UNCP named Conference Carolinas Athletic Communications Staff of the Year

PEMBROKE — UNC Pembroke Assistant Athletics Director Morgan Sheehan and Assistant Athletic Communications Director Alex Pearce were crowned by their peers as the Conference Carolinas Athletic Communications Staff of the Year on Wednesday morning, the league office announced.

The duo works together to provide athletic communication services to 16 varsity sports on the UNC Pembroke campus. The athletics communications office serves as the intermediary between UNCP’s 16 varsity athletic programs and the local and national media, showcasing the accomplishments of all UNCP student-athletes, coaches and administrators on the field, in the classroom and in the surrounding community.

The Athletic Communications Staff of the Year was voted on by the Athletic Communications Committee in Conference Carolinas.

“It is great to see Morgan and Alex recognized for their great work at UNC Pembroke,” Conference Carolinas Commissioner Chris Colvin said. “Their dedication to UNC Pembroke and willingness to help Conference Carolinas at numerous conference championships throughout the season hasn’t gone unnoticed.”

After logging time as a key player for the UNC Pembroke baseball team from 2009-12, followed by eight seasons on the coaching staff, Pearce joined the athletic administration team in early September. A Rocky Mount native, Pearce was a defensive standout for the Braves, compiling nearly 600 putouts and committing just 11 errors in 669 career defensive chances. Pearce graduated with his bachelor’s degree in physical education from UNC Pembroke in 2012 and earned his master’s degree in sport administration from UNC Pembroke in 2017.

A multi-sport student-athlete for the Braves from 2013-18, Sheehan is in the midst of her fifth year as a full-time member of UNCP’s athletics administration after previously serving as a student volunteer and intern. Sheehan was named as the assistant athletic director for communications & strategic initiatives in July 2023. A two-time All-Peach Belt Conference honoree in the Javelin Throw for the track & field squad, the Swansboro native began her collegiate career as a tennis player for the Black & Gold for two seasons. She graduated from UNCP with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications in 2016, and completed her master’s degree in physical education from UNCP in 2018.

“Alex and I can’t thank our peers in Conference Carolinas enough for this amazing honor,” Sheehan said. “We have enjoyed working with every single one of them towards the main goal of showcasing what great things are happening in Conference Carolinas thanks to the hard work of the student-athletes.”

“I’m very proud of the work our communications staff has done this year,” UNC Pembroke Director of Athletics Dick Christy said. “As a new team under Morgan’s leadership, she and Alex quickly developed a plan to get up to speed and service the needs of our over 400 student-athletes and thousands of fans.”