Lopez, Tierney Join Staff as Graduate Assistants

NASHUA, N.H. – Rivier Director of Athletics Jonathan Harper is pleased to announce the hiring of Matt Lopez and Rich Tierney as the department's Athletic Communications and Game Operations Graduate Assistants.

 

"We are fortunate to add Matt and Rich to our athletics operations team as graduate assistants," said Harper. "They have been prepared well during their undergraduate studies to contribute in the areas of athletic communications and game management. It will be exciting to witness their professional growth over the academic year."

 

Lopez and Tierney both join the staff at Rivier after graduating from Nichols College in May 2024 with bachelor's degrees in Sport Management. Both served as student-workers and eventually interns with the Bison's athletic communications staff assisting with inputting live stats, producing live broadcasts, as well as maintaining and updating the website. Both Lopez and Tierney also coached together, leading a 10th grade AAU basketball team to a national championship in 2022.

 

Lopez served most recently as a part-time sports information assistant at UMass Boston during the spring 2024 season where he provided statistical inputting for several programs, including the softball, men's lacrosse, and men's tennis teams.

 

Prior to his senior year, Lopez served as an intern with the Endicott College athletic communications staff, monitoring the Gulls' social media channels as well as contributing to written website content among other tasks.

 

Lopez served as a game day operations intern with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League in the summer of 2021 where he helped facilitate interactive fan experiences.

 

"I want to thank Jonathan Harper, Courtney Palardy, and Nick Perenick for providing me with this opportunity," Lopez said. "I am excited to get started and to be a part of a growing and thriving athletics department – one that it's being built based on culture, community, and a drive for success."

 

Tierney brings years of experience as a coach, site director, and college athletic communications intern with him to Nashua.

 

He has coached with the MVPride AAU Basketball program since 2020, winning over 40 championships including the 2022 national championship.

 

He also served as a Site Director with Zero Gravity Basketball in 2023, assisting with tournament operations at various sites throughout New England. Tierney updated the social media channels on game days with action clips and photos of players of the game and tournament champions.

 

During his free time at Nichols, Tierney filled in to provide live stats for Division I programs such as Harvard, Providence, Holy Cross, and Yale as well as Division III programs UMass Boston and Rivier.

 

"I'm thrilled and grateful to be joining such an established program," Tierney stated. "I'd like to thank all the staff members who welcomed me with open arms throughout the hiring process. There's a real sense of community here and I'm eager to be a part of Rivier's continued success."