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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'>Head Basketball Coach’s Drive to Surpass A&M-Commerce Record<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'>By Rand Champion<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'>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).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><u><span style='font-family:"Cambria","serif"'>Sam Walker’s Year-By-Year Results<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><span style='font-family:"Cambria","serif"'> <u>Year</u> <u>School</u> <u>Record</u> <u>Pct.</u> <u>Conf.</u> <u>Pct.<o:p></o:p></u></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Cambria","serif"'> 2000-01 A&M-Commerce 17-10 .630 7-5 .583<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Cambria","serif"'> 2001-02 A&M-Commerce 10-19 .345 4-8 .333<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Cambria","serif"'> 2002-03 A&M-Commerce 16-12 .571 6-6 .500<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Cambria","serif"'> 2003-04 A&M-Commerce 13-14 .481 4-8 .333<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Cambria","serif"'> 2004-05 A&M-Commerce 28-5 .848 10-2 .833<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Cambria","serif"'> 2005-06 A&M-Commerce 16-12 .571 6-6 .500<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria","serif"'> 2006-07 A&M-Commerce 14-14 .500 7-5 .583<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Cambria","serif"'> 2007-08 A&M-Commerce 14-16 .467 7-5 .583<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Cambria","serif"'> 2008-09 A&M-Commerce 17-11 .607 8-4 .667<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Cambria","serif"'> 2009-10 A&M-Commerce 19-9 .679 8-4 .667<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Cambria","serif"'> 2010-11 A&M-Commerce 18-9 .667 8-4 .667<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Cambria","serif"'> 2011-12 A&M-Commerce 10-17 .370 5-13 .578<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Cambria","serif"'> <u>2012-13 A&M-Commerce 7-2 .750 2-0 1.000<o:p></o:p></u></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Cambria","serif"'> <b>TOTALS 199-150 .570 82-70 .539</b></span><b> <o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'>###<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'>About Texas A&M University-Commerce:</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'> 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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'>About The Texas A&M University System:</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"'> 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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>