incarnate Word in a midweek showdown.

Rice is hoping to get back on the right track after a tough start to the year. The Owls are currently 4-16 but did just win a series against Houston Baptist. A lot of power conference opponents have been on the other side this year, an area where Rice is 1-8.

Pierce is one of the more accomplished coaches out there but will have quite the task at hand this season. Either way, a splashy hire for Rice as a once-consistent NCAA Tournament team looks to get back to that level.

More on new Rice head coach David Pierce

Texas decided to move off Pierce following the 2024 season, after losing early in the NCAA Tournament and finishing third in the Big 12. Of course, they went on to hire Jim Schlossnagle away from Texas A&M as the Longhorns are now in the SEC.

Pierce did not stay out of coaching as he took an assistant role at Texas State. But when Rice made a midseason move, firing Jose Cruz Jr., the role opened up for him to return to Houston.

A long list of accomplishments is on Pierce’s resume. Over three stops as a head coach, he has made the NCAA Tournament on 11 occasions and progressed to Omaha three times (all of which were with Texas). Tulane and Sam Houston State have employed Pierce as their head coach as well.

The most prestigious individual award to his name is the 2018 Baseball America Coach of the Year. Pierce guided Texas to a Big 12 regular season championship and appeared in the College World Series.