Alex Penewell serves as the Associate Commissioner for Championships and Sport Administration. A member of the WCC's leadership team, Penewell oversees operations for all championship events and serves as the sport administrator for several sports. She joined the WCC in January of 2024.
Penewell has served as a collegiate athletics administrator for more than 10 years, with a wealth of experience in leadership roles hosting championship events.
Penewell joins the WCC after serving the past 10 years at the Big West Conference, where she held several leadership positions. She oversaw all championship events for the Big West the past five years, most recently serving as the Associate Commissioner for Championships and Sport Administration. Penewell joined the Big West in 2014 as the Assistant Director for Institutional Services, serving in a compliance role and providing support for the Big West’s governance systems. She was elevated to the Director of Administrative Services in 2018, taking on managerial responsibilities with the Big West’s men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, and serving as a sport administrator for beach volleyball and men’s volleyball. In 2020, Penewell was promoted to her current role and joined the Big West’s senior staff. She added sport administrator responsibilities for women’s volleyball, women’s water polo and baseball.
Prior to joining the Big West, Penewell was a member of the Cal State University, Fullerton athletics administration, working in the compliance office from 2013-14.
A Southern California native, Penewell earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Montana State in 2012. She earned her master’s in Sports Leadership from Northeastern in 2015. Penewell was a standout collegiate volleyball player, competing her first two seasons at Colorado before transferring to Montana State. She was named the Big Sky Newcomer of the Year in her first season at Montana State, and was voted a team captain and Most Valuable Player for the Bobcats as a senior.