[Students] Head Basketball Coach's Drive to Surpass A&M-Commerce Record
Christan Hilbrand
Christan.Hilbrand at tamuc.edu
Mon Dec 10 16:24:34 CST 2012
Head Basketball Coach's Drive to Surpass A&M-Commerce Record
By Rand Champion
COMMERCE, Texas - Texas A&M University-Commerce head men's basketball
coach Sam Walker sits on the verge of a pair of impressive coaching
milestone as the Lions head into a three-game road trip to close out the
2012 calendar season.
Walker, who is in his 13th season at the helm of the Lion basketball
program and his 21st with the university, has compiled a 199-150 career
record, needing just one more win to reach the 200-win plateau. In
addition, Walker is just three victories shy of surpassing Jim Gudger as
the all-time winningest coach in A&M-Commerce program history. Gudger
posted a 201-190 record for the Lions from 1969-1983 and was inducted
into the A&M-Commerce Hall of Fame in 1992.
Heading into the 2012-13 season, Walker had compiled an overall coaching
record of 192-148, which includes a Lone Star Conference championship as
well as an NCAA Regional Finals appearance in 2004-05. The Lions are 7-2
through the first nine games of 2012-13, including a 2-0 mark in LSC
play with wins over Abilene Christian and Angelo State.
Under Walker's tutelage, 32 players have been recognized as All-Lone
Star Conference selections, including nine first team honorees. He has
coached a Lone Star Conference Player of the Year (Jemart Miller in
2004-05), four LSC Newcomers of the Year, two LSC Freshmen of the Year
and a Daktronics Third Team All-American (Scooby Johnson in 2007-08).
Walker has also ensured the Lions have excelled in the classroom as
well. During the 2011-12 season, the Lions notched an impressive feat as
Desmond King (first team) and Andrew Davis (third team) were both named
Capital One Academic All-Americans, making A&M-Commerce the only program
in the country at the Division I, II or III level to have a pair of
Academic All-Americans. In addition, Davis was named the Lone Star
Conference Men's Basketball Academic Player of the Year.
A 1991 graduate of Sam Houston State University, Walker first came to
Commerce as an assistant coach under former head coach and Hall of Famer
Paul Peak. Working alongside Peak, the Lions won the 1996 Lone Star
Conference Championship, the 1998 South Division Championship and made
three consecutive NCAA Division II tournament appearances in 1995-96,
1996-97 and 1997-98. During the 1997 tournament, the Lions were the NCAA
South Central Regional Champions, advancing to the Elite Eight.
A&M-Commerce's postseason success has continued under Walker as the
Lions have reached the Lone Star Conference tournament in 10 of Walker's
12 seasons, including eight consecutive years - the longest current
streak in the conference.
Walker's Lions travel to Dallas Baptist this Saturday to open up the
three-game road trip. A&M-Commerce then visits Ouachita Baptist on
Tuesday, December 18th followed by a game at Southern Arkansas on
Wednesday, December 19th. The Lions' next home game will be on
Wednesday, January 2nd facing Lone Star Conference opponent Incarnate
Word. Follow us on twitter at @Lion_Athletics and stay tuned with us
live for stats, video, and radio available at LionAthletics.com.
Sam Walker's Year-By-Year Results
Year School
Record Pct. Conf. Pct.
2000-01 A&M-Commerce 17-10
.630 7-5 .583
2001-02 A&M-Commerce 10-19
.345 4-8 .333
2002-03 A&M-Commerce 16-12
.571 6-6 .500
2003-04 A&M-Commerce 13-14
.481 4-8 .333
2004-05 A&M-Commerce 28-5
.848 10-2 .833
2005-06 A&M-Commerce 16-12
.571 6-6 .500
2006-07 A&M-Commerce 14-14
.500 7-5 .583
2007-08 A&M-Commerce 14-16
.467 7-5 .583
2008-09 A&M-Commerce 17-11
.607 8-4 .667
2009-10 A&M-Commerce 19-9
.679 8-4 .667
2010-11 A&M-Commerce 18-9
.667 8-4 .667
2011-12 A&M-Commerce 10-17
.370 5-13 .578
2012-13 A&M-Commerce 7-2
.750 2-0 1.000
TOTALS
199-150 .570 82-70 .539
###
About Texas A&M University-Commerce: Founded in 1889, Texas A&M
University-Commerce is a member of The Texas A&M University System.
Located in Northeast Texas, A&M-Commerce is home to more than 11,000
students, four academic colleges, a thriving graduate school, and more
than 100 degree programs. As the region's focal point of higher
education, A&M-Commerce offers students facilities ranging from a
world-class science building and new student center, to a fully equipped
recreational facility and recently completed music hall. The university
also has convenient facilities in Corsicana, Midlothian, McKinney,
Mesquite, Rockwall and downtown Dallas.
About The Texas A&M University System: The A&M System is one of the
largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $3.3
billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, seven state
agencies and a comprehensive health science center, the A&M System
educates more than 120,000 students and makes more than 22 million
additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs
each year. Externally funded research expenditures exceed $730 million
and help drive the state's economy.
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