Alabama's men's basketball program announced a pair of internal promotions this week, just weeks before the team is slated to open its 2026 schedule with an exhibition game against Furman on October 8, 2026.
Key Staff Changes
Alex Accetta, who previously served as operations coordinator and director of operations for the Crimson Tide from 2015 through 2022, is returning to Tuscaloosa as director of program relations, a role she held earlier in her tenure and which now sits alongside her recent stint with the Dallas Mavericks. Her comeback is timed with her marriage to head coach Nate Oats on July 26, 2026, highlighting a personal and professional partnership that may influence the program's trajectory.
Josh Pierre, a member of the Alabama staff since 2022 after earlier experiences at Elon, Mississippi State and Arkansas State, is transitioning from director of basketball operations to director of player development, taking over the responsibilities that Christian Pino held before his departure.
Christian Pino, who arrived at Alabama from Buffalo in 2022 and later served as a recruiting coordinator on Bryan Hodgson’s staff at Providence College, has left the Crimson Tide to continue his career at Providence, where he now works under Hodgson.
The first exhibition game, set for October 8, 2026, will pit Alabama against Furman and provide an early gauge of the revamped coaching staff as the program prepares for the upcoming regular season.