Savannah State University
Savannah State University Tigers Team Physicians
Thomas Alexander, MD
Sports Medicine (Knee, Hip, Shoulder and Elbow)
- Medical School Medical College of Georgia (Augusta, GA)
- Board Certification American Board of Orthopedic Surgery
- Residency - University of Tennessee: The Campbell Clinic (Memphis, TN)
- Fellowship - Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas Fellowship in Shoulder Reconstruction and Sports Medicine
Savannah State University
Team Physicians
Optim Orthopedics - Thomas Alexander, MD
Optim Orthopedics is proud to be part of the fabric of living in Southeast Georgia. That means setting ourselves apart as the leaders in orthopedic medicine, but it also means cheering on our Tigers. Whether they’re on the diamond, the court or the gridiron, our Savannah State University Tigers represent the pride of the Coastal Empire, and no one takes more pride in their tradition of excellence than Optim Orthopedics.
That’s because we’re not just fans, we’re right there on the sidelines and in the locker room serving as team physicians. As part of the long-standing partnership between Savannah State University Tigers and Optim Orthopedics, our physicians serve as the official athletic trainers to the Eagles, offering a completely comprehensive program to not only prevent and test injuries, but to treat them with the utmost care.
And it truly is a partnership. Dr. Thomas Alexander, physician director, describes it as one that sees Optim Orthopedics working side-by-side with coaches and student-athletes, “working toward the common goal of getting that athlete back into play as safely as quickly as possible, and as safely as possible.”Shawn Quinn
Savannah State University Tigers
Quinn found success immediately. In his debut season in 2019, the Tigers posted an historic 7-3 overall record—the first winning schedule since 1998. In the program’s first year of competition back in NCAA Division II and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), Quinn led the Tigers to an incredible 5-0 conference record.
The Tiger’s defense was the No. 1 scoring defense in the SIAC during the historic 2019 season. They defeated the top two teams in the SIAC, Albany State and Fort Valley State, by a combined 88-43 points.
He is only the second head coach in the program’s 100 plus year history to post a winning record in an inaugural coaching season. Quinn was named the Black College Sports Network 2019 Coach of the Year. During the school year, in an effort to connect with the Savannah community at large, Quinn and his team performed over 1,500 hours of community service.
Quinn served as the interim head football coach at Savannah State from December 2018-March 2019. He was hired by the Tigers in February of 2018 as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.Quinn began his coaching career at the high school level, coaching outside linebackers and tight ends for a year (1995) at Armuchee (Ga.) High before spending five years (1996-99) coaching at Maryville (Tenn.) High where he helped lead the team to the 1998 Tennessee Class 4-A state championship. He then landed on the staff at Tennessee, as an offensive graduate assistant, taking part in the Vols’ 2001 SEC East Championship. Quinn coached in three bowl games while at UT.
Quinn has coached or recruited a number of NFL players, most notably Jason Whitten (Dallas), Tyson Jackson (Atlanta), Darius Eubanks (Tampa Bay), Jeremy Lane (Seattle), Antwoine Williams (Minnesota) and Edwin Jackson (Indianapolis).
