The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Fernandez West Named Associate AD for Student-Athlete Services
10/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | General
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Fernandez West, a 17-year veteran in collegiate athletics administration, has been named the Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Services, UAB Director of Athletics Mark Ingram announced.
West will oversee academics efforts for the UAB football program, and also direct the Hoke Hire Student-Athlete Academic Support Services Center.
"Joining Mark Ingram and the UAB community presents a tremendous opportunity for me and my family," West said. "I am eager to get to work to help continue to build on UAB's strong academic and athletic tradition's of excellence for many, many years to come."
West joins the UAB staff after spending the last 13 years at the University of Tennessee, where he was the Associate Director of the Thornton Athletics Student Life Center. His duties there included oversight of all departmental purchases, as well as all staff and student workers.
West also coordinated counseling and advising for men's basketball and volleyball beginning in 2011, and monitored and maintained SEC and NCAA academic eligibility requirements for those sports for four years.
Some of West's highlights included guiding the 2013 Women's College World Series softball team to a program best 3.42 team GPA. He also led the Vols football program to an APR high of 948 in 2006, men's basketball of 973 in 2013, softball of 1000 in 2013 and women's golf of 1000 in 2010 and 2011.
He also received NCAA public recognition for women's golf's position in the top 10 percent APR of all women's golf teams in 2010 and 2011.
Prior to his tenure at Tennessee, West spent eight years at the University of Arkansas, where he served in a variety of roles. After beginning as a graduate assistant counselor for football, West was promoted to Academic Coordinator for men's hoops, a role he held for six years. He then served as the Academic Coordinator for men's athletics from 1999-02.
West is a 1990 graduate of Clemson University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management. He earned is Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Arkansas in 1996.
"We couldn't be more excited to have Fernandez joining our staff," Ingram said. "His experience coupled with the great team assembled in our academics unit will serve our student-athletes and our department very well."
West and his wife, Bridgette, have two children, Nicholas (10) and Chloe (7).
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