Wes Pifer was promoted to associate head coach in May of 2018 and is entering his sixth season on the Lumberjack staff.

Pifer has worked directly with NAU's guards since his arrival in Flagstaff in 2013 and has helped develop multiple players at that position who have earned All-Big Sky honors, including 2016 All-Big Sky First Team choice Kris Yanku, who finished his career as the program's all-time leader in made free throws. 

In addition, another of Pifer's pupils, Quinton Upshur, was honored as the 2014 Big Sky Newcomer of the Year and a first-team All-Big Sky choice.  Upshur totaled 549 points during the 2014-15 campaign, which is the fifth-highest single-season total in NAU annals.

Since Pifer's arrival in 2013, a total of 17 guards ranked among the top five scorers on the squad over his initial five seasons (out of 25 total players), including a total of four in his initial season in 2013-14 when NAU finished tied for second overall in the Big Sky Conference with a league mark of 12-8.

In 2017-18, guards Torry Johnson (11.5 ppg), JoJo Anderson (11.1 ppg) and Karl Harris (8.2 ppg) ranked as the 'Jacks top-three point producers.

During the 2014-15 season, Pifer was an integral part in the Lumberjacks securing a program-record 23 wins and a run to the championship game of the CollegeInsider.com postseason tournament.

Prior to NAU, Pifer spent two seasons as an assistant coach at North Carolina Central (2011-13), two seasons at St. Andrews University (2009-11) and one season at Miami-Dade College (2008-09).

While at NCCU, Pifer oversaw the development of three All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) first team selections at NCCU over the last two seasons. The Eagles twice broke the Division I record for wins in a season during Pifer’s tenure while the team totaled a 25-9 mark over the two years in MEAC play.

Prior to joining the staff at North Carolina Central, Pifer was an assistant coach for two years at St. Andrews University, a Division II school in Laurinburg, N.C. He was the recruiting coordinator and head coach of the junior varsity team while assuming total team responsibilities, including coaching and developing all players, creating scouting reports, compiling monthly call logs and communicating with boosters and alumni.

Pifer’s first coaching job came at Miami Dade College during the 2008-09 season.  The team was ranked No. 7 in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) rankings and recorded a school-record 30 wins. As the perimeter coach at Miami Dade, Pifer helped numerous student-athletes sign with Division I schools, including Trevor Mbakwe (Minnesota), James Beatty (Rutgers), Will Coleman (Memphis), Darnell Dodson (Kentucky), and Dwan McMillan (Hofstra).

Pifer played collegiately at Methodist University (2000-02) and Penn State-Altoona (2002-04).  He also played professionally overseas for BBG Hartford in the Germany 2 Regionalliga. 

He played at Penn State-Altoona under the tutelage of former NBA player Armon Gilliam. During his time at PSU-Altoona, Pifer averaged 9.1 points, 5.9 assists and 4.3 rebounds a game for the Division III institution. 

Pifer returned to PSU-Altoona to complete his bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies in 2007.

Pifer and the former Darcy Pratt were married in July 2014. The two have a son, Jayden Paul and a daughter, Hayley.