UTEP Basketball Assistant Coach Butch Pierre Leaves for Wichita State Job

After only one season at UTEP, assistant coach Butch Pierre is heading to Wichita State to join Isaac Brown's staff, first reported by Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.

For the Shockers, this move comes after assistant coach Lou Gudino accepted a similar position at Ball State earlier today. Coach Brown wasted no time and hired Pierre as Gudino's replacement.

And for UTEP head coach Joe Golding, there's a coaching vacancy that the program needs to fill. Pierre was the lead recruiting assistant coach for the Miners in 2021-22. After the news of at least six players departing from the program, Golding will be tasked to hire someone that can help recruit and supplement the talent UTEP's lost.

Jamal Bieniemy, Tydus Verhoeven, Bonke Maring, Christian Agnew, Emmanuel White and Jorell Saterfield will depart from the program, while player-coach exit interviews continue this week with possibly more players announcing their departure.

Pierre will bring 30 years of experience to Wichita State's coaching staff as both a head coach and assistant. He's been an assistant coach at Power-5 programs such as Oklahoma State (2008-16), LSU (1997-2008) and NC State (2016-17). Before UTEP, he was the head coach for Northwest Florida State College (2019-21).

He is also credited with building LSU's Final Four team in 2006, which included Glen "Big Baby" Davis. While at Oklahoma State, Pierre recruited four players that ended up drafted to the NBA, including Marcus Smart (6th pick, 2014). His recruiting classes have also produced nine conference championships, 12 NCAA Tournaments, including a Sweet 16, Elite 8 and Final 4 appearance, and three NIT appearances.