Meet new Courier Journal sports director Natalie Pierre
From standing on the sidelines in Pasadena, California, at the Rose Bowl during Florida State’s national championship-winning play at the end of the 2013 college football season to sitting courtside last April in New Orleans at Caesars Superdome as North Carolina and Duke met in a historic Final Four matchup, sports — and local journalism — has taken Natalie Pierre many places.
Pierre is now in Louisville, where she is the new sports director for The Courier Journal. She most recently served as sports editor at The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina.
During the last 15 years, Pierre has covered, and led coverage of, some of the most successful programs in college football and college basketball. She also served in top leadership roles for basketball coverage — at all levels — across the Southeast and reported on NCAA business, policies and legislation.
From our sports team:Louisville's Mike James spent year getting basketball ready. Here's what fueled his return
A native of Lake Mary, Florida, Pierre’s career includes stops at the Tallahassee Democrat, AL.com in Birmingham, Alabama, and The State Journal-Register in Springfield, Illinois.
Last year, the National Association of Black Journalists Sports Task Force honored Pierre with its 2022 Jemele Hill Courage Award.
She is a graduate of Syracuse University and Delta State University.
Simmons hosts Fisk:Historic basketball game brings West Louisville community together to grow, celebrate area
Pierre wants the CJ sports team to provide insightful analysis and consistently tell unique stories that give readers an inside look at the teams, programs and people within our community. A priority will be improving our college and high school sports coverage while being more intentional about shining a light on key issues — from revenue changes and new rules and their impact, to player safety and inequities — facing athletes, their families, athletic departments, coaches and sports leaders throughout the community.
While Pierre is new to Louisville and the CJ staff, which she joined last month, her mom grew up in Louisville and graduated from Loretto High School, which was located in the city's West End.
You can reach Courier Journal sports director Natalie Pierre at npierre@gannett.com or on Twitter at @NataliePierre_.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Natalie Pierre joins The Courier Journal staff as new sports director
