Los Angeles Pierce College is pleased to announce the hiring of our new women's basketball coach, Thara Innocent. Innocent was previously an assistant coach for the Brahmas last year after a 2-year program hiatus. | ORIGINAL RELEASE

Thara Innocent is a native of the San Fernando Valley, graduating from Chatsworth High School in 2001. She was a transfer from Pierce College in 2005 and moved on to the University of Phoenix, earning her Bachelor's in Business Management in 2012. Her passion for fitness and coaching led her to pursue her education in kinesiology and completed her Master's Degree in Kinesiology at Cal Baptist University in 2016.

Thara Innocent has been coaching for over 20 years at different levels of basketball, from youth camps, high school, AAU travel basketball, college athletes, and adults. She coached at multiple schools such as Oxnard College, San Fernando Valley Academy, Hollywood High School, and El Camino Real Charter High School. While coaching at El Camino, she was able to maintain a 27-0 CIF league champ basketball season record. Innocent is also a product of the City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks and went back full circle as a recreation coordinator. Innocent coordinated various camps, clinics, and classes while working for the department. During her time at Granada Hills Recreation Center, she was the first coach to win a championship for the City-Wide All-Stars Tournament in 2010. Innocent has a great reputation for building and developing programs based on her motto, "hard work plus sweat equals success."

"We are thrilled to have Coach Innocent on board at Pierce," stated Athletic Director, Susan Armenta. "Having been a student-athlete at Pierce, she will be a great mentor for our student-athletes, while helping them navigate through Pierce's campus culture. With her passion for developing student-athletes on the court and in the classroom, we know she will lead with intention and dedication," stated Armenta.