NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – Niagara University women's basketball head coach Jada Pierce has completed her staff with the addition Liberty Del Rosario and Jeff Dillon as assistant coaches.

Del Rosario arrives to Niagara after spending three seasons as an assistant coach for the Winthrop University Eagles. Del Rosario appeared in two post season tournaments while at Winthrop; the Eagles advanced to the Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) Second Round in 2013 and played in the 2014 NCAA Tournament First Round where they fell to Duke.

Del Rosario came to Winthrop in 2012 from Eastern Michigan where she served for one season as an assistant coach and helped lead the Eagles to a Mid-American Conference West Division championship and a conference tournament championship. EMU ended its season with a 23-9 record and lost to South Carolina in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
 
Prior to Eastern Michigan, Del Rosario served as an assistant at Morgan State. In her first season at MSU, she helped the Bears earn the program's first-ever Division I postseason appearance with a trip to the WNIT. Del Rosario spent four seasons at Cleveland State as the team's director of basketball operations from 2006-2009 before being promoted to assistant coach for the 2009-2010 season. Del Rosario helped CSU return to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons in 2009-2010.
 
She began her coaching career in 2002 at her alma mater, Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio where she was a two-year letterwinner. She spent five seasons as an assistant and helped the program qualify for the NAIA Nationals for the first time in program history in 2006.
 
Del Rosario earned a bachelor of arts in psychology from Notre Dame College and a master's of Education with emphasis in sport management from Cleveland State.
 
"Liberty is someone I've known for a long time and have admired the work and accomplishments she's had at every program that she's been a part of," Pierce said. "The fact that Liberty is a winner is secondary to the person she is; an educator, energetic motivator and a role model. All of these qualities I felt were important that our student-athletes would benefit from. The Niagara community will also benefit from the teamwork and selflessness Liberty values." 
 
Dillon comes to Niagara after spending time on the University of Dayton women's basketball staff since 2013 where he served as the video coordinator and volunteer coach.
 
Prior to Dayton, Dillon was the head coach for 10 seasons at Sinclair Community College in downtown Dayton. He established the Lady Pride as one of the top programs in the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC).
 
Dillon, a proponent of the three Cs (Classroom, Community Service, Competition), held the Sinclair women's basketball program to those standards. The Lady Pride earned 2011-12 All-Academic Team honors. Active in the community, the Lady Pride volunteered with organizations such as the Artemis House and the Ronald McDonald House, in addition to participating in events such as the Breast Cancer Walk and the MDA Telethon.
 
Dillon led the Lady Pride to the 2007-08 OCCAC Championship and was honored as the OCCAC Coach of the Year.
 
"Jeff is an educator by trade which I feel has made him so successful as a coach over the years," Pierce said. "He too is a winner, but an even better person. The knowledge and experience Jeff brings to the table will be a tremendous asset to our program. Jeff has always prided himself on being a family guy, so I know the Niagara community will benefit from his genuine care and love for people." 

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