Former Alcorn State coach, athlete Lonnie Walker dies

Published 7:00 pm Monday, February 24, 2020

LORMAN — Lonnie Walker, a former three-sport athlete at Alcorn State who later served as head coach of the school’s men’s and women’s basketball teams, died on Monday.

Walker was inducted into the Alcorn A-Club Sports Hall of Fame in 2005, and the Southwestern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame in 2011.

Walker lettered in basketball, baseball and tennis at Alcorn from 1964-68. The 6-foot-4 guard was the SWAC Freshman of the Year in basketball in 1964-65 and a catcher on the baseball team.

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As a student-athlete, Walker was a part of three men’s basketball teams that won SWAC Championships in 1966, 1967 and 1968.

Upon graduation, Walker was an assistant men’s basketball coach under Davey L. Whitney for 22 seasons. The Braves posted winning seasons in 19 of the 22 years, including NCAA Tournament appearances in 1980, 1982, 1983 and 1984, as well NIT appearances in 1979 and 1985.

In addition to his men’s assistant duties, he also coached the women’s basketball team prior to his wife Shirley Walker, who then took over as the women’s head coach from 1978-2008.

Walker went on to succeed Whitney as Alcorn’s men’s basketball head coach from 1989-93.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been set.