The 2024-25 season will mark the first season for Assistant Coach Sam Pearson on the women's basketball coaching staff.
Prior to Southeast Missouri, Pearson was the head women's basketball coach for nearby Missouri Baptist University from 2018-2023. During his time, the Spartans recorded their highest win total since 2010-11 and earned a NAIA National Tournament appearance with a 24-6 record (2022-2023).
As a player, Pearson played at Southeast Missouri from 2009-2010 before transferring to Missouri Baptist to finish his playing career. At Southeast, Pearson played in 30 games making 27 starts in the 2009-10 season. He averaged 8.8 points-per-game for the Redhawks, including a .398 field goal percentage. He was the fourth leading scorer on the team during the 09-10 season, shooting nearly 25-percent from three-point range and 73-percent from the free throw line.
After transferring to Missouri Baptist, Pearson played in 13 games during the 2011-12 season before suffering a season-ending injury in his final season. Pearson led the Spartans in scoring (16.2 PPG), and free-throw percentage (.797).
He graduated from Missouri Baptist in 2013 with his bachelor's degree and in 2015 with his master's degree.
