Women's Basketball
- Title:
- Deputy Director of Athletics/SWA
- Email:
- tgrimes@ia.ua.edu
- Phone:
- 205-348-3694
Tiffini N. Grimes was elevated to Senior Deputy Director of Athletics/Senior Woman Administrator in 2021 after serving as Deputy Director of Athletics since December 2019.
As a member of the executive leadership team, Grimes assists the Director of Athletics with strategic direction for the department, ensures alignment with the mission and values of the university, and oversees the day-to-day operations of several internal areas. She leads the department's policy development and implementation, Title IX education and awareness, and the coordination of internal communication to ensure alignment between administration and coaches. Grimes further serves as the administrator of four Crimson Tide sport programs.
With student-athlete development as a focus, Grimes created and implemented the Elite Athlete Program, which transitions student-athletes into the realm of professional athletics and encompasses The Advantage, Alabama Athletics' name, image, likeness initiative. The success of this program has played an integral role for the 18-time national football champions in the areas of roster management and retention. A key administrator for the football program, Grimes has lead the seamless transition of 52 NFL Draft Picks, tying the NFL record and setting the Alabama record for most first-round selections in the 2021 draft (six). Further, she has navigated the successful transitions of four NBA Draft Picks (Collin Sexton, Kira Lewis, Herbert Jones, Josh Primo), and one WNBA Draft Pick (Jasmine Walker).
Dedicated to the recruitment and retention of the talented Crimson Tide staff, Grimes played a key role in the hiring of head coaches Nate Oats (men's basketball), Glenn Putyrae (rowing), Margo Geer (swimming and diving), and Lindsey Devine (volleyball). In addition, Grimes was instrumental in the development of the department's National Women and Girls in Sport Day recognizing the achievements of Alabama's female student-athletes and staff, while raising money to support athletics.
As Senior Woman Administrator (SWA), Grimes is the liaison to the institution's Vice President of Student Life, as well as the Clery Act and EEO/Title IX coordinators. In this role, Grimes also represents the University within the Southeastern Conference (SEC) as a member of the governance structure and serves on various committees. In addition, she is engaged in leadership at the national level through her roles as a member of the NCAA Division I Rowing Committee and a member of the Women Leaders in College Sports Nominating Committee.
Grimes arrived in Tuscaloosa in October of 2016 as the Assistant Athletics Director for Football and Men's Basketball Compliance. Six months later, her department-wide impact was acknowledged by Director of Athletics Greg Byrne, with a promotion to Associate Athletics Director and an expansion of her responsibilities. During that time, she ensured the Crimson Tide Football Program adhered to governing legislation, served as the men's basketball sport administrator and ensured all student-athletes had access to the institutional opportunities available for a holistic collegiate experience.
Grimes came to Alabama following a two-year stint at the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Indianapolis headquarters, as an assistant director within the Enforcement Football Development Group. Considered a subject matter expert in the sport, Grimes was responsible for identifying current trends and cultivating information regarding issues detrimental to the game of football. She was further tasked with developing relationships and serving as a resource to collegiate and professional constituents of the game.
Prior to joining the NCAA, Grimes was employed in athletics compliance at The Pennsylvania State University and Georgia Institute of Technology, where she worked specifically with football in the areas of recruiting, amateurism, agents and waivers of NCAA legislation. In addition to her football specific responsibilities, she worked with both institution's basketball programs and Olympic sports in a compliance, policy and life skills programming capacity.
A native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Grimes is actively engaged in philanthropy as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and through the Bella Mente Foundation, an organization she established while a student at Valparaiso University School of Law.
An alumna of Purdue University with a degree in political science, Grimes is also a graduate of Valparaiso University, earning both a master's degree in sports administration and a Juris Doctorate.
