Alabama deputy AD Tiffini Grimes leaves for Purdue opportunity
The Alabama Athletic Department just took a major hit. Its Senior Deputy Athletic Director, Tiffini Grimes, is leaving the Crimson Tide to fill a similar role at Purdue, Purdue Athletics has confirmed. Grimes also held the roles of Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) and Chief Diversity Officer while at Alabama. She’ll serve as the SWA and Deputy AD at Purdue.
Grimes was a vital member of the Alabama Athletics Department staff for several years, having served as a Deputy AD since 2019. Here was the summary of her positions as well as some of her accomplishments during her time in Tuscaloosa, via the Alabama Athletics website:
Tiffini Grimes background
“Tiffini N. Grimes was elevated to Senior Deputy Director of Athletics/Senior Woman Administrator in 2021 after serving as Deputy Director of Athletics since December 2019. She also carries the designation of Chief Diversity Officer, a role that she has held since its inception in 2017.
As a member of the executive leadership team, Grimes assists the Director of Athletics with strategic direction for the department, ensures alignment with the mission and values of the university, and oversees the day-to-day operations of several internal areas. She leads the department’s policy development and implementation, Title IX education and awareness, and the coordination of internal communication to ensure alignment between administration and coaches. Grimes further serves as the administrator of four Crimson Tide sport programs and oversees the management, supervision and evaluation of the department’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
With student-athlete development as a focus, Grimes created and implemented the Elite Athlete Program, which transitions student-athletes into the realm of professional athletics and encompasses The Advantage, Alabama Athletics’ name, image, likeness initiative. The success of this program has played an integral role for the 18-time national football champions in the areas of roster management and retention. A key administrator for the football program, Grimes has lead the seamless transition of 52 NFL Draft Picks, tying the NFL record and setting the Alabama record for most first-round selections in the 2021 draft (six). Further, she has navigated the successful transitions of four NBA Draft Picks (Collin Sexton, Kira Lewis, Herbert Jones, Josh Primo), and one WNBA Draft Pick (Jasmine Walker).”