Chris Walker from GoLobos.com
It's Official!
Villanova alumn Chris Walker '92 has returned to the Main Line to assume the vacant assistant coach position under Head Coach Jay Wright.
Jay noted... We are thrilled to have another Wildcat alumnus join our staff. Chris was an outstanding point guard while I was an assistant here and was one of the hardest working and committed players on our team. He has had an outstanding coaching career since his graduation and we are very fortunate to have him here as a teacher and mentor for our student-athletes.
Walker has spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of New Mexico under Steve Alford.
While at Villanova, Walker started 96 games and was named to the All Big-5 team twice. As a Wildcat, he participated in two NCAA Tournaments and two NIT trips. His 404 Assists at ‘Nova rank him 13th All-Time. He is also 8th in Career Steals with 185.
Chris Walker Coaching Career
- Loyola Marymount 1992-96 (Graduate Assistant)
- Vanderbilt (1996-99)
- Pepperdine (1999-00)
- Villanova (2000)
- UMass (2001-05)
- New Mexico (2007- current)
OFFICIAL RELEASE:
VILLANOVA, Pa. – Former Wildcat standout Chris Walker is returning to Villanova as an assistant coach, it was announced today. Walker, a 1992 Villanova graduate, rejoins the Villanova family after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of New Mexico.
“We are thrilled to have another Wildcat alumnus join our staff,” stated Villanova head coach Jay Wright. “Chris was an outstanding point guard while I was an assistant here and was one of the hardest working and committed players on our team. He has had an outstanding coaching career since his graduation and we are very fortunate to have him here as a teacher and mentor for our student-athletes.”
Walker, 39, came to Villanova from his native Houston, Tex., in 1988 to play for head coach Rollie Massimino. Wright served as an assistant coach in each of Walker’s four seasons on campus. During his days as an undergraduate, Walker started 96 games at point guard and helped the ‘Cats to two NCAA and two National Invitation Tournament appearances. His 404 career assists rank 13th on the school’s all-time list and he was twice chosen to the All-Philadelphia Big Five squad.
This marks Walker’s second stint as a Villanova assistant coach. He spent the 2000-01 campaign on the staff of former head coach Steve Lappas before accompanying Lappas to the University of Massachusetts. He was on the sidelines in Amherst for three seasons from 2001-05, including a one-year hiatus in 2004 when he served as the president and CEO of Spearhead Sports LLC in Houston. Walker has also served as the associate head coach at Vanderbilt (1996-99) and Pepperdine (1999-00) and head coach of the T-Mac All-Stars, a Houston based amateur unit.
The hiring of Walker fills the void created when former associate head coach Patrick Chambers was named head coach at Boston University in April.