Ann Pierson stepped away in August from her role as Principia College’s athletic director, concluding a tenure that began in 2019 and was marked by major program revivals, national achievements, and a commitment to student-centered leadership.
Women’s basketball head coach Ramiro Dominguez was appointed as interim athletic director.
“Coach Ann was a mentor to me, and I think she was a mentor to our entire department,” Dominguez said. “She mentored you by showing you how much she loved you and supported you, always being there when you needed advice or when you had an athlete who was struggling.”
Dominguez also credited Pierson with reviving several athletic programs that had previously been discontinued, including the women’s basketball, softball, and volleyball teams.
“She was the one who built gigantic opportunities for us to have these sports continue and belong. So her legacy here… I hope it is one of love and building,” he said.
Pierson’s impact wasn’t only noticed at the athletics department but all around campus.
“I’ve seen her as very professional and very compassionate, sometimes headstrong in her support of athletics, which is appropriate and respectful,” said John Williams, professor and former president of Principia College.
As athletic director, Pierson led the department through multiple transitions, including the implementation of a values-based onboarding program for coaches, expanded student access to health services, and updated admissions criteria aimed at recruiting values-aligned students. She also navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring athletic competition could continue safely and responsibly, according to a watercooler message from the president’s office.
“She had to make tough decisions in reducing programs that we could not sustain because of the cost,” Williams said. “I found her always supportive of the tough decisions that have to happen in running a college.”
Williams described Pierson as “a real problem solver regarding how to move resources around in her department,” particularly during a period when financial constraints made hiring additional coaches difficult.
During her tenure, Pierson oversaw record-setting achievements, including Principia’s first SLIAC championship in women’s basketball, its first 15s national championship in rugby, and several student-athletes qualifying for NCAA national championships in tennis and track and field.
“She was just the most loving woman I ever met,” said Carolina Rojas, athletics operations manager and former student-athlete. “She would watch us play and encourage us to do better and to have more energy. But you could tell that she cared, and that’s the part I will always remember about her.”
In a recent interview reflecting on her time at Principia, Pierson said she is most grateful to “have worked with high-quality individuals who are really engaged in the learning process and care for each other.”
She pointed to both competitive success and program growth as examples of what stood out to her during her time at the college.
“We have had some championships with men’s soccer, rugby, and most recently, women’s basketball,” she said. “I’m also really excited about the growth we have been seeing with our sports, like the women’s softball team now firmly established and the women’s volleyball team getting rerouted.”
As for what’s next, Pierson said she is taking time to re-establish herself and determine her next steps. The Pilot has reached out to the president’s office for comment on why Pierson left.