FERRUM, Va. -- Director of Athletics Cleive Adams has announced the hiring of Alex Birge as Assistant Men's Basketball Coach at Ferrum College. Birge will work with Head Coach James Johnson '93, who begins his first year at the helm of the Panther men's basketball program this fall.

Birge comes to Ferrum from Francis Marion University in Florence, South Carolina, where he served as Assistant Men's Basketball Coach from 2023-26. His responsibilities at FMU included scouting, recruiting, assisting with game planning, video recording and editing, academic monitoring, player development, fundraising, budgeting, travel, scheduling, and community outreach.

"I am pleased to have Alex join our staff," said Johnson. "He brings valuable Division II experience and knowledge of Conference Carolinas that will be a tremendous help to me and our staff. He is a relentless recruiter who knows our region and recruiting footprint, and he has an excellent Xs and Os basketball mind. We are excited to have him as part of the Panther family."

Prior to his time at Francis Marion, Birge served as Assistant Men's Basketball Coach at Santa Fe College from 2017-23. Before that, he was Interim Head Men's Basketball Coach during the 2016-17 season at Indiana University Kokomo after serving as an Assistant Coach for the Cougars from 2014-16.
Birge served as Student Manager/Video Coordinator at Bradley University from 2012-14, where he earned his bachelor's degree in December 2013. He later earned his master's degree from Indiana University Kokomo.

As a collegiate player, Birge spent one season at Monmouth College (2010-11) and one season at Spoon River Community College (2009-10).

Birge and his wife, Allison, have three children: Ava, Dani, and Trey.