Alex Hinsey Named Gardner-Webb’s Head Women’s Volleyball Coach

Former Coach of Mary Washington Eagles Led Team to Back-to-Back NCAA Appearances

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—Gardner-Webb President Dr. William M. Downs has named Alex Hinsey the next head coach of the GWU women’s volleyball program, the Department of Athletics announced on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. Hinsey joins GWU after four seasons as the head coach at the University of Mary Washington (UMW) in Fredericksburg, Va.

“We are eager to build upon last season’s positive momentum, and with Coach Alex Hinsey leading our volleyball program I am confident that our trajectory will be decidedly positive,” praised President Downs.  “Hinsey is a winner, and he’s proven that over and over again throughout the last decade.  With expectations for success continuing to rise, our new coach is dedicated to contending for a first-ever Big South Conference championship…exciting times ahead for GWU Volleyball!”

In his 11 years of coaching experience, Hinsey has garnered multiple awards and built winning programs at the scholastic and college levels. In 2023, the team closed its season with a record 30-5. In 2022, the team also won the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference title and ended its season 26-8 in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. In his first season at UMW, Hinsey led the team to the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference finals.

“I am excited to welcome Coach Alex Hinsey and his family to the Gardner-Webb family,” said Vice President for Athletics Andrew Goodrich. “The past two seasons he has led his teams to two conference championships, earned coach of the year honors, and led his teams to the Sweet 16 of the Division III National Championships. Furthermore, he demonstrated throughout the process his caring nature and commitment to helping our students grow in all aspects of their lives while building a culture of competitive excellence.”

Before taking the helm at UMW, Hinsey had a successful stint at Elizabethtown College. The Elizabethtown women produced back-to-back 19-win seasons in Hinsey’s tenure, and this spring, he guided the school’s first ever men’s program to 11 victories.

“I am extremely grateful to Dr. Downs and Dr. Goodrich for selecting me to lead the Gardner-Webb University volleyball program” said Coach Hinsey. “I learned quickly how great the campus community was on my visit and my family and I could not be more excited to be a part of it. I am looking forward to getting started with the student-athletes on the team and helping them to accomplish their goals on and off the volleyball court.”

Hinsey spent five years building contending programs at the scholastic level in Pittsburgh prior to his arrival at Elizabethtown. A University of Pittsburgh (Pa.) graduate, Hinsey took over at Upper St. Clair High School in 2014, and he rewarded the school’s decision by winning the section in each of his three seasons as head coach. Hinsey guided the Panthers to a three-year record of 46-12, including 34 victories in 36 league matches.

In 2015, the Panthers collected a third-place finish in the WPIAL and District 7 to qualify for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class AAA state tournament for the first time since 2007. Hinsey developed 16 all-section players, seven All-WPIAL selections and four PVCA All-State picks,

Hinsey, a Reading, Pa., native, played scholastically at Exeter Township High School, winning a District 3 Class AA championship and PIAA Class AA state championship with the Eagles in 2007. He was an All-Berks Division I selection in 2006 and 2007, as Exeter won back-to-back county championships.

Hinsey served as a player/coach for the University of Pittsburgh’s club team. The Panthers were perennially ranked in the top 25 of Division I club programs by the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation (NCVF). In 2013, Hinsey was named a NCVF Division I-AA All-American. Hinsey graduated from Pitt in 2011 with a degree in business administration and received his MBA from the school in 2014, focusing on marketing and finance.

Gardner-Webb University is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., Gardner-Webb prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Ignite your future at Gardner-Webb.edu.