California Institute of Technology Men's Basketball

McKiernan is entering his second year as assistant coach of Caltech men's basketball. Coach McKiernans responsibilities include all aspects of coaching and preparation, including player development, practice and game tactics, and scouting. He assists in recruiting efforts and alumni engagement. Joining Coach Eslingers staff for the 23-24 season, McKiernan brings to Pasadena a dynamic and versatile set of experiences in and out of the basketball world. A dual Irish-American citizen from Southern California, he was a standout athlete in basketball (CIF First Team) and volleyball (Volleyball Magazines top 50 nationally). McKiernan earned his B.A. from Harvard in political science, with a special citation in Mandarin Chinese, and wrote for the Harvard Political Review. He was captain of Harvards volleyball and JV basketball teams. Combined with his athletic skills, McKiernan brings over a decade of storytelling and sports media experience to the program. After living in Beijing in a job for the NBA in China, he made his way to New York, where he began a career in journalism and digital media that included co-founding The Players Tribune, the award-winning digital media platform launched by Derek Jeter in 2014. A founding editor of the site, McKiernan has worked with some of the worlds best athletes to tell captivating stories and challenge one-dimensional understandings of the modern sportsman and sportswoman. Well-known stories include Kevin Loves groundbreaking essay about mental health (Everyone Is Going Through Something) and Kyle Korvers Privileged about race and the NBA. Additionally, McKiernan spent two years as a practice player for the WNBAs New York Liberty. Raised in Santa Barbara, he lives in Los Angeles.