Alexis Garrett is not afraid to try.
 
In fact, Troy’s graduate track and field student-athlete, welcomes new experiences, even if they appear challenging.
 
That is what led her to become a hurdler, competing in arguably some of the most difficult races in the sport. In 2020, Garrett tore her ACL during the 60-meter hurdle in the final round of the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships and despite the difficult rehabilitation she faced chose to return for a fifth year. 

“Learning to run, let alone hurdle again, was a challenge in all aspects, especially mentally,” said Garrett, a native of Union, South Carolina. “I am no longer performing at the level I was prior to this injury, but I have learned the importance of perseverance throughout this year of competing, while still doing physical therapy. I’ve learned to use this story to inspire my teammates and those around me.”

Garrett never wanted to limit herself to being just a student, or only an athlete. She fully embraced both roles, but also chose to extend herself to make an impact on her campus and beyond.
 
“I knew I wasn’t going to go pro in track and that realization came to me really early. I knew I needed to be diverse and have transferable skills,” Garrett said. “I knew I needed to be ready to work when the real world came.
 
Her infectious personality is disarming and refreshing - she greets everyone with an enthusiastic and songlike “heyyy.” 
  Her efforts and energy have not gone unnoticed by administrators. Last fall, Garrett was nominated by the Sun Belt for the NCAA Woman of the Year. The program honors the academic achievements, athletics excellence, community service and leadership of graduating female college athletes.

“The Sun Belt seeks to provide opportunities for our student-athletes to thrive throughout college and beyond,” said Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill. “Alexis took advantage of the opportunities and those experiences helped her grow. Her success as a student-athlete at Troy was a result of hard work, dedication and her ability to connect with people. Her commitment to service and her drive to be civic-minded is why she has such a positive community impact. We’re excited to follow her career as she continues to make a difference.”

Garrett’s leadership landed her with important roles in Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), as Troy’s 2019-20 SAAC President, as well as being named the national SAAC representative for the Trojans.

“I remember when I was on SAAC just as a committee member, but wasn’t on any e-board; I was just speaking out, showing up on time to every meeting. I was like ‘well I can do more things outside of just run,’” Garrett recalled. “I knew I was a leader, because of my roles in high school. But being considered a leader on this college campus, within the Sun Belt and the NCAA, has come as a result of believing I am capable to hold such a role with confidence.”

Garrett also simply wanted to “make things better” regardless of her position. And she has.
  Troy’s SAAC hosts Bench Out Breast Cancer, a long-standing competition fundraiser that requires participants to bench press the heaviest weight to raise money for breast cancer research. Under Garrett, the fundraiser brought in more than $10,000 in 2019.
 
Garrett and Troy’s other SAAC members have also worked with Common Ground, a local after-school program, and spread some Valentine’s Day love at a nearby nursing home, bringing gift baskets to residents.
 
“You want to wake up every day and figure out how you can make everything better around you,” she said. “Community service is just as important as competing because you always want to give back. It’s important to show your face in the community.”

Garrett is also a member of the Sun Belt Conference SAAC which includes three student-athlete representatives from each of the Sun Belt’s 12 member institutions. Its mission is to foster a positive student-athlete image both on campus and in the community; protect the welfare of all student-athletes; and create an environment on campus to promote positive relationships between student-athletes, faculty and administration. 

Sun Belt SAAC’s four areas of focus include community service, mental health awareness, Life After Sport and “BE THE CHANGE,” a racial equity initiative. 

In response to the racial injustices that continue to plague the United States, the Sun Belt Conference launched its BE THE CHANGE initiative in June 2020. The statement referred to three pillars: education of American history including the fight for civil rights, civic engagement around voting and creating dialog with law enforcement in each community.
 
Last summer, the Sun Belt hosted racial injustice workshops with each of its 12 membership institutions. Each Zoom gathering included student-athletes, athletic department staff members, coaches and campus administrators. The discussion centered around the "call to action" for the conference’s social justice initiative. 

“At first I was nervous,” Garrett said. “I knew that me taking the advantage of this platform would benefit my peers, but it was intimidating to say how many of us really and honestly felt following the killings of unarmed Black men and women. Nevertheless, administrators were receptive and sympathetic and I was happy to share that moment with them. I know having those hard conversations had to be done.”  

“Alexis is a leader. Her courage and passion to develop a comprehensive plan to engage and help all of our student-athletes is just another example of her extraordinary leadership,” said Troy Athletics Director Brent Jones. “Her work with our student-athlete advisory committee and developing the TROY CARES program will be a lasting legacy of hers.” 

Garrett is currently gearing up to help promote Mental Health Awareness Month in May, an annual Sun Belt SAAC programming and social media campaign. SAAC reps from across the membership institutions are paired together to create content about mental health topics that are especially relevant to student-athletes.

“You never know who you’re going to inspire or who you’re going to touch,” Garrett said. “I just encourage others to do that as well – let your light shine and never dim.”