UNIVERSITY OF WEST ALABAMA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer ( WSOC, ROD )
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Coach
- Graduate Assistant Tennis Coach
Carrizo is originally from Argentina and graduated from Norfolk State with a degree in Business Administration and Management. He was ranked as high as 54 in NCAA Division I doubles playing for the Spartans.
He has five years of coaching experience at Cape Henry Racquet Club in Virginia Beach, Meadow Club Southhampton, and at West Alabama.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach ( MBKB, TEN, SB )
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer
Job Titles:
- Assistant Women 's Soccer Coach
Alyssa Nuñez is in her first season as assistant coach of the West Alabama women's soccer program.
Her collegiate career saw her at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, where she was a member of the women's soccer team. Playing five seasons, she played in 76 matches with 36 points on 15 goals and six assists. In 2022, she was named to the Great American Conference (GAC) All-Conference Honorable Mention, netting six goals.
Outside of the college game, she has served as a soccer referee and volunteer goalkeeper coach at the Alva Recreational Complex.
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer
- Instructor
- Athletic Trainer / Instructor ( TEN )
- Representative for the School of Health Science
Andrea is entering her eighth year as an Athletic Trainer/Instructor in the Department of Kinesiology at The University of West Alabama. Andrea received her Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training with an emphasis in Pre-Professional Health Science from The University of West Alabama in 2013. While at UWA, Andrea was employed with Varsity Spirit as a member of Varsity Camp Administration, providing first aid/athletic training services to various cheer and dance squads across the southeast.
Upon graduation from UWA, she completed a graduate assistantship at Mississippi College, where she earned her Master of Science degree in Athletic Administration with an interscholastic emphasis in May of 2015. While at Mississippi College, Andrea provided athletic training services primarily for MC's football, cross country, and track & field teams. She was also employed as a contract Athletic Trainer through the Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center, where she provided athletic training services for high school cross country, football, basketball, and track & field events.
Andrea has served as the Faculty Senate representative for the School of Health Science and Human Performance. She is a member of the Physical Education Advisory Council at UWA. She is currently working on her Doctorate of Education in Higher Education Administration. Andrea is an instructor in the undergraduate and graduate athletic training programs at UWA and an instructor for exercise science, physical education, and sport management.
Andrea is from Meridian, MS, where she currently resides.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Graduate Assistant
Former Tiger tennis player and student assistant Andrii Stratiienko has returned to the West Alabama program as a graduate assistant coach.
Over the past year Stratiienko has worked as a high performance tennis coach at Tennis Innovators Academy in Westchester, New York. He has also worked for the prestigious Meadow Club in Southampton, New York.
Born in Vinnitsa, Ukraine, Stratiienko played four years at UWA (2014-18) and then served as a student assistant coach after completing his eligibility. He speaks fluent Ukrainian, Russian and English.
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer
Brandon Deininger is beginning his first year as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer at UWA. He graduated with his B.S. in Athletic Training from The University of West Florida in Pensacola, FL. During his time at UWF, he had the opportunity to work with a variety of sports and clinical settings including UWF football, a local high school, and at the office of Dr. Richard Sellers. While at UWF Brandon was a member of Iota Tau Alpha National Honors Society. He will be working with the UWA men's and women's tennis.
Job Titles:
- Athletic Hall of Fame Member
- Head Football Coach
A former Tiger relief pitcher, Brock Ward has returned home. A former pitcher and assistant coach at UWA, Ward accepted the full-time position of pitching coach for the Tigers on Jan. 9, 2020.
Boyle brings 24 years of fastpitch coaching experience to UWA, 22 at the collegiate level. He has won 540 games in 18 years as a head coach, 14 of those seasons at Shelton State (Ala.) Community College. Boyle moves into the full-time assistant role for the Tigers after serving as a volunteer coach last season.
Under Boyle's guidance In 2019, Shelton State won the Alabama Community College Conference/ NJCAA/Region XXII Tournament and finished seventh in the nation at the NJCAA Tournament. The Lady Bucs advanced to the finals of the NJCAA Region XXII tournament in six of Boyle's last 10 seasons and earned a berth in the NJCAA National Tournament.
Boyle was also the head softball coach at Enterprise State (Ala.) Junior College from 1997-2001 and was an assistant at Wallace Community (Ala.) College-Dothan from 2002-05. Additional coaching stops include Northview (Ala.) High School in 2006 and 2007, with his teams qualifying for the playoffs each year, participating in state and national tournaments.
Academically, Shelton State was nationally ranked for team grade point average by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and NJCAA. Numerous players were selected as NJCAA and NFCA Academic All-Americans. The NJCAA recognized Shelton State softball as an Academic Team of the Year for all 14 years Boyle was at the helm.
