Augusta University

Kadija (pronounced: ka-DEE-ja) Dickens enters her 4th year as Director of Athletic Media Relations. Dickens acted as the Interim Director of Athletic Media Relations from 2019 to 2021. 

Dickens handles all publicity for all 14 athletic programs. She handles all aspects of social media and the web site for the department and provides oversight for the Augusta Athletic Network. Under Dickens’s guidance, Augusta Athletics has launched a new athletic web site at augustajags.com, has increased social media influence through all formats, and has become a leader in live streaming of all home athletic events with HD quality graphics and video.

Prior to her time in media relations, Dickens acted as assistant women's volleyball coach at Augusta University.  Dickens aided the team to their best record in school history in her first year in 2014 and the Jaguars have reached the NCAA Tournament twice under her watch.

With Dickens on the coaching staff, Augusta reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history in 2014 and again in 2018, and 2019. 

The 2019 squad won its second consecutive Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship and the 2020 squad won its third consecutive championship. In 2019, the Jaguars posted their most wins to date with 29. 13 players were named PBC All-Conference selections in the two year span. 

The 2018 squad won their first ever Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship and reached the NCAA Tournament for the second time ever, while enjoying their fifth 20-win season. The Jaguars posted the second-most wins ever with a 24-8 record in 2018.

In 2017, Augusta had three Peach Belt All-Conference selections, Eight PBC All-Academic honorees, and Jessica Hedrick was named the PBC Freshman of the Year.

In 2014, the Augusta Jags posted their best record in program history at 27-9 overall and 13-5 in the PBC. Head Coach Sharon Quarles was voted as the 2014 Coach of the Year on Nov. 14, after she had the most successful season any coach has ever had with the team.

The Jags had two seven-game winning streaks and one nine-game winning streak during the 2014 season – highlighted by their 24th win on Nov. 5 against the Georgia College Bobcats, surpassing the previous mark of 23 wins set in the 1995 season.

Prior to joining Augusta University for the 2014 season, Dickens spent a season as the assistant men's and women’s volleyball coach at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, N.C., in 2013.

A native of West Palm Beach, Fla., Dickens joined the Jags after graduating from Wake Forest University in 2012. Dickens finished her four-year term ranking third on the program's all-time kills list and led the Demon Deacons her senior year in kills (395, 3.40 kps) while starting all 30 matches. She ended her collegiate career with 1292 kills (2.96 kps), 43 service aces, 59 assists, 22 block solos, and 153 block assists while playing in 123 matches and 437 sets.

In addition to her prowess at Wake, Dickens played professionally in Aprilia, Italy from August 2012 to May 2013, and recently served as a coach for All-American Volleyball. Dickens's past coaching experience also includes working with Set Point Volleyball Club, as well as several camps.

Formerly Kadija Fornah, she married Cannon Dickens on May 20, 2017 in Savannah, Ga. The two welcomed their first child, Cannon Ridley Dickens, on May 18, 2018. Their second son, Emmanuel Reese Dickens, was born on September 14th, 2021.