Jax State women’s basketball coach Rick Pietri announces retirement after more than 40 years coaching

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. (WBRC) - After more than 40 years coaching, Jax State women’s basketball coach Rick Pietri has announced his retirement.

Pietri has spent the last 13 seasons coaching the JSU women’s basketball team, winning 197 games and becoming JSU’s all-time winningest coach.

JSU President Dr. Don Killingsworth says the university is grateful for the impact that Pietri made on the basketball program and university as a whole.

“On behalf of Jacksonville State University, I want to thank Coach Rick Pietri for his outstanding service and leadership of our women’s basketball program. Throughout his career, which includes more than 400 victories and a distinguished place among the winningest coaches in Alabama women’s basketball history, Rick has represented Jax State with integrity, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to the development of our student-athletes. We are grateful for the impact he has made on our university and appreciate the strong foundation in which he leaves the program. We wish Rick and his family all the best as he begins this next chapter.”

Jax State Vice President for Athletics Greg Seitz says JSU is grateful for Pietri.

“During his 13 seasons at Jacksonville State, Rick helped guide our program through an important era and led one of the most successful seasons in our Division I history with the 2021–22 team,” said Seitz. “We are grateful for the leadership and dedication he brought to Jax State and wish Rick and his family all the best as he begins this next chapter in retirement.”

Outside of JSU, Pietri also spent time at South Alabama and as a high school coach with B.C Rain and St. Paul’s in Mobile. His 417 career victories rank him second all-time among women’s college basketball coaches in the Alabama history.

“Rick Pietri has had a tremendous impact on women’s basketball at Jax State and throughout the state of Alabama,” said Seitz. “He built programs the right way—through discipline, strong defensive principles, and a genuine commitment to the development of his student-athletes.”

Jax State says they will “immediately begin a national search” for their next women’s basketball coach.

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