Gardner-Webb University Women's Volleyball

In 2024, Alex Hinsey enters his first season at the helm in Boiling Springs. Hinsey joins GWU after four seasons as the head coach at the University of Mary Washington (UMW) in Fredericksburg, Virginia.   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.   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.   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, Pennsylvania, 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.

Matt Hamilton was named Assistant Coach of the Gardner-Webb University volleyball program in August 2024.    Hamilton joined the Gardner-Webb family after spending two seasons at Millersville University where he served as Assistant Women's Volleyball Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. He helped manage all aspects of the program including budgeting, scouting, practice planning, scheduling, match management, recruiting, video upload and analysis, fundraising, alumni cultivation.   Prior to Millersville, Hamilton served as Head Men's and Women's Volleyball Coach at Elizabeth College where he had an overall coaching record of 69-25 with the women's program posting the highest winning percentage (.734) in program history. He led the Blue Jays to three consecutive 20-win seasons all including a berth in the postseason. Hamilton also served as an assistant coach for both programs for two seasons before being promoted to the head job in 2019.   Before Elizabeth College, Hamilton was a Player Development Specialist for Spooky Nook Sports Volleyball Club where he helped oversee the individual skill development for all athletes across all age groups 12U to 18U. He also helped develop and facilitate private lessons, group training sessions, youth clinics, showcases, camps, and served as an advisor for all coaches and support staff.    Prior to Spooky Nook, Hamilton served as Club Volleyball Coach for Pittsburgh Three Rivers (P3R), and Girls Assistant Volleyball Coach at Upper St. Clair High School and Steel Valley High School.   Hamilton earned his bachelors in history, and masters in teaching both from the University of Pittsburgh.