Life University Athletics

Alaina Smith Walker has been a member of the Life University Athletic Department for nearly a decade, previously serving as Assistant AD for Internal Operations before transitioning into her current role. She has also previously served as an assistant coach for the Life U men’s volleyball team. Presently, she oversees compliance and eligibility for all sports teams, along with student-athlete development. 

Highlights during her time at Life include the consistent achievement of a departmental cumulative GPA over a 3.0 and founding More Than An Athlete programming, which aims to enhance the student-athlete experience during their time at Life U. She prides herself on the establishment and maintenance of relationships with practically every department on campus, as well as each student-athlete, so that she can serve as a guiding resource for all. 
 
Working with student-athletes is Alaina’s passion. She has coached volleyball and basketball for over a decade at various levels, is a certified high school and collegiate volleyball and basketball official, and has been working in athletics administration since she completed her own time as a collegiate student-athlete. Alaina competed in volleyball, basketball, and track & field at Converse College and Birmingham-Southern College, earning two bachelor’s degrees along the way in psychology and religious studies and graduating magna cum laude. She holds a master’s degree in positive psychology from Life University as well. 
 
Alaina serves the Life U community as a member of the Student Conduct Board, and is co-chair of the Southern States Athletic Conference Senior Women’s Leadership Committee. She is vice chair of the NAIA Association of Compliance Administrators, and is a member of Minority Opportunities in Athletic Advancement (MOAA), and Women Leaders in Sports, She also serves as the SSAC Chair for Cheer & Dance. 
 
Alaina and her husband Zach, a Life U undergraduate, graduate, and D.C. alumnus, reside in Marietta with their two essentially perfect dogs, Bobby and Apollo.