Alexa Shields assumed the role of Interim Head Coach of the USMMA women’s basketball team upon the announcement of long-time head coach Matt Dempsey's retirement in October of 2024. In early January 2025, she was officially named the fourth head coach of the Mariners.
Shields completed her 17th season on the women’s basketball coaching staff at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in 2024-25. She was promoted to Associate Head Coach in May 2019. Shields came to Kings Point after coaching as a graduate assistant coach at Rutgers-Newark.
At the Academy, Shields is responsible for recruiting, scouting, film exchange, travel, and Sea Year fitness coordination. In addition to her coaching responsibilities, Shields is also an Assistant Professor at the Academy, an aquatics instructor and directs the Leadership Assessment for PE&A.
While at Rutgers-Newark some of her responsibilities included recruiting, administrative duties and camp coordinator. She also organized the team’s Tip-Off Tournament and served as a Team Academic Advisor.
A three-time All-New Jersey Athletic Conference guard at The College of New Jersey, Shields helped TCNJ to NJAC championships in 2004 and 2006, finishing tied for third in career assists (309) and fifth in steals (196) in school history. She served as team captain as a junior and senior. A four-year letterwinner, she earned first-team All-NJAC honors in 2005 while garnering second unit notice as a sophomore and senior.
She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from TCNJ in 2006 after four years on the Dean’s List. Two years later, Shields earned a Master’s degree in Liberal Studies from Rutgers-Newark.
Shields and her family moved from Huntington, Indiana, to Wall Township, New Jersey, for her junior and senior years in high school. She captained Wall High School as a junior and senior where she also lettered twice in tennis.
