The Servant Leader Coaches Bible Study

Coach Chelsea speaks wih Coach Simmons as she takes the helm at the University of Memphis. We speak about her plans, her faith in God, Servant Leadership, and apply those principles to her assignment as Head Coach.

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.   

Simmons comes 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 this past 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).    

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.  

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.  

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.