Boyle coached the ACCC Player of the Year four times, and many players received scholarships from NAIA and NCAA softball programs across the nation. Over 22 years of collegiate coaching, 25 players achieved NJCAA or NFCA All-American status under Boyle, 145 were named All-Conference or All-Region and 108 were named NJCAA or NFCA Academic All-Americans.
Originally from Montgomery, Alabama, Boyle prepped at Robert E. Lee High School. He played collegiate baseball at Enterprise State Junior College, where his team won the Southern Division Championship and was ranked as high as No. 8 in the nation. He finished his college career at Auburn University-Montgomery, helping lead the Senators (now Warhawks) to second and fifth-place national finishes.
Boyle earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Troy University-Dothan. He and his wife Alison have been married 27 years.
Hampton comes to UWA from Hinds (Miss.) Community College after coaching defensive backs last season. Prior to Hinds, he coached defensive backs at Mississippi Delta Community College and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College for one season each, helping lead MGCCC to a national title. In 2018, he spent a year coaching at Meridian (Miss.) High School, his prep alma mater.
Spending the last three seasons at Lawson State Community College (Ala.) outside Birmingham, Chafetz was the hitting and infielders coach at LSCC and was the top assistant in 2023.
The 2023 season saw the Cougars as one of the offensive threats in the Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC), posting a team batting average of .307 and a slugging percentage of .473. The program also racked up 193 stolen bases for an 88% success rate. A total of four were named All-Conference, while one garnered All-Region. In addition, 16 student-athletes advanced to four-year schools under Chafetz's direction.
During the summer of 2022, Chafetz served as a coach with the New Market Rebels as a part of the Valley League in Virginia, where he coached four All-Stars.
Chafetz graduated from the University of Alabama with a bachelor's in communication and information Sciences.
Originally from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Chafetz and his wife Shelby live in Tuscaloosa with their son, Beckett.
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer / Clinical Instructor in Physical Therapy & Athletic Training
Carmen Felus is returning to the University of West Alabama football coaching staff as wide receivers coach and special teams coordinator in April 2021.
This is Felus' second stint at West Alabama after serving as offensive coordinator from 2014-16. He has been on the staff at Stony Brook University since 2016 as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Other coaching stops for Felus include being the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Tennessee-Martin (2011-14), head coach at Juniata College (2009-11), offensive coordinator and associate head coach at Tennessee-Chattanooga (2006-08), offensive coordinator at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2000-06), offensive coordinator at Shepherd University (1998-2000), pass game coordinator and receivers coach at Adams State (1997-98) and quarterbacks and receivers coach at Saint Francis (1995-97).
Felus has coached 19 NFL or CFL players, 10 All-Americans and 10 career or season record holders through the years. In his first stop at UWA, he coached current Kansas City Chiefs star and All-American receiver Tyreek Hill, All-American receiver Daryl Collins, GSC offensive player of the year Kyle Caldwell, Javae Swindle, the leading rusher in UWA history, and all-conference receiver Chad Toocheck.
Felus played collegiately at Western Maryland and Lock Haven. In two seasons at Western Maryland, he finished as the sixth-leading receiver in school history. At Lock Haven, he was a two-year letter winner as a starting quarterback and wide receiver.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature from Western Maryland in 1995.
Job Titles:
- Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant ( Video, Creative Content, TF )
Job Titles:
- Associate Athletic Director for Complianc
- Compliance
Christi Wade currently serves her alma mater as the Associate Athletic Director for Compliance, a position she took over in 2016 after returning to West Alabama as the assistant director of compliance in August 2013.
Wade, a former student-athlete at UWA, is also the sport administrator for softball, cross country, track and soccer in the Tiger athletics department. She serves on various committees around campus as well.
Wade worked at Saint Leo University from August 1996 until May 2010 in various capacities within the Lions athletic department. She was the head softball coach from 1996 through 2010, compiling a 463-296 record on the way to five NCAA South Regional Tournament appearances. Her teams broke the school record for wins three times while she coached 45 all-conference players, along with 47 academic All-Americans, 11 all-region, six All-Americans and six Sunshine State Conference players of the year.
She served as assistant athletics director and senior women's administration at Saint Leo from 1998 to 2008 before taking on an associate athletic director/SWA role from 2008-10, where she implemented and executed the university's Athletic strategic plan. Wade was a member of the inaugural graduating class of Leadership Saint Leo University on 2005 and inducted as a member of the Saint Leo Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. She has been a member of NACWAA since 2004,.
Prior to returning to West Alabama, she returned to the family business for two years, serving as an account manager at Wade Heating & Air, Inc before heading back into coaching for one season as an assistant at Indiana University Purdue University in Indianapolis. She also was project manager at Wade Heating & Air, Inc. from 2012-13.
