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J.P. Piper enters his fifth season at the helm of the Colonel basketball program, having amassed a 33-82 overall record through four seasons. In 2007-08, Piper led Nicholls to a 10-21 record (5-11 SLC) and a fifth place finish in the Southland Conference East Division. Under Piper's tutelage, the Colonels traveled the country to face some of the toughest competition in the nation in No. 1 North Carolina, Alabama, Florida State and California. Prior to last season, Piper gained a reputation for playing some of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country, dubbed `scheduling insanity' by ESPN's Andy Katz. CollegeInsider.com named Piper the 2006-07 Southland Conference Coach of the Year for leading the Colonels to victory in five of their last seven SLC match-ups and falling just one point shy of an SLC Tournament berth. Before being named head coach at Nicholls in 2004, Piper served two seasons as the top assistant for the Colonels (2002-04) under the direction of head coach Ricky Blanton. Prior to joining the college ranks, the Baton Rouge, La.-native held the position of head basketball coach at The Dunham School (Baton Rouge, La.) where he guided the Tigers to a Class A State Championship in 1997-98 and the Class A State Runner-Up spot in 1998-99. Piper was named Class A Coach of the Year in 1999 and was selected as head coach of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) East All-Star Team. Piper's leadership was evident off the court as he served as principal of The Dunham School for three years and President of the Louisiana High School Basketball Coach's Association for two years. Prior to his eight-year tenure at The Dunham School, Piper served as an assistant men's basketball coach at East Ascension High School in Gonzales, La., for two seasons. The 42-year old is married to the former Renee Denson of Baton Rouge. They are the parents of two children, Hayden (11) and Riley (9). Piper and his family reside in Thibodaux. |
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