September 2019 Spotlight – Ginny Alexander, Director of Athetics

This month’s spotlight shines on Director of Athletics Ginny Alexander. Ginny provides leadership and oversight for six head coaches and seven athletic teams consisting of approximately 120 student athletes. In addition, she and her staff provide Collegewide oversite for the five fitness centers, intramural sports and the Nassau Outdoor Education Center. Ginny also serves as the Chair of the Mid-Florida Conference (through the FCSAA), Chair of FCSAA (State of Florida) Volleyball Committee and member of the Executive CAA (state Athletic Directors) Board.

Ginny holds a bachelor’s degree in social and behavioral sciences with an emphasis in criminal justice from the University of Alabama-Birmingham and a master’s degree in education from Bowling Green State University. She attended and participated for one year on the volleyball and softball team at Lake City Community College (now Florida Gateway) before transferring and playing three years of collegiate volleyball at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Her experience as a student athlete inspired her to become a collegiate coach and eventually an athletic administrator. That combined with the fact that there are not very many female athletic directors in the state of Florida or even nationally, motivates her every day to be a role model for all students wishing to go into athletics as a career.

Ginny first came to FSCJ in 2011, stepping into the assistant volleyball coaching role while working for a local not-for-profit club organization. Her decision to work at FSCJ came out of a desire to build community and pride within the department. Ginny has just started her fourth year at FSCJ. She began her college career in 1988 as a graduate assistant coach and eventually worked her way to becoming an NCAA Division 1 Head Volleyball Coach. She spent 20 years in higher education and another ten in not-for-profit work and teaching before arriving at FSCJ. Her college coaching experience includes head volleyball coaching stints at Utah State University, Temple University, Drexel University, Bowling Green State University (Men), Michigan State University and Converse College.

Alexander fell in love and made the transition to athletic administration in 1999 by creating and implementing an NCAA CHAMPS (Challenging Athletes Minds for Personal Success) Life Skills Program at San Diego State University for over 500 student athletes. She went on to create two more NCAA CHAMPS Life Skills Programs at Converse College (first women’s college to receive an NCAA CHAMPS program) and Brevard College (NC). She duplicated these efforts at FSCJ in 2016 by adding the BlueWave Life Skills program partnering across campus organizations in order to enhance the wholistic approach to serving student athletes. She finds constant reward in the success of student athletes as they grow in their academics and athletic careers. Meanwhile, she looks for ways to continue collaborating across campuses and in the community while building relationships that support the greater good of the FSCJ students.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends at the beach (her hometown), biking, swimming, golfing and watching sports. For more information on FSCJ athletics, intramurals, fitness centers and the Outdoor Education Center please visit GoBlueWave.com.