Kirk Walker is an American softball coach, currently serving as associate head coach of the UCLA Bruins softball team. He previously served as the head coach for the Oregon State Beavers softball team, where he is the winningest softball coach in program history.
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Associate head coach |
| Team | UCLA |
| Conference | Pac-12 |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | Woodland Hills, California |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1984–1989 | UCLA (grad. asst.) |
| 1990–1994 | UCLA (asst.) |
| 1995–2012 | Oregon State |
| 2013–2022 | UCLA (asst.) |
| 2023–present | UCLA (AHC) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 594–490–3 (.548) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
| |
Coaching career
editWalker began his coaching career as an undergraduate assistant coach for the UCLA Bruins in 1984. He spent 11 years at UCLA where the Bruins won six Women's College World Series championships in 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1992.[1]
Prior to the 1995 season, Walker was named head coach for the Oregon State Beavers softball team. In 1999, he led the Beavers to a 47–25 record, setting a program-record for the most wins, and advanced to NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. Following the season he was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year and Speedline Pacific Region Co-Coaching Staff of the Year.[2] In 2005 he led the Beavers to a 43–16 record, and their first-ever conference championship in program history and an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. The Pac-10 championship was the first regular-season title for any women's sports program in Oregon State history. Following the season he was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year.[1] On March 1, 2009, Walker earned his 500th career win in a victory against Minnesota.[3]
Walker served as the head coach at Oregon State for eighteen years, where he posted a 594–490–3 record, and eight seasons with at least 40 wins. He is the all-time winningest softball coach in program history and the fifth-winningest in Oregon State history regardless of sport.[1][4] On August 7, 2012, Walker resigned as head coach of the Beavers to return to UCLA as an assistant coach.[5] On August 12, 2022, Walker was promoted to associate head coach for the Bruins.[6]
On November 18, 2019, Walker was named head coach and assistant general manager for the California Commotion of National Pro Fastpitch.[7] The team never played a game as the 2020 and 2021 seasons were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8][9] On August 1, 2021, the NPF announced that due to a lack of revenue after cancelling the previous two seasons, it would be suspending operations.[10]
Personal life
editWalker came out as gay in 2005, announcing he and his partner, Randy Baltimore, adopted a daughter named Eva.[11] He was the first openly gay male coach in NCAA Division I history.[12][13]
Head coaching record
edit| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon State (Pacific-10/Pac-12 Conference) (1995–2012) | |||||||||
| 1995 | Oregon State | 13–41 | 4–24 | 7th | |||||
| 1996 | Oregon State | 15–35 | 3–22 | 8th | |||||
| 1997 | Oregon State | 29–34–1 | 6–21 | 8th | |||||
| 1998 | Oregon State | 27–28 | 8–20 | 8th | |||||
| 1999 | Oregon State | 47–25 | 14–14 | 4th | NCAA Regionals | ||||
| 2000 | Oregon State | 40–21–1 | 7–13 | 6th | NCAA Regionals | ||||
| 2001 | Oregon State | 44–24 | 10–10 | 5th | NCAA Regionals | ||||
| 2002 | Oregon State | 40–25 | 7–14 | 7th | NCAA Regionals | ||||
| 2003 | Oregon State | 36–31 | 5–16 | 8th | NCAA Regionals | ||||
| 2004 | Oregon State | 44–28 | 4–17 | 7th | NCAA Regionals | ||||
| 2005 | Oregon State | 43–16 | 13–8 | 3rd | NCAA Regionals | ||||
| 2006 | Oregon State | 43–16 | 10–10 | 5th | Women's College World Series | ||||
| 2007 | Oregon State | 41–23 | 10–11 | 5th | NCAA Regionals | ||||
| 2008 | Oregon State | 28–31 | 6–15 | 7th | |||||
| 2009 | Oregon State | 25–30 | 4–17 | 7th | |||||
| 2010 | Oregon State | 24–31 | 4–17 | 8th | |||||
| 2011 | Oregon State | 19–28 | 2–19 | 8th | |||||
| 2012 | Oregon State | 36–23 | 9–14 | 6th | NCAA Regionals | ||||
| Oregon State: | 594–490–3 (.548) | 126–282 (.309) | |||||||
| Total: | 594–490–3 (.548) | ||||||||
|
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
| |||||||||
References
edit- ^ a b c "Kirk Walker". uclabruins.com. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ^ "OSU Softball Coaches Receive Regional Award". osubeavers.com. June 17, 1999. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ^ "Late Runs Lift Softball to Victory over Minnesota; Walker Earns 500th Win". osubeavers.com. March 1, 2009. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ^ Fuqua, Brad (August 25, 2012). "OSU softball: Walker reflects on 18 years leading softball program". Corvallis Gazette-Times. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ^ "Oregon State softball coach Kirk Walker resigns". The Oregonian. August 7, 2012. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ^ "Kirk Walker Promoted to Associate Head Coach". uclabruins.com. August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ "National Pro Fastpitch adds new team in California; Kirk Walker named head coach". NFCA.org. November 17, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ^ "National Pro Fastpitch Cancels 2020 Season due to COVID-19". profastpitch.com. May 15, 2020. Archived from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "National Pro Fastpitch Suspends Games for 2021 season". profastpitch.com. December 3, 2020. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "NPF Suspends League Operations". Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Witz, Billy (May 21, 2010). "Openly Gay College Coach Makes a Low-Profile Role Model". New York Times. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ^ Savell Reavis, Tracey (August 26, 2017). "UCLA coach Kirk Walker on life after coming out". Washington Blade. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ^ Painter, Jill (April 1, 2011). "NCAA coach, a native of Woodland Hills, brings hope to gay and lesbian community". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved July 7, 2021.