Coach Joe Walker
2/9/2005 12:00:00 AM
Joe Walker
Cross Country Coach
Assistant Track & Field Coach
jwalker@ia.ua.edu
* 5th Year at Alabama
Entering his fifth season as an assistant coach and the primary distance coach for The University of Alabama men's track and field team, Joe Walker has brought the Tide distance program to national prominence. He has coached the Tide to back-to-back NCAA Regional Championships and a runner-up finish at the 2002 NCAA Regional Championships. His most prolific athlete, the late David Kimani, won back-to-back-to-back Southeastern Conference championships while winning three consecutive NCAA Regional championships and posting a fourth place finish at the 2000 NCAA Cross Country Championships and an 11th place finish at the 2002 NCAA CC Championships.
"Joe is a proven coach with valuable experience as an assistant and head coach. He has developed many successful athletes. In addition, Joe is a tremendous recruiter," said head track and field coach Harvey Glance.
Under his direction, the Alabama cross country and distance programs have grown by leaps and bounds. Upon his arrival at the Capstone, he has coached three SEC Male Athletes of the Year, 10 SEC Champions, three NCAA Cross Country Regional Champions, three National Champions and nine All-Americans. He has been named 2001 SEC Male Cross Country Co-Coach of the Year and the 2000 and 2001 South Region Cross Country Coach of the Year.
Walker joined the Crimson Tide following a two-year stint as an assistant coach at South Alabama. While at USA, he helped lead athletes to NCAA cross country and indoor individual championships. Walker also helped lead the Jaguars to several Sun Belt team titles. Prior to his tenure at South Alabama, Walker served as the head coach for men's and women's track & field at Meridian (Miss.) Community College. During his stay at MCC, he guided the team to national championships in cross country and indoor track & field. Twice named National Indoor Championship Coach of the Meet, Walker coached 16 individual national champions and 74 All-American performers while at Meridian.
A 1994 graduate of the University of Mississippi, Walker was a four-time Academic All-SEC performer for the Rebels. He was a member of Ole Miss' world ranked 4x1500m squad in 1994 and finished his career with the third best 3,000m time in UM history.
He is married to Carol Ann Walker and they are the parents of Joseph Kai Walker who was born on July 18, 2002.
The Walker File
Date hired: July 1, 2000
Hometown: Oxford, Mississippi
High school: Oxford High School
Education: (University of Mississippi, 1994)
COACHING EXPERIENCE:
? 2000 - Present Assistant Track Coach University of Alabama
? 1998 - 2000 Assistant Track Coach University of South Alabama
? 1995 - 1998 Head Track Coach Meridian Community College
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
? 2001 SEC CC Co-Coach of the Year
? 2001 and 2000 South Region CC Coach of the Year
? 1999 Sun Belt Conference CC Champions
? Two NJCAA Championships, 1996 and '97
? Three NJCAA Runner-up finishes
? 1991 - 1994 University of Mississippi 4-time Academic All-SEC
? Member of world ranked 4x1500M relay squad
? Finished career w/3rd best 3,000m time in Ole Miss history
