BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference launched the inaugural SEC Coaches Opportunity Forum, a program focused on professional development, mentorship, and networking opportunities for selected assistant coaches.
Football wide receivers coach Alex Bailey and Jill Kendall, lacrosse’s associate head coach, were selected by Vanderbilt to represent the Commodores.
Bailey is entering his third season as wide receivers coach on Clark Lea’s staff at Vanderbilt. Last fall, four of his receivers ranked among the top-50 wide outs in the SEC in receiving yards. In addition, Vanderbilt produced a pair of freshmen with at least three receiving touchdowns each for the first time since 2008. Bailey came to Nashville following one season at Colorado State and six seasons at Ball State, all coaching receivers. At Ball State, he produced two of the top-four Cardinals in career receiving yards while helping BSU to its first MAC championship since 1998 and first-ever bowl win. The Columbus, Ohio, native played receiver at Youngstown State. He graduated from Youngstown State in 2008 with a degree in exercise science and earned a master’s degree education and sport science from Defiance.
Kendall finished her sixth season on Beth Hewitt’s coaching staff, and first as associate head coach, in 2024. She works closely with the midfielders and leads the charge on Vanderbilt’s recruiting. In her first full season on the sidelines in 2019, the Commodores finished No. 4 in the nation in caused turnovers and No. 6 in the NCAA in ground balls. Under Kendall’s coaching, Melissa Hawkins (2018-22) finished second in school history in caused turnovers and fifth in ground balls. One of Vanderbilt’s most decorated athletes, Kendall (née Doherty), played in the black and gold from 2014-17 and finished her career ranked among Vanderbilt’s all-time best in the school record books: second in assists (84), seventh in points (175) and third in draw controls (163). Kendall began her time at Vanderbilt in 2013 as a member of a top-10 recruiting class. The Reading, Massachusetts, native majored in human and organizational development and graduated in 2017 as a four-year starter and senior captain for the Commodores.
The forum aimed to empower coaches with the knowledge and skills necessary to ascend to head coaching positions in their respective sports. The two-day event held in Atlanta featured a comprehensive lineup of panels and sessions aimed at providing guidance on navigating the coaching landscape.
