Completed Event: Women's Basketball at Massachusetts on February 8, 2026 , Win , 71, to, 57
WBB
Final
James Madison
71
at Massachusetts
57
James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Women's Basketball
Alex Tomlinson
- Title:
- Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
- Email:
- tomlinap@jmu.edu
- Phone:
- 540-568-6513
- Physical Address:
- Atlantic Union Bank Center 1055 (645 University Blvd) / MSC 4703
Alex Tomlinson enters her third season as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator for the women's basketball program in 2026-27.
The 2025-26 season was another banner campaign for the Dukes, as the team went 26-9 with a 14-4 record in Sun Belt Conference play, highlighted by capturing the 2026 Sun Belt Women’s Basketball Championship title. JMU earned a No. 12 seed in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship, making its 14th appearance in the Big Dance in school history. Tomlinson saw guard Bree Robinson excel as a key part of the Dukes’ championship season. The All-Sun Belt Defensive Team selection started in all 35 games, averaging 11.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game. With 111 assists and 82 steals, Robinson became one of three Dukes to record at least 100 assists and 75 steals in a single season, joining Jess Cichowicz (194 AST, 82 STL in 2002-03) and Donna Budd (171 AST, 78 STL in 1987-88). Additionally, her 82 steals tied Cichowicz for the most steals in a single season in program history.
In 2024-25, JMU produced a program-record 30 wins with a 30-6 overall record and a perfect 18-0 mark in Sun Belt Conference Play, including a 20-game winning streak (Dec. 29 – March 9). The Dukes received national recognition by receiving votes in the AP Top 25 Poll for five consecutive weeks (Feb. 17 – March 17). JMU made its third consecutive postseason tournament appearance after being selected as a No. 1 seed in the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament.
Tomlinson has heavy ties to the Commonwealth of Virginia, having previously served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Radford (2022-24) and Division III Christopher Newport (2019-2022).
In 2023-24 at Radford, the Highlanders finished 15-18 overall with a 9-7 mark against Big South Conference foes for third in the league, culminating in a loss to Presbyterian in the Big South title game. RU's 15 wins were the most for the program since going 17-12 (15-5 Big South) in the 2019-20 campaign. Moreover, the Highlanders led the conference in turnover margin (+2.88) while finishing third in assist/turnover ratio (0.74) and fourth in offense (60.7 ppg) this past season in conference play.
As a recruiter, Tomlinson pulled in two class of 2027 players – Terrissa Lavoile-Brice and Joi Williams – who would go on to earn spots on the Big South All-Freshman team and combined for seven Big South Freshman of the Week honors. Additionally, she helped bring in six transfers for the 2023-24 season, including Taniya Hanner who was named Honorable Mention All-Conference after finishing third in the league in rebounding at 7.3 boards per game.
Tomlinson also served as the point guard coach, highlighted by helping foster the development of Williams and fellow guards Olivia Wagner and Ashlyn Traylor. Between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, Wagner's three-point proficiency rose from 27.8 percent to 36.4 percent, good for sixth in the league her sophomore year. Wagner shot a Radford-record 7-for-7 from three against Longwood, also tying the Big South record for best three-point percentage (minimum of seven made). The season prior, Traylor earned the title of Big South Freshman of the Year and was a Second Team All-Big South selection after earning seven league freshman of the week awards.
In her final season at Christopher Newport, Tomlinson helped guide the Captains to a 26-1 overall mark, an NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance and the first No.1 overall national ranking (WBCA and D3hoops.com) in program history. That season saw CNU reach its 43rd consecutive win – a school record and the ninth-longest winning streak in NCAA DIII history. Guard Sondra Fan averaged 14.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game to earn All-America honors from the WBCA and D3hoops.com, as well as being named Coast-To-Coast Player of the Year. For her mentorship, Tomlinson was named 2022 WBCA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year. The season also saw the Captains finish second in Division III in scoring margin (+31.6), second in turnover margin (+12.2), third in scoring offense (85.9ppg), third in field goal percentage (.465) and fourth in turnovers forced per game (27.9).
