Head Coach | Alex Simmons

Two-time NCAA National Champion and Tennessee native Alex Simmons was named the head coach of the Memphis Tiger women’s basketball team on April 6, 2023 and became the 13th head coach in the program’s history.   

In her first season at the helm of the Tigers, Simmons led the program to a 13-17 overall record and a 5th place finish in the American Athletic Conference. Her first win at Memphis came on Nov. 9 when the Tigers claimed a 95-51 win over Alabama State. The following Monday, the team stunned the basketball world when they took then 15th-ranked Tennessee to overtime in Knoxville.

The team collected notable wins over (RV) Southern Mississippi, who had not lost up to that point, and East Carolina in Greenville. The 72-70 win over the Pirates sparked a five-game winning streak including an 82-61 win on Senior Day over UAB.

Simmons coached Madison Griggs to her 1,500th career point and an AAC All-Conference Second Team nod while Alasia Smith was voted to the All-Newcomer Team.

Simmons came to Memphis after five seasons at the helm of Gardner-Webb where she led the team to a 90-59 record including a 29-5 mark during the 2022-23 season. The Runnin’ Bulldogs broke multiple program, school and Big South records with their 29 victories and a 21-game win streak that included a perfect 18-0 record in conference play. GWU captured the regular season and championship titles for the program’s first trip to the Big Dance since the 2010-11 season. 

Simmons, who was named as the Big South Coach of the Year, saw four of her five starters earn All-Big South honors in 2022-23, while Jhesskya Williams became just the third player in Gardner-Webb history to surpass 2,000 career points, finishing as the program’s second all-time leading scorer with 2,049 points.  

Simmons’ basketball roots run deep to one of the most respected programs in the game. She played collegiately at the University of Tennessee under basketball Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt from 2004-2009, helping the Lady Vols win back-to-back NCAA National Championships in 2007 and 2008.  

Simmons was a member of three Final Four squads (2005, 2007, 2008) and another Elite Eight team (2006) while serving as a team captain and was also the Lady Vols representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).  

During the 2021-22 season, Simmons steered the Dogs to an overall record of 11-13 and 10-7 in the Big South. Under Simmons, Alasia Smith was named the Big South Freshman of the Year after the five-time Freshman of the Week averaged 11.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG and led the conference with 4.0 offensive rebounds per game.  

Simmons led the Runnin’ Bulldogs to an 18-11 overall record and 13-7 in Big South Conference play in 2019-20, finishing fifth in the league standings. GWU ended the season on a hot streak, winning four-straight games and seven of their last eight matchups before play was halted prior to the Big South tournament.  

Under Simmons, Carley Plentovich earned a handful of accolades during the 2019-20 season, including All-Big South honors, as well as a Big South Player of the Week award. She also became the program’s 24th 1,000-point scorer, the first under Simmons, and was named to the Big South’s All-Academic team.  

In her first season in Boiling Springs, Simmons led Gardner-Webb to a 16-15 record and 10-8 Big South mark in 2018-19 with a fifth-place finish. Two players - Plentovich and Williams – would earn All-Big South honors.  

Simmons took over the Runnin’ Bulldogs in April 2018 after assistant coaching stints at Ole Miss (2013-2018) and Middle Tennessee State (2010-2013). She also served as a graduate assistant coach at Kansas (2009-2010).   

Simmons was named to the WBCA Thirty Under 30 list in 2017 and, as director of recruiting, reeled in three-consecutive top-20 classes for Ole Miss. She also mentored a pair of All-SEC performers during her time with the Rebels.   

Prior to her time at Ole Miss, Simmons served as an assistant coach at Middle Tennessee State, helping the Blue Raiders to three NCAA Tournament appearances during her time on the bench. Her work with the team’s post players produced an honorable-mention All-America selection and in the 2011-2012 season saw the Blue Raiders grab the most rebounds since 1983.  

Simmons was a high school star at one of the nation’s most storied prep programs, earning Tennessee Miss Basketball honors at Shelbyville High School in 2004. She earned WBCA All-American honors and played in both the WBCA and McDonald’s All-America Games following her senior season. Simmons was also tabbed as an All-America player by Street & Smith’s and was a USA Today and Student Sports Junior All-America recipient in 2003.  

Also a Street & Smith’s All-America Honorable Mention selection in 2001 and 2002, Simmons helped the Golden Eaglettes to Tennessee State Championships in 2001, 2003 and 2004. She was a three-time All-State selection, four-time All-District choice and was named as the Mid-State Player of the Year in 2003.  

On the AAU circuit, Simmons was named a 16U All-American in 2003 and helped her team to a third-place finish at AAU Nationals and a first-place finish at AAU Junior Nationals.

She graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2008 with a degree in exercise science. Simmons and her husband, Christian, have two daughters – Carsyn and Channing.