FARGO, N.D. – After three years as the head coach at Des Moines Area Community College, former North Dakota State associate head baseball coach David Pearson is returning to NDSU as an assistant coach, it was announced on Tuesday, May 28.

"We're excited to have David back in the program," NDSU head coach Tod Brown said. "David was part of some of the best Bison teams in school history and we look forward to that continuing with his return to the coaching staff."

This past year, Pearson led the Bears to a 38-17 record and the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference title. Pearson was also named the ICCAC Coach of the Year. In three seasons as head coach, DMACC averaged 32 wins per season and appeared in the 2018 NJCAA Region XI Tournament title game.

"DMACC was a great experience and a truly special place," Pearson said. "However, I am thrilled to be home and back a part of the NDSU family."

Pearson spent nine seasons as an associate head coach and assistant coach for the Bison after arriving at North Dakota State in 2007. He helped lead NDSU to its first-ever Summit League tournament championship and an NCAA Division I tournament berth in 2014. Pearson also assisted the Bison to a school-record 40 wins during the 2012 season.

In his tenure at North Dakota State, Pearson helped the Bison establish several offensive season records, including most triples, hits and sacrifice hits in 2012, and most times hit by pitch in 2010, along with defensive records in fielding percentage, putouts, assists and chances during the 2012 campaign. 

Pearson was a two-time all-conference infielder in junior college at Minot State-Bottineau where he was a member of the 2000 team that won the Mon-Dak title. He went on to play two seasons at Mayville State University and was a member of two Region 3 championship teams and played in the 2002 NAIA World Series. Pearson was inducted into the Dakota College at Bottineau Hall of Fame in 2015.

He graduated from Mayville State in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in business education.