Memphis Fires Women's Basketball Coach Alex Simmons After 3 Seasons

The Tigers went 30-61 under Simmons' leadership, prompting the university to make a change.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The University of Memphis has fired women's basketball coach Alex Simmons after three seasons with the program. Athletic director Ed Scott announced the decision, stating that this was the right time for a change as the university remains committed to building a competitive program that reflects the pride of the Memphis community. Simmons, who previously coached at Gardner-Webb, had a 30-61 record during her time with the Tigers and an 18-36 mark in American Athletic Conference play.

Why it matters

The firing of a head coach is always a significant event for a college athletics program, as it signals a desire for a new direction and renewed commitment to success. Memphis' women's basketball team has struggled in recent years, and the university is looking to make a change that will help elevate the program and make it more competitive within its conference.

The details

Alex Simmons was hired as the head coach of the Memphis women's basketball team in 2023 after a successful five-year stint at Gardner-Webb, where she led the team to the NCAA Tournament. However, she was unable to replicate that success at Memphis, as the Tigers went just 30-61 during her three seasons at the helm, including an 18-36 record in American Athletic Conference play. Memphis athletic director Ed Scott cited the need for a change and a renewed commitment to building a program that can compete at the highest level within the conference.

  • Simmons was hired as the Memphis head coach in 2023.
  • During her three seasons with the Tigers, the team went 30-61 overall and 18-36 in conference play.
  • On March 9, 2026, Memphis announced that it had fired Simmons as the women's basketball head coach.

The players

Alex Simmons

The former head coach of the Memphis women's basketball team, who was fired after going 30-61 in three seasons with the program.

Ed Scott

The athletic director at the University of Memphis, who announced the decision to fire Alex Simmons as the women's basketball head coach.

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What they’re saying

“We remain committed to building a program that competes at the highest level of our conference and reflects the pride and passion of the University of Memphis community. We have made meaningful investments in women's basketball and are grateful for the strong support from our fans and donors.”

— Ed Scott, Athletic Director, University of Memphis (chron.com)

What’s next

Memphis has begun a search for a new women's basketball head coach to lead the program and help it become more competitive within the American Athletic Conference.

The takeaway

The firing of Alex Simmons as the Memphis women's basketball head coach underscores the university's desire to build a more successful and competitive program that can consistently contend for conference championships and NCAA Tournament berths. The search for a new coach will be an important step in this process, as Memphis looks to find the right leader to turn the program around.