J.P. Piper Hometown: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Position: Head Coach

J.P. Piper enters his fourth season as head coach, after serving as an assistant coach for the two seasons prior with the Colonels.

Last season, Piper played one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country as Andy Katz of ESPN called it a 'scheduling insanity.' The Colonels pulled through and went 7-9 in conference play, which almost put Piper's squad in the Southland Conference Tournament. For pulling it together down the stretch, Piper was awarded the 2006-07 Collegeinsider.com Southland Conference Coach of the Year Award.

Before jumping to the college ranks, Piper served as the head coach at The Dunham School in Baton Rouge, La. While at The Dunham School, Piper guided the Tigers to a Class A State Championship (1997-98), Class A State Runner-Up (1998-1999) and grabbed the Class A Coach of the Year (1999). Piper was also selected to be the head coach of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) East All-Star Team in 1999.

Piper's leadership was evident off the court as he served as Principal of The Dunham School for three years and as 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 41-year old is married to the former Renee Denson of Baton Rouge. Piper is the father of two children, Hayden (10) and Riley (8). Piper and his family resides in Thibodaux.