Wade was catcher on the Tiger softball team, playing under current UWA Associate AD/SWA Janet Montgomery, for whom she also served as a graduate assistant coach. She graduated from UWA in 1994 with a bachelor of science in Physical Education (K-12) and a master's of education in Special Education in 1996.
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer / Instructor ( SB )
Codie Washburn is beginning her eighth year as an Athletic Trainer and Instructor at the University of West Alabama. Codie is primarily the Athletic Trainer for the UWA Softball team. Her teaching responsibilities revolve around Introduction to AT, clinical education courses, senior clinical decision courses, along with a number of Sport Management classes. Previously, Codie has been the coordinator of the athletic training outreach program for secondary schools within the UWA service area.
Codie completed her bachelor's degree from the University of West Alabama in December, 2012. Following graduation, Codie took an industrial athletic training position with PT Solutions in Montgomery, AL, working at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, while working part time with Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School. Codie continued her education upon arriving back at UWA and earned her MAT in Physical Education with an emphasis in Sport Management in December 2016. Codie has previous experience working with varsity football, baseball, and women's basketball along with a variety of sports at the high school level.
Codie is excited to continue with the University of West Alabama's Athletic Training program, clinically and educationally. She currently resides in Livingston with her husband, William, their son, Weston and their daughter Wrenley.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
- Assistant Director of Athletic Communications ( Creative Content, M / W SOC, MBKB, SB, XC, MTEN )
Recently graduating from West Alabama in May 2023 with a degree in Integrated Marketing Communications, Hare served as an intern in the athletic communications department from 2022-23, working in multiple facets.
Away from athletics, he served as a Recruitment and Marketing Coordinator for Skilled Trades of West Alabama.
During his academic career, along with his role as Delta Chi Vice President, Hare was an Associate Journalist for the UWA's Zone magazine, and a social media manager and designer for the Livingston Press.
Job Titles:
- Manager / Film Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach ( MSOC, WBKB, CHR, VB )
Goetz completed a Bachelor of Science in health and exercise science in May 2023 from Colorado State University.
Job Titles:
- Coach
- Head
- Head Rodeo Coach
- Member of the Board for the Sumter County Cattleman 's Association
Daniel Poole enters his fifth season as head coach of the men's and women's rodeo team, and he is in his ninth season with the program as a coach after riding for West Alabama in the late 2000s.
In his time on the coaching staff at UWA, he has been a part of two region championships and the 2023 national championship on the women's side and has seen three individualists named national champions.
Former Tiger bull rider Daniel Poole was named head rodeo coach at his alma mater in August of 2019 after returning to UWA to serve as an assistant to head coach Alex Caudle in August 2015.
Poole is a member of the board for the Sumter County Cattleman's Association and the Alfa Farmer's Federation and a member of the Sumter County Young Farmer's Federation. He has also worked as manager of Covey Run Lodge and taught horseback riding lessons and guided horseback rides and backcountry pack trips for Spotted Horse Ranch in Jackson, Wyoming.
Job Titles:
- Director of Football Operations
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer ( MSOC )
Job Titles:
- Tight Ends / Running Backs Coach
Job Titles:
- Offensive Line / Run Game Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Assistant Men 's Soccer Coach
Job Titles:
- Head Athletic Trainer / Instructor ( FB )
Job Titles:
- Director of Strength and Conditioning ( FB )
- UWA Head Strength Coach
Playing football for the Rangers for four seasons as a defensive back, Aaron racked up 182 tackles, including 76 during his final season in 2022. He also was a member of the school's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
Aaron earned a bachelor's degree in Health and Sports Science from Northwestern Oklahoma State.
Job Titles:
- Men 's Basketball Assistant Coach
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate Athletic Director / Senior Woman Administrator ( Academic Success )
Jeff Beaman took over as head men and women's tennis coach at the University of West Alabama in late July, 2015 and over that time has led the combined men's and women's programs to a 125-72 record (.635) while winning Gulf South Conference men's and women's Coach of the Year in 2019.
Beaman has put together a 57-44 record (.564) on the men's side and a 68-28 mark (.708) in the women's program, including leading the UWA women to a perfect 11-0 GSC record and regular season title in 2019.
Beaman came to UWA from the University of Idaho, where he served a season as head men's tennis coach. Other prior coaching stops include Washington State University, a previous stint at Idaho, Texas Christian University, College of Santa Fe and Barton Community College.
The Tigers head coach serves on a variety committees, including the D2 ITA National Operating Committee, the D2 Men's National Ranking Committee (South Regional chair) and the South Region Awards Committee. Beaman is also the Gulf South Conference tennis coaches representative and serves on the NCAA South region women's RAC.
