PHILIPPI, WV – The Alderson Broaddus athletic department has become a home to many coaches who were once Battlers during their playing careers.
 
Acrobatics & Tumbling coach Emily Hosler ('17), Men's Basketball coach Stephen Dye ('06), Women's Lacrosse coach Paxton Boyer ('17), and Women's Soccer coach Jaron Hulme ('14) were all student athletes at Alderson Broaddus before becoming head coaches at their alma mater.
 
Men's Basketball Assistant coaches Ta-Rel Franklin ('16), and Drew Pingley ('09), Assistant Cheer & Dance coach Lexie Kincaid ('16), Assistant Women's Lacrosse coach Erin Gallagher ('18), and Assistant Track & Field coach Paris Vaughn ('18) have also returned to AB after their playing careers to jumpstart their coaching careers.
 
After a decorated playing and coaching career at AB, Carrie Bodkins ('99) became the Athletic Director at her alma mater in May 2019.
 
"It is an honor to lead our athletic department. AB has given me so much over the years, first as a student-athlete and now as an administrator," Bodkins said.
 
During her time at AB, Bodkins was a two-sport athlete. Bodkins was a four-year starter on the both the volleyball and basketball team. As a volleyball player, she earned First Team All-WVIAC honors three times and was named the WVIAC's Player of the Year during her senior year. She also became a 1,000-point scorer over the course of her basketball career.

As a senior at AB, Bodkins was named First Team All-Region in the Atlantic and became AB's all-time leader in both kills and blocks. 
 
In 2004, Bodkins became the head coach of the AB volleyball team and was eventually named WVIAC Coach of the Year in 2008 and G-MAC Coach of the Year in 2015. 
 
Over the years, Bodkins and the athletic administration have hired multiple AB alumni to coach at their alma mater. The athletic department strives to create a family-like culture in the workplace.
 
"Having so many alumni here is great. It reinforces the family atmosphere that is Alderson Broaddus," said Bodkins.
 
2006 alumnus Stephen Dye returned to AB in 2019 to take the head Basketball coach job. Dye previously served as Glenville State's head coach from 2009-2018.
 
As a four-year starter, Dye was a three-time All-Conference recipient, three-time All-Tournament Team member, and broke the NCAA record for career made three-pointers.
 
"Coaching my alma mater is a dream come true for me. Being a Battler is very special to me and with that comes great responsibility to uphold the strong tradition of great basketball coaches like Greg Zimmerman," Dye said. "Each day I feel blessed to be able to coach young men in the greatest game ever invented."
 
Building a strong culture that is rich in the heritage and tradition of Alderson Broaddus basketball was a top priority for Dye in his first season back with the Battlers. Hiring a coaching staff that knows what it means to be a Battler served as the building blocks for Dye's tenure at AB.
 
"I looked for hard working, loyal, and knowledgeable guys to help lead this program, which led me straight back to alumni Ta-Rel Franklin and Drew Pingley. In addition, I felt adding Josh Wamsely was a perfect choice because he has been a part of winning programs and won a G-MAC championship as an assistant under Coach Zimmerman. We work great together and we all a tremendous passion to uphold the tradition of AB basketball," Dye said.
 
Women's Soccer coach Jaron Hulme ('14) is another AB alumnus who is a Battler at heart. Hulme started each of his four years as a defender on the AB Soccer team. He played in 51 career games and was a two-time All-WVIAC selection.
 
"When I first got into coaching, it was always my goal to someday end up back at Alderson Broaddus," said Hulme. "Luckily for me, that happened a lot sooner in my career than I anticipated. I couldn't have picked a better place to have continued my education, playing career and coaching career."
 
Hulme returned to his alma mater in 2016 and served as an assistant soccer coach before becoming the head women's soccer coach in 2018.
 
"When I talk to recruits about AB, I can speak authentically about my experience here as a student-athlete. My time here as a student-athlete was the best four years of my life, and I consider myself lucky to create this opportunity for our recruits," Hulme said.
 
Like the other AB alumni coaches, Hulme is able to express his passion about the institution to his recruits and players. Having alumni at the helm of various sports shows recruits and current student-athletes that AB us truly a family unit.
 
"Athletes that are coached by former Alderson Broaddus players really get to see firsthand the pride that we have in AB and what it means to be a Battler. Having former Battlers come back and coach continues the great legacy that abounds at AB," Bodkins said.
 
Continuing the legacy of academic and intercollegiate excellence at Alderson Broaddus is something that each of the coaches strive to accomplish. By having former athletes that excelled in their respective sports return to the University allows the next generation of Battlers to see what being a Battler is truly about.