Darnell Pierce leads the Hawks athletics program, which includes twelve teams competing in the Carolinas Junior College Athletic Conference (CJCAC) plus a nationally ranked esports program. A former point guard for the Hawks himself, he returned to Palmetto Ridge in 2017 after coaching stints in Georgia and North Carolina.
Darnell measures success in graduation rates as much as wins. Under his leadership, student-athletes have posted a combined GPA above 3.0 for six straight semesters, and more than half have transferred to four-year schools. He is a familiar face at every home game in Freeman Fieldhouse, usually standing near the student section and encouraging everyone to wear forest green.
Education
- M.S., Sport Management, Georgia Southern University
- B.S., Exercise Science, Coastal Carolina University