Former women’s basketball coach Shirley Walker to receive Lifetime Achievement Award
After years of hard work and dedication to the Alcorn State University Braves women’s basketball team, former head coach Shirley Walker will reap the benefits of a legend with her new achievement.
“I feel that it is a great honor to be recognized for my accomplishments over the years,” said Walker. “I’m very proud that the conference decided to give me this award.”
Walker has been selected to receive the 2014 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Alumni Association Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to the conference’s athletic heritage. The award will be presented to her in Houston, Texas during the annual Legends Reception on Dec. 5 in the Tiger room of the Sterling Student Center on the Texas Southern campus.
Other Lifetime Achievement Award recipients are former Jackson State and NFL receiver Willie Richardson and the late Hoover Wright, who was Prairie View A&M’s football and track and field coach.
Walker led the Lady Braves to 493 wins during her 30-year tenure as head coach. Her teams won 12 regular season and six SWAC tournament titles and qualified for the NCAA Tournament three times, most recently in the 2004-05 season.
As Walker looks back on her career, she is happy to have made a significant contribution to the SWAC.
“This award means a lot. When someone looks over your work and realizes how much you put your heart and mind into what you have done, it shows that the conference appreciates your accomplishments. It means a lot to be a part of this conference.”
Despite Walker’s other activities such as recruiting, traveling and teaching, she still found the will to do what it took to have a successful team.
“Discipline is what helped me get through the tough times. It was a tough road, but we made it through it all.”
