Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Head coach Shawn Walker has planted the seeds for success at Grambling

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling State University is a school steeped in history, with its Louisiana roots stretching as far back as the late 1800s. It was founded by a group of African-American farmers who wanted to operate a school in the northern part of the state to educate other African-Americans.

Known for a rich musical and cultural history, highlighted by its World Famed Tiger Marching Band and Grammy-winning alumna Eryka Badu, the university also sports a strong history in athletics. It’s a history highlighted by Eddie Robinson, who retired as the winningest coach in NCAA football history, and Super Bowl XXII MVP Doug Williams.

However in recent years, the Grambling State basketball program has fallen on hard times, with only one season above .500 since 2005 and only one 20-win season in program history, dating back to 1979-80. But much like the farmers who founded Grambling, the school’s current administration has planted the seeds that they hope will help the basketball program finally blossom.



The first step was to hire current head coach Shawn Walker, who had the arduous task of rebuilding the Grambling program in the summer of 2014 amid APR sanctions.

Out of 351 teams in Division I, Walker says, the Tigers may have been the worst.

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