Alisha Alexander has this month’s CSC Women To Watch spotlight. She is in her first year as assistant athletic director and sixth year as the sports information director at Lewis-Clark State College.
Alexander is already an accomplished professional. This past September, she earned her highest national achievement to date when she was the first woman to claim NAIA SID of the Year honors for her work during the 2022-23 school year.
Last November, Alexander was a College Sports Communicators inaugural 30 Under 30 Award recipient as one of 30 young professionals from across the CSC membership under the age of 30 who were chosen for outstanding work, commitment and leadership.
In 2020-21, Alexander became the first woman voted the Cascade Conference Sports Information Director of the Year in a year which saw her also named the NAIA finalist for the AVCA Grant Burger Media award. She won her second CCC SID of the Year honor in 2022-23.
Alexander is responsible for the coverage of all 13 teams at LC State and is the media director for the Avista NAIA World Series. In 2022, she was elected to the CSC NAIA Cabinet (governance body) and NAIA-SIDA executive board as an at-large member; she was voted to the second vice president spot in 2023.
While at Lewis-Clark State, Alexander helps lead the department’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council and was instrumental in the production of the inaugural LCSPY’s, a student-athlete awards banquet put on to honor the achievements of LC State student-athletes.
The Southern California native came to LCSC after working as the sports information assistant at NCAA Division III Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Claremont, Calif.). A 2016 graduate of Concordia University, Irvine where she was a sports information graduate assistant, she went on to obtain her master’s degree in coaching and athletics administration from Concordia in November of 2018.
Alisha Alexander visited her 17th baseball stadium this past summer when she attended a game at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.
What do you love the most about this profession?
AA: I love creating relationships with student-athletes that extend beyond the field of play. I am lucky to work at a small school with a big heart, where everyone is rooting for each other and no one is a stranger. I get to be part of their journey and share in some of the biggest moments of their college lives.
For those athletic communicators working on a small staff, what advice can you give them about prioritization and work-life integration?
AA: Work ahead as much as you can. Use your down time in the office to get ahead on small, simple tasks like graphics and record book updates. When I hear the phrase “work-life balance” … it is a myth. What is should be thought of is exactly what you stated — work-life integration. We choose this job knowing what the time commitment is, and it really becomes a part of our entire families’ lives and our coworkers become family. A big piece of balancing everything is knowing what to prioritize and when. In the summer, take those extra days to be fully about family and yourself because it will even out during the school year when you have the long weeks/weekends.
You were the first woman to earn NAIA SID of the Year honors earlier this fall for your great work during the 2022-23 academic year. Huge congratulations! What does this honor mean to you?
AA: It took a little bit to really sink in because I have a hard time thinking about male and female honors. I know I have the respect of my peers and I do not often realize that most of them are men. I am the only female elected member on the NAIA-SIDA board right now, the only female SID in the Cascade to win the conference SID award, but really, it is just the beginning. Looking at the CSC 30-Under-30 class that I was in, it was gratifying that so many of the 30 were females. It is just a matter of time before women are all over the awards as well … I was just lucky enough to be the first!
In November 2022, Alisha Alexander was selected to the inaugural College Sports Communicators 30 Under 30 Class for outstanding achievement and leadership.
In addition to your Lewis-State responsibilities, you also serve as the media director for the Avista NAIA World Series. What are some of the most exciting moments you have seen while in this role?
AA: During my first Series in 2019, Tennessee Wesleyan traveled to Lewiston with a special member of their team, Neyland. He was a little boy who loved his Bulldogs and was fighting cancer. TWU won that year and watching Neyland run out on to the field and seeing the players put him on their shoulders was incredible. Neyland passed away a few years later, so I feel very fortunate to have been able to help capture some of those moments.
Overall, it is pretty incredible to watch dreams come true each year at Harris Field.
In regards to the previous question, what are some of the challenges that you have had to overcome in your role with the event?
AA: Hosting the Series takes A LOT. Last year, I worked about 130 hours during the week, not counting the prep work we all do for months beforehand. It can be difficult to balance dealing with Series, covering my own team if they are in the tournament, and also covering our other teams competing on the road like track and field. I also have to sometimes pick up the slack when others do not submit things on time or do not complete their tasks, so I add those to my list of duties.
Alisha Alexander fist-bumping a baseball student-athlete at the Avista NAIA World Series.
When did you realize that working in college athletics was a career you wanted to pursue?
AA: When I was in high school, I dealt with injury/illness that kept me off the softball field. I began doing stats, photos and social media for our team. When I got to college, I found out people make careers out of that! I was lucky enough to work for our SID at Concordia University Irvine and quickly figured out that it was what I was meant to do.
How important has networking been for you progressing as a professional and also for making connections with other people in the industry?
AA: Networking has been HUGE, and I firmly believe I would not be where I am today without it. Hosting the NAIA World Series and having LC State be active at the national level has allowed me to get to know athletic communicators from the national office, as well as all over the country. It gives me the chance to find out what others are doing, help them when they need it, and I can better use my voice on the NAIA-SIDA board if I know what others need as well.
As many who know you are aware, you are an avid baseball fan. How many baseball stadiums have you been to, and what would you say are your top three stadiums and why?
AA: I added three stadiums to my list this summer which brings me to 17! Wrigley is at the top of my list easily because of the history at the stadium and the Wrigleyville area. Camden Yards in Baltimore is great, and Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati (one of my new adds this summer) is also great. Angel Stadium has my heart since that is home for me.
Rapid Fire with Alisha
Who is your hero? My mom
Where was your last vacation to? Stadium trips to Cincinnati, Cleveland and Pittsburgh with my mom and little sister.
What is your lazy go-to dinner? Mac and cheese in the Instant Pot
If you could transform into any animal, what would it be? Dog, so I can play with my pups!
Finish the phrase “the way to my heart is…” Caffeine and mac and cheese
What would your walk-up song be? Fighter by Christina Aguilera
These leaders from the CSC NAIA cabinet/NAIA-SIDA governance group pictured at the 2022 CSCUNITE23 Convention in Orlando, Florida (l to r): Tommy Chasanoff (University of the Cumberlands), Camal Petro (Loyola New Orleans), Dale Long (Georgia Gwinnett), Donnie Smith (Southeastern University, member of the CSC Executive Board and NAIA-SIDA President), Tyler Price (Heart of America Athletic Conference), Alisha Alexander (Lewis-Clark State), Jay Stancil (Appalachian Athletic Conference), Chris Wells (Lindsey Wilson).
Alisha Alexander organizing the Lewis-State volleyball team during a media day photo shoot.