WALKER STEPS DOWN AS MCC MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH

(MERIDIAN)- Jeff Walker has resigned as head men’s basketball coach at Meridian Community College, according to MCC Athletic Director Hilary Allen. Walker took the Eagle reins from current Mississippi State Assistant Coach George Brooks in August of 2010 and posted an 19-10 record in his lone season at MCC.

Walker came to MCC from Indiana Tech University, where he had served as athletic director since 2009. He had over 20 years coaching experience, including head coaching stints at Crichton College in Memphis, Grayson County College in Texas, and Hiawassee College in Tennessee as well as an assistantship at Middle Tennessee State University. With his stint at MCC, Walker’s career head coaching record now stands at 179-96.

“Obviously, I was hoping that Coach Walker’s tenure at MCC would be longer than one year,” said Dr. Scott Elliott, college president, “but he has indicated that it is in his best interest and that of his family to chart a different course, so we wish him all the best and sincerely thank him for all his efforts on behalf of our college. ”

Walker had a history of turning around slumping basketball programs, and took a step in that direction for MCC with a 19-win season, including a 5-4 Miss-Lou Conference record. “Coach Walker laid a foundation this year that can hopefully be built upon by our new head coach,” Elliott assessed.

Elliott said the search for a new head coach would begin immediately, under the direction of Allen and MCC Assistant Dean for Student Services Sander Atkinson.

“Those two guys (Allen and Atkinson) did a good job in recruiting a proven coach like Jeff Walker last year in a rather tight timeline, given that we lost George Brooks to Mississippi State just before school started in the fall of 2010,” Elliott recalled. “This time around, we have a little more time to get things in place, although it remains a critical time for recruiting. So, we still have some sense of urgency in landing a quality coach.”

Allen said his first goal will be to work with Eagle Assistant Basketball Coach Justin Mann to keep the nucleus of Eagle returnees intact.

“We had a strong group of freshmen on this year’s team,” Allen said. “Coach Mann and I want to assure them that MCC is committed to securing a quality individual to coach them next season. We have as many as seven returnees on our roster who we want to keep in the Green and White for their sophomore seasons. However, I fully understand that it’s always an anxious time for players whenever you have a transition in coaches, so we want to make certain those players know they are wanted and needed in our basketball program.”

Anyone interested in applying for MCC head basketball coach can contact Allen at 601-484-8699.