the son of former trinidad and tobago national football captain steve pierre, lewis attended mercer county community college where he was part of mercer's 1997 and 1998 juco soccer championship teams. in 1999, he transferred to the university of connecticut where he played on the men's soccer team in 1999 and 2000. in 2000, the huskies won the ncaa men's division i soccer championship and lewis was a second team all american.