Alex Ricker-Gilbert is a senior vice president and athletic director in higher education. Ricker-Gilbert has worked in the industry for more than ten years and is an expert in sports management. Because he cares for the student-athletes he works with, they often do great things in and out of the classroom.
The athletic director was born and raised in Tolland, Connecticut. He now resides and works in Duval County, Florida. After living in the Old Dominion state of Virginia for three years, he moved to the Sunshine State for good in 2014.
Current Role & Duties
Ricker-Gilbert is the senior vice president and director of the athletics department at Jacksonville University. A private university in Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville University was established in 1934. From its 240-acre riverfront campus in the Arlington neighbourhood of the city, Jacksonville University offers more than 100 majors, minors, and programs.
The Jacksonville University athletic teams are referred to as "the Dolphins." The Jacksonville Dolphins are a part of the ASUN Conference and compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. They also play in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
As the senior vice president of the university and the director of athletics, Ricker-Gilbert is in charge of giving his department administrative direction and oversight. After serving as the institution's senior associate athletic director, Jacksonville University promoted the Connecticut native to senior vice president and athletic director.
As its senior associate athletic director, he oversaw the enterprise risk management, booster engagement program, and Hall of Fame for Jacksonville University. In addition, he was in charge of the organization's compliance and student-athlete services units. In addition to reporting to the chief athletics officer, he performed this duty when they weren't around.
Alex Ricker-Gilbert was the associate athletic director of compliance and student-athlete services at Jacksonville University before taking on the senior associate athletic director position. Ricker-sole Gilbert's responsibility in this position was to develop the university's athletic department's compliance and student-athlete services functions.
Career History
At Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia, Ricker-Gilbert was the assistant athletic director for rules and student services until 2014. He was responsible for the university's compliance program with the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the scholarship budget. He also served as a sports supervisor.
Ricker-Gilbert previously served as the interim director of compliance for the athletics department at Purdue University Fort Wayne. In Fort Wayne, Indiana, there is a campus of Purdue University called Purdue University Fort Wayne.
In this position, he checked that student-athletes were eligible and that the NCAA rules were followed. After working as an assistant in the compliance department of the athletics department at Purdue University Fort Wayne in Allen County, he was given the position of interim director of compliance.
Ricker-Gilbert also worked in different roles related to higher education while he was a West Chester University of Pennsylvania, student. Compliance, eligibility, and student-services intern were one of these roles. He also worked as a graduate assistant and led the borough of West Chester's charitable and fundraising efforts.
Academic History
Alex finished high school in Tolland, Connecticut, before going to college. He has since graduated from Pennsylvania State University, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and Jacksonville University.
Pennsylvania State University
From 2005 to 2009, Alex Ricker-Gilbert attended Pennsylvania State University for four years. Pennsylvania State University is a public institution with campuses all over Keystone State. It was founded in 1855 and became the first land-grant university in the state in 1863.
Ricker-Gilbert holds a bachelor of science in kinesiology from Pennsylvania State University. Kinesiology is the scientific study of how people move. The field looks at the anatomical, biomechanical, neuropsychological, pathological, and physiological principles and mechanisms of how the human body moves.
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Ricker-Gilbert enrolled at West Chester University of Pennsylvania in 2009. He spent two years studying sports management, athletics, and public administration at the university's campus in Chester County. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education has granted West Chester University of Pennsylvania its accreditation as a public research university.
Ricker-Gilbert received his master's in sport management, athletics, and public administration from West Chester University of Pennsylvania in 2011.
Jacksonville University
Ricker-Gilbert is from Connecticut and went to Jacksonville University, where he is now the athletics department's senior vice president and director.
From 2017 to 2020, Alex Ricker-Gilbert attended Jacksonville University. In Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville University is a private liberal arts college. He received his Master of Business Administration from Jacksonville University.
Professional Skills
Ricker-Gilbert is widely regarded for his broad range of professional skills and extensive areas of expertise. Just some of his many professional skills and areas of expertise are:
Academic advising
Admissions
Athletic administration
Event planning
Fundraising
Higher education
Intercollegiate athletics
Program development
Resume writing
Social media
Sports management
Sports marketing
Student affairs
Student development
Student leadership
Teaching
Accomplishments
The National Association of Collegiate Athletics has named Ricker-Gilbert Athletics Director of the Year. University athletic directors can join the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. Over 1,600 institutions in North America are home to its members.
Ricker-Gilbert was named Athletics Director of the Year for the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-AAA by the National Association of Collegiate Athletics Directors. He also serves as the head of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's legislative committee.
Personal Life
Alex Ricker-Gilbert was born and raised in Tolland, Connecticut. Tolland is a town in the Constitution State that is located in the county of the same name. Less than 30 minutes from Hartford, the state capital of Connecticut, Tolland still has the feel of a quaint New England village. Ricker-Gilbert has also lived and worked in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. He and his wife, Hilary, now reside in Duval County on northeastern Florida's Atlantic coast.
