MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama Director of Athletics Dr. Joel Erdmann announced Monday that Alexis Meeks has been named head volleyball coach.
Meeks will take over the Jaguar program after being voted the Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year in November as she led West Alabama to a 22-10 finish, school-record 13 league wins and the first-ever NCAA Division II Tournament appearance in school history. She guided the Tigers to a 58-40 mark overall — her .592 winning percentage is best in the UWA record book — and 33-19 GSC record over the last three years.
"Our search was national in nature, we were fortunate to have many tremendous candidates with a desire to move forward with their career at the University of South Alabama," said Erdmann. "Alexis' personal and professional characteristics, knowledge, experience and passion for the game of collegiate volleyball led her to the top of the list. We are fortunate to have her join Jaguar Nation as the leader of our volleyball program.
"I believe it is important to have a person named and ready to go as our student-athletes return for the spring semester, I want to express my personal appreciation for those colleagues who took time during the holidays to meet with candidates and assist in the selection process; their assistance and input was invaluable."
"First, I would like to thank President Dr. Tony Waldrop, Dr. Erdmann and the entire search committee for giving me the opportunity to represent the University of South Alabama and lead the volleyball program," Meeks said. "The commitment and value that Dr. Erdmann and the entire university puts into all of its athletic programs is what excites me most. Volleyball has continually made a push to reach excellence, I am dedicated to helping the team achieve its full potential to become a consistent competitor in the Sun Belt Conference with hopes of national recognition in postseason play.
"UWA gave me the opportunity to grow as a head coach and turn a program with such incredible young women into a regionally recognized NCAA DII team. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity I was given there and the support that the entire administration gave me to be successful. UWA will always have a special place in my heart and I hope the program continues to grow and taps into its full potential because those kids have worked hard to get to where they are.
"I am very grateful and excited to get started at South and look forward to overcoming the challenges ahead with another great group of girls."
In addition to leading UWA to the NCAA Division II Tournament, Meeks helped the program tie for second in the final regular-season conference standings for its highest finish since the 2009 season. Her efforts helped Kassie Till earn honorable mention American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America honors, with Till and fellow sophomore Madison Cooler receiving all-region recognition from the organization. The Tigers had four all-Gulf South honorees as well, including the league's Setter and Freshman of the Year.
During the 2017 season, Meeks guided the Tigers to a berth in the GSC Tournament following an 11-5 league finish as they tied for third in the regular-season standings while ending the year 19-14 overall. Under her direction that fall, Briana Sandifer was an honorable mention AVCA all-region selection, Till was voted the conference freshman of the year and two student-athletes garnered all-GSC accolades. In her first season directing the program UWA posted its first winning record in five years after going 17-16 overall.
Meeks was an assistant on the Tiger staff in 2015 after serving as a graduate assistant at Augustana (S.D.) the previous fall.
A four-year letterwinner at IUPUI from 2010-13, Meeks led the Jaguars in assists all four seasons while setting the school career record with 4,049, including recording 1,303 — the fifth-highest total on the program's season record list — to be named the Summit League Setter of the Year as a senior. She was also voted to the conference's All-Freshman Team in 2010 and was first-team all-league her final year in addition to being chosen the Tournament Most Valuable Player after leading IUPUI to the title and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2013. She helped lead the Jags to regular-season conference championships each of her final two seasons as well, with the team going 24-6 in league action during that stretch.
A 2014 graduate with a degree in communication studies and a business minor, Meeks was named the female recipient of IUPUI's Mel Garland Distinguished Student-Athlete Award — which recognizes athletic ability, scholarship, mental attitude, leadership and perseverance — her senior year. The Leo, Ind., native earned a master's degree in sports administration and leadership from Augustana in 2018 as well.