Walker earns NJCAA DI Women's Basketball Coach of the Year
Charlotte, NC - Northwest Florida State head coach Bart Walker has been named the 2022-23 NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball Coach of the Year.
Coach Walker entered his sixth consecutive season as head coach for Northwest Florida State, and eighth season overall as the Raiders' head coach.
Northwest Florida State President Dr. Devin Stephenson on Walker- "Bart Walker is a servant leader on and off the court. His commitment to excellence, both in and beyond the game of basketball, is a testimony to all of us and reflects the spirit of Northwest Florida State College."
The Raiders earned the No.8 seed going into the 2022-23 NJCAA DI Women's Championship tournament after receiving an at-large bid to the tournament due to a loss in the South Atlantic District championship game. They ended the season with an overall record of 29-4. Their four losses on the season were to Trinity Valley, Gulf Coast State, and Eastern Florida State, who the Raiders lost to twice. All three of these teams earned a spot in the national tournament. Under the leadership of Coach Walker, Northwest Florida State got revenge on their first regular season loss when they defeated Trinity Valley in the 2022-23 NJCAA DI Women's Championship title game 66-63 in OT. This was the Raiders' second national title in program history.
In his eight-year tenure at Northwest Florida State, Walker has lead the Raiders to an overall record of 196-41, giving him a .827 winning percentage. In his overall twelve-year tenure as a head coach, Walker has a record of 402-139, giving him a .743 winning percentage. Outside of the Raiders, Walker's coaching experience includes four years at Hiawassee College, four years at Chattanooga State, and one year at Motlow State. In his time with Hiawassee, Walker appeared in the NJCAA National Tournament Elite-8 three times. Walker also made an appearance in the NJCAA national tournament during his one-year tenure with Motlow State.
During his eight years at Northwest Florida State, Walker has lead the Raiders to an overall record of 196-41, giving him a .827 winning percentage. In his overall twelve-year tenure as a head coach, Walker has a record of 402-139, giving him a .743 winning percentage. Throughout his career, Walker has had over 90 players earn athletic scholarships at four-year institutions. He has also coached four players who were placed on the NJCAA First-Team All-America team and six players who were placed on the NJCAA Second-Team and Honorable Mention All-America teams. One of these First-Team All-America honorees is current player Sakima Walker who posted 533 points and 261 rebounds on the season.
In the 2020-21 season, Walker led Northwest Florida State to its first NJCAA DI Women's Basketball National Championship title in school history after defeating Trinity Valley 67-60. The Raiders went 24-2 on the season.
Northwest Florida State Athletic Director Ramsey Ross on Walker- "Coach Walker has been an outstanding coach throughout this entire career. This season, however, was perhaps his finest. Considering the roster turnover from a year ago, and the amount of significant injuries, the adaptation and adjustments by Coach Walker to establish a winning formula and identity was nothing short of remarkable. It's a tribute to the culture and standards he has firmly entrenched into our women's basketball program. Northwest Florida State College is incredibly fortunate to have such an outstanding leader for our student-athletes and we are so happy for Coach Walker to receive this amazing honor."