Prior to coaching, the Raleigh, N.C., native was a guard at Division II Wingate from 2013-2017, helping the Bulldogs capture three South Atlantic Conference titles and making four NCAA Women's Basketball Championship appearances.
Tomlinson graduated with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Wingate in 2017 with a minor in sport management. She went on to earn a master's degree in social work from North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2019.
The 2025-26 season was another banner campaign for the Dukes, as the team went 26-9 with a 14-4 record in Sun Belt Conference play, highlighted by capturing the 2026 Sun Belt Women’s Basketball Championship title. JMU earned a No. 12 seed in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship, making its 14th appearance in the Big Dance in school history. Tomlinson saw guard Bree Robinson excel as a key part of the Dukes’ championship season. The All-Sun Belt Defensive Team selection started in all 35 games, averaging 11.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game. With 111 assists and 82 steals, Robinson became one of three Dukes to record at least 100 assists and 75 steals in a single season, joining Jess Cichowicz (194 AST, 82 STL in 2002-03) and Donna Budd (171 AST, 78 STL in 1987-88). Additionally, her 82 steals tied Cichowicz for the most steals in a single season in program history.
In 2024-25, JMU produced a program-record 30 wins with a 30-6 overall record and a perfect 18-0 mark in Sun Belt Conference Play, including a 20-game winning streak (Dec. 29 – March 9). The Dukes received national recognition by receiving votes in the AP Top 25 Poll for five consecutive weeks (Feb. 17 – March 17). JMU made its third consecutive postseason tournament appearance after being selected as a No. 1 seed in the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament.
Tomlinson has heavy ties to the Commonwealth of Virginia, having previously served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Radford (2022-24) and Division III Christopher Newport (2019-2022).
In 2023-24 at Radford, the Highlanders finished 15-18 overall with a 9-7 mark against Big South Conference foes for third in the league, culminating in a loss to Presbyterian in the Big South title game. RU's 15 wins were the most for the program since going 17-12 (15-5 Big South) in the 2019-20 campaign. Moreover, the Highlanders led the conference in turnover margin (+2.88) while finishing third in assist/turnover ratio (0.74) and fourth in offense (60.7 ppg) this past season in conference play.
As a recruiter, Tomlinson pulled in two class of 2027 players – Terrissa Lavoile-Brice and Joi Williams – who would go on to earn spots on the Big South All-Freshman team and combined for seven Big South Freshman of the Week honors. Additionally, she helped bring in six transfers for the 2023-24 season, including Taniya Hanner who was named Honorable Mention All-Conference after finishing third in the league in rebounding at 7.3 boards per game.
Tomlinson also served as the point guard coach, highlighted by helping foster the development of Williams and fellow guards Olivia Wagner and Ashlyn Traylor. Between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, Wagner's three-point proficiency rose from 27.8 percent to 36.4 percent, good for sixth in the league her sophomore year. Wagner shot a Radford-record 7-for-7 from three against Longwood, also tying the Big South record for best three-point percentage (minimum of seven made). The season prior, Traylor earned the title of Big South Freshman of the Year and was a Second Team All-Big South selection after earning seven league freshman of the week awards.
In her final season at Christopher Newport, Tomlinson helped guide the Captains to a 26-1 overall mark, an NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance and the first No.1 overall national ranking (WBCA and D3hoops.com) in program history. That season saw CNU reach its 43rd consecutive win – a school record and the ninth-longest winning streak in NCAA DIII history. Guard Sondra Fan averaged 14.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game to earn All-America honors from the WBCA and D3hoops.com, as well as being named Coast-To-Coast Player of the Year. For her mentorship, Tomlinson was named 2022 WBCA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year. The season also saw the Captains finish second in Division III in scoring margin (+31.6), second in turnover margin (+12.2), third in scoring offense (85.9ppg), third in field goal percentage (.465) and fourth in turnovers forced per game (27.9).
Prior to coaching, the Raleigh, N.C., native was a guard at Division II Wingate from 2013-2017, helping the Bulldogs capture three South Atlantic Conference titles and making four NCAA Women's Basketball Championship appearances.
Tomlinson graduated with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Wingate in 2017 with a minor in sport management. She went on to earn a master's degree in social work from North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2019.
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