Cara Pearson
Assistant Coach

Phone: (718) 246-6325
Email: Cara.Pearson@liu.edu

Pearson, a 17-year coaching veteran joined the women’s basketball coaching staff as an assistant coach in 2019.
 
She has recruited and mentored 30 All-Conference performers, 18 1,000 point scorers, two Players of the Year and two Associated Press All-Americans. 10 of her former players have gone on to play professional basketball abroad. Her teams have also achieved a 100% graduation rate in the classroom while earning 20 Academic All-Conference recognitions.
 
Prior to LIU, Pearson held assistant coaching positions at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Western Michigan University, SUNY Buffalo, North Dakota State, Loyola University-Chicago, University of Akron, and her alma mater, University of Minnesota.
 
She reunites with LIU Head Women’s Basketball Coach Rene Haynes having worked together at Western Michigan University from 2012-14.  During their time at Western Michigan they built a roster that subsequently produced the first 20 win season in over a decade and ultimately advanced to the WNIT tournament.
 
From 2007-12, Pearson was the Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Buffalo. One of her former players, Kourtney Brown, was the 2010-11 MAC Player of the Year, and an honorable mention All-America selection. Brown was the only player in the NCAA to rank in the Top-10 nationally in scoring, rebounding, field-goal percentage and blocks that year. Brown went on to become Buffalo’s all-time leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker.

Prior to Buffalo, Pearson spent three years at North Dakota State as the Recruiting Coordinator. Under the guidance of then Head Coach Amy Ruley, a 2004 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee, the Bison transitioned from Division 2 to Division 1. Pearson was instrumental in recruiting four student-athletes that would become All-Independent and All-Summit League honorees while posting an impressive 76% winning percentage during those inaugural years.
 
Additionally, Pearson spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Loyola University-Chicago and one season as an assistant coach at Akron.
 
She began her collegiate coaching career at her alma mater, Minnesota, in 1996 before resuming her professional playing career, which included a stint with the WNBA's Cleveland Rockers in 1999.  From 1997- 2000 she also played in Spain, Luxembourg, Finland and Switzerland.
 
Pearson graduated from Minnesota in 1995 as a 1000 point scorer and Top-10 rebounder for the Gophers.  She captained the Gophers to their first Top-25 ranking and was voted the team's most valuable player during her senior season. She was awarded All-Big Ten honors in 1992 and 1994 while leading Minnesota to its first NCAA Tournament appearance and advancing to the second round. Following the season, she was the leading scorer and rebounder for the Big Ten All-Star team that traveled to England and Scotland, finishing the tour with a perfect 8-0 record.
 
A native of Minnesota, Pearson starred scholastically at St. Paul Harding High and was inducted twice into its Athletic Hall of Fame. In 1998, she was recognized as a Top-25 female athlete in St. Paul City Conference history. She was also selected as one of the Top-50 St. Paul athletes of all time.
 
Pearson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Minnesota and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University. Her duties with the Sharks will include recruiting, scheduling, post player development and other administrative duties.



 
 

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