Beaman was named the 2015 Big Sky Conference coach of the year after leading the Vandals to the Big Sky championship and a trip to the NCAA Division I Tournament. While coaching both the men and women as director of tennis at Idaho from 2006-14, Beaman led UI to both men and women Western Athletic titles in 2014 while earning conference coach of the year honors for both teams. He posted a 207-117 record as Idaho's head coach.
He served as associate head coach for women's tennis at Washington State between stints at Idaho. He was an assistant at TCU in 2005-06, head coach at Santa Fe in 2004-05 after serving as an assistant the previous year.
Beaman was head coach for men and women at Barton Community College from 2000-03 while leading the men's team to national NJCAA ranking of second in 2001 and 2002 and fourth in 2003 with four All-America selections. The 2003 BCC women's team finished ranked third in the nation with two All-Americans and the top-ranked player in the country.
He has been just as successful off the court, earning the 2003 Barton County Community College Staff Difference Award and the 2009-10 University of Idaho Outstanding Employee Award.
Beaman earned his Bachelor of Science in physical education from Alabama A&M, graduating Summa Cum Lade in 2000 and an Associate's Degree in sports medicine from Barton Community College in 1997.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Women 's Basketball Coach
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer / Assistant Professor / Clinical Education Coordinator ( MBB )
Job Titles:
- Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach ( WSOC, XC, TF, BB )
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer / Instructor ( BB )
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Tennis Coach
Job Titles:
- Orthopaedic Surgeon Hand & Wrist Specialist
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Tennis Coach
De la Garza started her playing career at UWA before transferring to Southern Miss. Garza transferred back to West Alabama for her last season where she helped lead the Tigers to a GSC Regular Season and Tournament Championship and the programs first win the NCAA Division II Tournament.
She was named First Team All-Gulf South Conference (2018 and 2022), Second Team All-Conference USA (2021), and was named ITA All-American (2022).
De la Garza is PTR Certified and has coached two summers at Meadow Club Southampton.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Cross Country, Track and Field Coach
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Men 's Basketball Coach
Job Titles:
- Administration
- Director of Athletics
Job Titles:
- Volunteer Assistant Softball Coach
Job Titles:
- Associate Head Coach / Special Teams Coordinator / Wide Receivers
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications ( FB, VB, WBKB, BB, ROD, WTEN )
- Athletic Communications
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer ( FB, XC, TF )
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Softball Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Director for Academics
Job Titles:
- Faculty Athletic Representative
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Baseball Coach
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Volleyball Coach
Job Titles:
- Head Men 's Basketball Coach
Job Titles:
- Orthopaedic Surgeon Foot & Ankle Specialist
Job Titles:
- Volunteer Assistant Men 's Soccer Coach
Job Titles:
- Special Assistant to the Athletic Director
Job Titles:
- Director of Athletic Training
Director of Athletic Training & Sports Medicine/ Distinguished Professor
Job Titles:
- Head Women 's Basketball Coach
- Principal at Southeast Lauderdale High School
Candice Keene is in her tenth year on The University of West Alabama Athletic Training and Sports Medicine staff. Candice serves as a Clinical Instructor in Physical Therapy and Athletic Training with the UWA Athletic Training & Sports Medicine Center. Candice is currently employed by ATI Physical Therapy as Clinic Director in Livingston. In addition to her role as a Clinical Instructor, Candice is responsible for the evaluation and treatment of patients from Livingston and the surrounding areas that require physical therapy services. In 2016, she was elected President of the UWA National Alumni Association after serving two years as Vice-President.
Candice received her B.S. in Athletic Training from the University of West Alabama in 2005. While a student at UWA, Candice worked with football, cheerleading, basketball, volleyball, softball and baseball. She was fortunate to be a part of the 2005 GSC baseball championship team. Upon graduation from UWA, Candice received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2007 from the University of St. Augustine. After finishing her Doctorate she worked for Rush Foundation Hospital in Meridian, MS.
Candice lives in Meridian, MS with her husband Russell, who is Principal at Southeast Lauderdale High School, and their two-year-old twins Reagan and Chloe. She loves spending time with her family and traveling. She also has four dogs and a cat. Candice and her husband have a large outdoor Christmas light display every year and love visitors. Come check out our Facebook page, Vimville Light Show.
Job Titles:
- Head Women 's Soccer Coach
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer ( VB, ROD )
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Baseball Coach
Job Titles:
- Head Cross Country, Track Coach
Job Titles:
- Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Defensive Coach
Job Titles:
- Athletic Trainer / Instructor ( WBB, CHR )
Job Titles:
- Assistant Volleyball Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Football Coach ( Offense )
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Defensive Coach
Job Titles:
- Strength and Conditioning Graduate Assistant
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Women 's Basketball Coach