PRAIRIE VIEW — Prairie View A&M University Athletics proudly celebrates Mrs. Alicia Pete, who is being recognized and honored at the 2026 SWAC Game ChangHer Awards Brunch, a signature Southwestern Athletic Conference celebration honoring extraordinary women whose leadership, service, and excellence are transforming HBCUs, collegiate athletics, education, public service, and community impact across the conference.
The 2026 SWAC Game ChangHer Awards Brunch was held Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia, during SWAC Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament week. The high-impact, mission-driven event convened university presidents, conference executives, athletic directors, coaches, student-athletes, corporate leaders, elected officials, and community stakeholders to celebrate women who are breaking barriers, building legacy, and shaping the future of HBCU leadership.
Alicia Pete stands as a cornerstone of the Prairie View A&M University athletic department and is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished leaders in program history. She currently serves as Senior Associate Athletic Director, Vice President of Operations, and Senior Woman Administrator (SWA), a role she assumed following her elevation to Senior Associate AD in 2023. Pete was originally named Vice President of Operations and SWA in October 2018 after previously serving as Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations beginning in 2016.
Known as one of Prairie View A&M's "Legends of the Hill," Pete oversees athletic department operations including game day management, compliance, and academics, while directly supporting fourteen of the department's eighteen sports. She also serves as advisor for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Cheer, and the Gold Members Club, playing a vital role in advancing the student-athlete experience.
Pete's leadership extends beyond the Prairie View campus on both the conference and national levels. She has represented PVAMU through service on the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet and as Chair of the SWAC Senior Woman Administrators. Her connection to the SWA role spans more than two decades, as she was first named Senior Woman Administrator in 1999 and later assumed expanded senior-level administrative responsibilities in 2003.
Her distinguished career has been recognized with numerous honors, including induction into the Prairie View A&M Sports Hall of Fame in 2012 and the SWAC Hall of Fame in 2015. In 2019, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award and was presented with the Key to the City of Prairie View in recognition of her profound and lasting impact on the university and surrounding community.
Prior to her administrative success, Pete made history as a coach and remains the winningest coach in Prairie View A&M history. She led the volleyball program from 1999–2014, guiding the Lady Panthers to two SWAC Championships (1999, 2006) and the program's first two NCAA Tournament appearances. Following each championship season, she earned SWAC Coach of the Year honors. Pete also served as the head coach of the university's first Lady Panther Bowling team and later contributed as an assistant softball coach.
A native of San Antonio, Texas, Pete began her Prairie View A&M journey as a student-athlete. She was a four-year letterwinner, earning her first varsity letter as a freshman on the women's basketball team before lettering three additional seasons as a volleyball standout. Her playing career was decorated with MVP, Player of the Year, All-Tournament, and All-SWAC honors.
Prairie View A&M University Athletics proudly congratulates Mrs. Alicia Pete on this well-deserved recognition at the 2026 SWAC Game ChangHer Awards Brunch, celebrating a legacy defined by leadership, service, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
