Press Releases

February 6, 2002
Southampton College Features the Only Female Head Coach in Men's Division

Carmen Walker Guides Colonials to Second Place in Vassar Invitational

Contact:
Darren Johnson (PR@southampton.liu.edu)
(631) 287 8313
Fax: (631) 283 4081

Carmen Walker made her debut as head coach with the Colonials of Southampton College of Long Island University for the 2002 volleyball season at the recent Vassar Invitational Tournament.

Walker is the only female head coach for men's volleyball in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) Hay Division and one of only a handful of women coaching any NCAA men's sport. Walker has an impressive resume, years of experience and a fierce determination to succeed, all which are essential since Walker ventures into a territory where few women have gone. Not only is she a female coaching men, but she accepts this challenge without an assistant coach. League foes include competitive teams from NYU, ESU, Vassar, Harvard and Springfield College.

Walker guided her team to a 3-1 record at the Vassar tournament, which was played on January 25- 26. The Colonials defeated MIT 3-0, Queens 3-2, and D-Youville 3-0. They lost in the final round to Vassar; however junior Joe Daigler, of North Tonawanda, NY was named to the All Tournament Team due largely to his 15 kills, four blocks and eight digs against MIT and his 10 kills and three blocks vs. Vassar. Junior Scott Schult of Buffalo, NY, contributed 11 kills each against MIT and Vassar and had four blocks in the latter.

Coming to Southampton from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Walker graduated in May 2001. There, she played four years of collegiate volleyball. During her time as a player, Walker helped her team win three straight Southern Conference Tournament Championships. Her team also claimed back-to-back Southern Conference Regular Season Titles and made two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Walker was named to First Team All Conference twice, made it to the First

Team All Tournament, and was team captain.

Her high school years were just as successful, with Walker lettering four times, being named team captain, and leading her squad to a 23-3 mark her senior

year. She played on two club teams and won various awards.

Prior to coming to Southampton College, Walker had experience as an assistant coach at various places, including Cherry Creek High School, St. Mary's Academy High

School, Covenant College and, most recently, at her alma mater, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Walker seized the opportunity to gain valuable coaching experience at Southampton. " I believe my background and Southampton's requirements are a great match. As head coach for the men's volleyball program, my volleyball skills and leadership qualities could be instrumental in motivating and training the Colonials to a higher level of achievement and success," she said.

Walker mentions that it is a challenging prospect for her to break down the preconceived gender barriers. "The coach is the coach. Players and administrators need to respect the coach, regardless of gender. They'll either like the coach or not, but it has nothing to do with being male or female. Blaming it on gender is just an obvious

target," Walker said, confident that she has the respect of her players and can give respect back to the program.

Southampton's Athletic Director, Mary Topping, added, "I do not anticipate any problems having a woman coach a men's team. Cindy Corwith [former women's softball coach and now associate athletic director] coached men's tennis here for 10 years. We hire men to coach women's teams frequently and have not experienced difficulties or prejudices."

Walker, born and raised in Denver, Colo., currently lives in East Hampton and works in the Sag Harbor School District.