Talaney Pierce
Elementary Education
Talaney Pierce hit the court the first day she arrived at Delaware Tech ready to play basketball and determined to succeed in both academics and athletics. While pursuing a degree in elementary education, she quickly established herself as a breakout player on the women’s basketball team. In her first season at the College, Pierce has won the Eastern Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (EPAC) Player of the Week title twice.
Her rebounding skill is exceptional. By the halfway point in her first season, she caught 233 rebounds, ranking her first in the region at the time
“What I like most about basketball is the competitiveness of it,” said Pierce. “I like being able to go out and work hard for a win. Even if we lose, I just enjoy getting the opportunity to improve and build towards another win in the future.”
Pierce picked up basketball at age 7 and quickly found her stride after making it onto her middle school team. In high school, Pierce was a starter all four years, and she spent one year as a student at Delaware State University before connecting with Brittany Ford, the head coach for women’s basketball at Delaware Tech.
“Since joining Delaware Tech basketball, the biggest highlight for me was when we got our first win of the season,” said Pierce. “It was the opening game, and the team had not won in a while. It was an eye-opener for everybody. We knew we would be good this year.”
Pierce's current position is forward center, which she enjoys because it allows her to stay under the basket while blocking, rebounding, and scoring points.
“Basketball gives me something to work towards,” said Pierce. “It keeps me on track and motivated. With the Player of the Week titles, it's refreshing to see that my hard work has paid off. In high school, it was usually the point guards who would win those kinds of awards. It feels nice to see my work recognized and appreciated.”
Off the court, Pierce is working toward a degree in elementary education and pursuing a dream career that involves working with kids.
“I always wanted to be a teacher since I was younger,” said Pierce. “I was torn between early childhood and elementary education. I chose elementary because it opens up more opportunities to work in actual school districts with students.”
Pierce’s favorite instructor at Delaware Tech has been Kyle Hill, who she describes as engaging and willing to do whatever he could to help. Overall, her time at the College has been transformative, teaching her to be more independent and self-motivated.
“It’s all mental,” said Pierce. “College really comes down to knowing yourself. You pick your classes and choose what’s best for you. If you know yourself and what you can handle, it will feel pretty easy. The teachers here are especially great and really helpful if you ever need them.”
After graduating from Delaware Tech, Pierce plans to pursue her bachelor’s degree at a four-year institution, continue her studies, and keep playing basketball.
“The team this year is determined,” said Pierce. “Our record is not perfect, but we’ve won a lot of our most recent games. It took us some time to get started, but the team has been building and learning. We are getting better each time we play, and that all comes down to determination.”
