Brianna Kiesel joins Pitt women’s basketball coaching staff as an assistant

The Pitt women’s basketball team recently added former player Brianna Kiesel to its coaching staff as an assistant.

Kiesel, of course, is one of the most decorated players in the history of the program. With 1,938 career points, she left Pitt as the fifth highest scorer in program history before being selected No. 13 overall in the WNBA Draft by the Tulsa Shock.

From the official announcement:

“I am so honored to be joining the women’s basketball coaching staff at the University of Pittsburgh,” stated Kiesel. “I had such an amazing playing career here and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to make my return as an assistant coach. Everyone at Pitt has been my second family since the moment I stepped foot on campus for my official visit. This has been my dream job ever since graduating in 2015 and I’m ready to pass on the knowledge I’ve gained from the WNBA and international play to the up-and-coming student-athletes at Pitt. I can’t wait to continue to bleed that Pittsburgh blue and gold.”

Kiesel’s WNBA career was not long as she played sparingly for three different teams in only three seasons. After starting 15 games as a rookie, she did not make another WNBA start. However, she had much more success in larger roles overseas. Most recently, she had played for Uni Gyor in Hungary, averaging 17.5 points and 6.5 assists per game in 2020-21.

Be sure to join Cardiac Hill’s Facebook page and follow us on Twitter @PittPantherBlog for our regular updates on Pitt athletics. Follow the author and founder/editor @AnsonWhaley.