Alicia Pete is a cornerstone of the Prairie View A&M University athletic department and 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, 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.
Widely regarded 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. Her leadership extends beyond campus, as she has represented PVAMU nationally through service on the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet and as Chair of the SWAC Senior Woman Administrators. Pete was first named Senior Woman Administrator in 1999 and added senior-level administrative responsibilities in 2003.
A 2015 SWAC Hall of Fame inductee and a 2012 Prairie View A&M Sports Hall of Fame honoree, Pete was also the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019 and was presented with the Key to the City of Prairie View in recognition of her lasting impact on the university and community. As a coach, she is the winningest coach in Prairie View A&M history, leading the volleyball program from 1999–2014 to two SWAC Championships (1999, 2006) and the program’s first two NCAA Tournament appearances, earning SWAC Coach of the Year honors following each title. She also made history as the head coach of the university’s first Lady Panther Bowling team and later served as an assistant softball coach.
A native of San Antonio, Texas, Pete was a four-year letterwinner as a student-athlete at Prairie View A&M. She earned her first varsity letter as a freshman on the women’s basketball team before lettering three additional seasons as a volleyball standout. During her playing career, she earned MVP, Player of the Year, All-Tournament, and All-SWAC honors.
Pete earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1991 and a master’s degree in health in 1998 from Prairie View A&M University. She is married to John O. Pete, Sr., and they have four children: John Jr., Ricky, Xavier, and Bryson.
